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This might sound goofy, but what is the proper procedure for a thank you note after an interview? I've heard from some that e-mail is better; I was taught that hand-written is best; I've heard from some that typewritten is best; I even heard from one that it's a waste of time (I don't take this last one too seriously).
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Madeline Fabray wrote:This might sound goofy, but what is the proper procedure for a thank you note after an interview? I've heard from some that e-mail is better; I was taught that hand-written is best; I've heard from some that typewritten is best; I even heard from one that it's a waste of time (I don't take this last one too seriously). These are only my thoughts. I have always sent them by the same communication method used by the HR department or search committee. If they communicated by email, I sent them by email. For one, I felt the postal mail would probably be too late to do much good. If the interviews are all grouped together n the same day or over several days, they may have already made their mind up before getting the thank you. I also do not think thank you notes make or break a candidate. It may make a difference if too candidates are equal on all others measures. I think the real value is one last time to get you name out there and specifically to say "yes I am interested" and "contact me if you need any more information". Another added value that is often overlooked comes into play if you did NOT get the job because someone was more qualified. By sending the thank you, you make a strong impression for that next opportunity. Sometimes organizations will even contact you do the road if you make a strong impression to say would you consider this new position.
Brian C. Gray Head of Reference & Engineering Librarian Kelvin Smith Library Case Western Reserve University http://blog.case.edu/bcg8bcg8@case.edu
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This is what I do:
After a phone interview: I send a short thank you note via email to every committee member, even if they couldn't make the interview. I do this within about 24 hours of the interview in case they are meeting right away for the next set of decisions.
After a campus interview: I hand write notes to everyone on the committee, and perhaps to people I met who aren't on the committee.
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I have had careers in several different fields, and now in the LIS field - I have never sent a thank you letter after any interviews, and I don't believe this has ever hurt me, as I have been offered almost every job I have interviewed for. (I have been told several times I am an excellent interviewer, so I think this plays a huge role though.) So, that being said, thank yous do not necessarily make a difference, in my opinion. If you still want to send a thank you though, I would send it the same way you sent in your resume. If you snail mailed your resume, then snail mail the thank you. If you emailed your resume, then email the thank you.
Check out my blog on Talking Books at http://talkingbookslibrarian.blogspot.com
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It has never even occurred to me to write thank you notes after phone interviews. (Unless the phone interview is the final interview, which has only happened to me once.) Writing a thank you note at every stage of the interview process strikes me as a little bit needy/pushy. Am I missing out on something? When possible, I handwrite thank you notes to everyone on the committee after the face to face interview. Yes, they probably get there too late for the job you just interviewed for, but an opening where a thank you note makes you or breaks you is probably not an opening you want to accept anyway. At least you look like the classy new hire, or the classy one that got away but whom we will think fondly of in the future. To me an email thank you note isn't much better than no thank you note at all. It is too transparent you are just getting your name in front of them one more time. I almost think you are better off asking a post-interview follow-up question. This gives them your name again and indicates that you have a continuing interest. You just have to make sure you don't ask something they already told you five times during the interview process.
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I am a big proponent of thank you notes. Especially thoughtful ones. It is true that not very many people write them, but, therefore, when you do, you are definitely noticed. It's also a great networking opportunity. Even if you don't get the job, when you run into search committee members at a conference or somewhere else thereafter, they're likely to remember you and to chat you up in the hall and that's only good for your future career opportunities. Any part of library-land is very small, either regionally or in a particular specialization. Get your name out there. Make someone tell someone else about you. Thank you notes may seem superficial but they can only help. I think email is fine so long as it's still formal, thoughtful, and professional.
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Erin Stalberg
Head, Metadata & Cataloging
NCSU Libraries
Erin Stalberg
Head of Metadata & Cataloging
North Carolina State University Libraries
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I mentioned this discussion recently to a friend who is an electronics engineer. He mentioned that in his opinion, sending a thank you letter shows you are a person who brown-noses, kisses up, etc.... just a totally different take on the subject that I wanted to throw in as devil's advocate, I guess!
Check out my blog on Talking Books at http://talkingbookslibrarian.blogspot.com
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TalkingBooksLibrarian wrote:I mentioned this discussion recently to a friend who is an electronics engineer. He mentioned that in his opinion, sending a thank you letter shows you are a person who brown-noses, kisses up, etc.... just a totally different take on the subject that I wanted to throw in as devil's advocate, I guess! I do not think common courtesy shows you are "brown nosing" unless you get cared away with what you write.
Brian C. Gray Head of Reference & Engineering Librarian Kelvin Smith Library Case Western Reserve University http://blog.case.edu/bcg8bcg8@case.edu
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