It’s impossible to guess how many underqualified job candidates have been hired in the past year because of sending a heartfelt thank-you note post-interview. It is equally difficult to estimate how many well-qualified individuals have been passed over due to not following up with potential employers. But, from what about 90 percent of hiring managers have reported, it’s likely that the lack of a thank-you note can be a deal breaker when it comes to getting hired.
Thank-You Notes are a Bigger Deal than Job Seekers Think
In the corporate world, thank-you notes are a bigger deal than most job seekers think. In the article Thank-You Notes: The Secret Weapons In Your Career Toolbox, Jaynine Howard wrote,
“Sending a handwritten thank-you note after a job interview is the No. 1 secret weapon in your career success toolbox. For example, I know of one large company that interviewed 10 candidates for 8 job openings. The owner of the company said that anyone who sent a handwritten thank-you note was hired. Eight candidates sent thank-you notes.”
Perhaps not all hiring managers put this much of an emphasis on thank-you notes, but job candidates should send them anyway, just in case.
After conducting a survey, Fortune concluded that sending a thank-you note is indeed a crucial step in the job interview process. The survey consisted of Fortune connecting with over 50 people “from all different industries who had hired at least three communications professionals in the last year.” The results of the study were fascinating. A massive 75% of the individuals surveyed did not receive thank-you notes from candidates. Fortune staff wrote, “for 30% of those surveyed, no follow up meant no further steps for the candidate.”
Bottom line: sending a thank-you note can get you hired. Not sending one can cause hiring managers to overlook you. Why take a chance by failing to follow up?
Do You Know How to Write a Post-Interview Thank-You Note?
Based on Fortune’s survey, up to three-fourths of job candidates don’t send thank-you notes. This gives you an opportunity to stand out by sending follow-up notes to every hiring manager who interviews you.
If you don’t know how to write a post-interview thank-you note, don’t be too hard on yourself; you are obviously not alone. Learn to pen the perfect post-interview thank-you note here.
Thank-You Notes Should Be Edited to Perfection
Something you’ll want to remember to do when writing a thank-you note post-interview is to edit, edit, edit. After that, edit again. A misspelled word or poor grammar could potentially cost you a job. Ensure your note is perfect by emailing it to a friend who excels at grammar, and bat it back and forth until it shines.
Have you ever forgotten to send a thank-you note after a job interview? If so, did you still get the job you interviewed for?
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