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I had a phone interview yesterday.
The interview was scheduled by a HR specialist. However, she didn't respond to my email about the information of search committee members before the interview. I had the interview and there were about 8 search committee members (librarians and instructors) and I couldn't remember all the names and titles through the phone.
I sent a thank you letter to the chair and asked about the committee info in the letter but haven't received an response from him. Is it too late if I send out thank you letters tomorrow as I get info from the HR person or the Chair?
How important do you think that Thank you letter will affect the decision for the next step?
Thank you. I appreciate your input.
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I think the thank you letter to the chair is good enough :) I wouldn't worry too much about it!
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It's great to send thank you notes, but I wouldn't stress about those you can't send.
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On almost every search committee I've been on, if the Chair received an email thank-you note, s/he forwarded it on to the committee. I believe thank you notes are important, but I think you are covered.
Erin Stalberg
Head of Metadata & Cataloging
North Carolina State University Libraries
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Thank you!!!
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I just read in the book "Sweaty Palms: the neglected art of being interviewed" that thank you letters are *not* recommended, except for 3 situations:
1. the interviewer has asked for additional information
2. you know that you have been rejected in the interview
3. your interview was conducted over a meal
The author, H. Anthony Medley, states that a thank you letter can have a negative effect on the interviewer (for a pile of reasons including invoking pity, irritation; creating more work for them, etc.). Pages 378-386.
My gut sense is that he is correct. Is there anyone here that has been on a search committee that can share their opinion on this matter?
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Sneakers wrote:The author, H. Anthony Medley, states that a thank you letter can have a negative effect on the interviewer (for a pile of reasons including invoking pity, irritation; creating more work for them, etc.). Pages 378-386.
My gut sense is that he is correct. Is there anyone here that has been on a search committee that can share their opinion on this matter? I have not nor would think those things based on a thank you letter. While I do not feel a thank you letter is a necessity, it does help the search committee know that you are really interested and "polished". It even suggests you see things through to completion.
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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Sneakers, that advice sounds terrible to me. A thank you note is a common courtesy, and not just in libraries. I can't imagine any librarian pitying (!) a candidate who sends a thank you note. Plus it's so rarely done that, as long as it's well written, it can only help.
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I always send a thank you letter to the one person who scheduled/headed the committee. I just make sure to include a thank you to everyone who was there--even if I don't have names. It is the intent of thanking, and the reiteration of your interest in the position after your on-site visit that matters. If some one is insulted that you don't remember 8 or 9 names, do you really want to work with them?
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I'm with Joan. I think that the advice from the book Sneakers referred to is terrible. As someone who has been in the position of interviewing and hiring employees, I was always amazed at how many applicants chose not to send thank you letters and further impressed by the people who took the time to write one. I also found that the ones who did turned out to be worth pursuing (whether that be another round of interviews, making the "short list", or flat-out hiring). Going that extra mile to send a thank you note -- even if you can't send one to each committee member or interviewer -- signals to the employer sincere interest in the job and organization and also shows some common courtesy and appreciation for the time they invested in you the applicant. I have never heard of anyone seeing a thank you note or letter as a weakness. In my opinion, it can only help your candidacy and unless the letter is riddled with typos it can do little to weaken it. Sending one letter still shows just what you intend - appreciation for the time, continued interest in the organization, and desire to be considered for the role.
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I absolutely agree that thank you notes are a good idea. I can't imagine how they would make a bad impression. If nothing else, they say "Hey, I'm still interested!"
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