• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Do you send thank-you emails after interviewing?

H

Herr Kutz

Platinum Member
Do you send thank-you emails after interviewing?

I had an interview that went quite well today, and I'm wondering whether or not to send a thank you email. Every place seems to recommend it, but to me it just seems like a form of kissing-ass. Do interviewers see it this way, or do they expect it and think someone isn't really interested if they don't receive one?

Also, I was interviewed by the manager (an engineer) and the HR person at the same time, although the HR person did not really ask questions or talk a very much. However, she did call and set up the interview. If I sent a thank you email, should I send an email to both of them and customize each one?

Thanks.
 
It is a form of ass-kissing. I am involved in the hiring process (dept side, not HR side), and it doesn't matter if someone sent me a gift card to Ruths Chris, if I didn't like them in the interview they are not getting the job.

I guess it can't hurt, but it wouldn't give them any edge on the competition in my eyes.
 
I recently asked this question here because my interview included a lot of different people. I ended up sending a short note thanking them for their time, and then some specific note about the conversation I had with that person. 2-3 sentences at most.

I'm glad I did, I don't think it was ass kissing. They were commissioned sales people so I was sincerely thanking them for giving up their valuable time to sit and talk with me. I got responses from most of them, a couple even said they looked forward to working with me also. It gave me a lot of confidence going into the second round.

Another thing it helps do is spin the interview. Your quick summary puts your idea of how the interview went into their mind.
 
Farang said:
I recently asked this question here because my interview included a lot of different people. I ended up sending a short note thanking them for their time, and then some specific note about the conversation I had with that person. 2-3 sentences at most.

I'm glad I did, I don't think it was ass kissing. They were commissioned sales people so I was sincerely thanking them for giving up their valuable time to sit and talk with me. I got responses from most of them, a couple even said they looked forward to working with me also. It gave me a lot of confidence going into the second round.

Another thing it helps do is spin the interview. Your quick summary puts your idea of how the interview went into their mind.
Click to expand...

They were not giving up their valuable time. A company hires people because it needs to, not to "help a brotha out". I'm glad it went for you, but I disagree that it actually helps anything.
 
TechAZ said:
They were not giving up their valuable time. A company hires people because it needs to, not to "help a brotha out". I'm glad it went for you, but I disagree that it actually helps anything.
Click to expand...

I met 6 of my co-workers. They are commissioned sales people. Their boss told them to come talk to me. The 30 minutes they each spent talking to me could've been spent selling, instead they essentially volunteered their time to talk to me.

In this case maybe you don't thank them exactly how I did, I don't know.
 
I think it doesn't hurt and should generally be done since it really doesn't take that much extra time to write.

It kind of depends on the interviewer regarding actual effectiveness. For some, they just ignore the email and move on with their work. For others, it may help refresh their memory if they've been interviewing tons of candidates and you were the only one to follow up. It may bring your credentials back to the front of their mind, at least. "Oh yeah, that guy."

It is a form of ass-kissing but that's what the corporate ladder is all about anyway, especially at larger companies.

Might as well send one to HR. They'll probably toss it out since they have no decision power but there's a small chance the manager might be friends or something with the HR person. And really, you're talking about an extra 2 minutes of your time?
 
Farang said:
I met 6 of my co-workers. They are commissioned sales people. Their boss told them to come talk to me. The 30 minutes they each spent talking to me could've been spent selling, instead they essentially volunteered their time to talk to me.

In this case maybe you don't thank them exactly how I did, I don't know.
Click to expand...


I changed my mind, there is no reason not to send one. I've never gotten one, but then again I am in a very specialized field and don't get many applications when there are openings. If you are a good candidate and do well in an interview, I could see it helping you stand out if there are many candidates.

Go for it!
 
emails i wouldnt consider....but ive had a couple of classes at school now that have suggested mailing thank you notes to everyone you have an interview with

do people actually do that? these classes also suggested using some special kind of resume paper to print your resume on--high quality paper, and some even has a watermark. i definitely dont get *that*
 
Yes and No.

I work HR and hate it as its just junk mail to me. As someone said your skills and interview is what matters.

Just like the special paper resumes, cards, phone calls, etc... are just filler at best to me.
Now if you have a 2nd interview or find out its between you and another person yea maybe a e-mail to the selecting person might be ok.


Not all things fit in all cases. Most know to not ask the dumb hiring questions like these...
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/interview_questions

But some places still do so be prepared to BS.
 
This shouldn't even be a question... Of course you do. It forces them to remember you again and shows you care enough to bother. Every interviewer is different but there's no reason NOT to.
 
Naw it probably says you are a kiss ass. You go back to the bottom of the pile. thankyous that are totally unecessary and out of place come off as insincere.
 
As someone on the receiving end of these interview thank you notes, I can tell you this...
I've never seen a thank you note that helped to convince me that the candidate was better than I thought, but I've seen quite a few riddled with spelling and grammatical errors that certainly made me think less of them.

If you do decide to send one, be careful! Proofread it TWICE, just like you would with a resume or cover letter.
 
I've always sent follow-up emails on the basis that I'm reasserting myself to them a few days after the interview. If you're interviewing for a position and are just one of many who were interviewed, then sending a follow-up email later in the week or early the next week might help your name stand out. When they glance over it, I like to think that they will at the very least read my name and remember my interview.

Now I'm sure some of you will say that if your interview doesn't make you stand out in the first place then you've already screwed up, but not everybody knocks every interview out of the ballpark nor does every interviewer have a steel trap for memory. I like to think a follow-up email/letter will remind the interviewer about you and give him a second thought about you well after the interview is over. You never know, you may catch him/her right around the time they are discussing the hire.

With that said, keep the email short and reference the interview directly by commenting or following up on something you talked about. I'd try to add a personal touch to it as well, if you spoke at any length about something not related to the job, like if you both root for the same sports team or something of that nature. By all means, do NOT grab one of those crappy follow-up templates online, those sound so generic and I don't ever see them helping all that much.

I see no reason not to send a follow-up email. The only way it would hurt is, as said by ultimatebob, you completely butcher the English language and make yourself look like an idiot.
 
Sending thank you notes is good manners, regardless of whether it changes their perceptions on your performance during the interview.

If you are interviewing for a technical or a functionary position, you may not wish to bother.

However: If you are interviewing for a Sales, Marketing, or Managerial position - I would highly encourage you to send a Thank You note. Short and sweet is fine. Type if you have to, handwritten on nice card stock is better (provided you can write neatly/legibly). Either way - do it. The reason why is those types of positions are highly dependent on relationships, on persistence, and on following through on even slim opportunities.

So not following up on your interview (an "Important Meeting", by any definition) can be seen as a failure on your part.
 
Last edited:
In most situations I believe it's customary nowadays to send a thank you note within 24 hrs after interview, e-mail works just fine.

Anecdotal evidence: we were looking to filla position in our R&D dept, and one of the reasons why one of the condidates didn't get an offer was that there was no followup from the candidate after the interview, so hiring manager thought he was not very interested in coming onboard.
 
Last edited:
Trianon said:
In most situations I believe it's customary nowadays to send a thank you note within 24 hrs after interview, e-mail works just fine.

Anecdotal evidence: we were looking to filla position in our R&D dept, and one of the reasons why one of the condidates didn't get an offer was that there was no followup from the candidate after the interview, so hiring manager thought he was not very interested in coming onboard.
Click to expand...

For my current job, I emailed the entire 6 person search committee individually.
 
I don't like when candidates send me email. First thing that comes to mind is this guy is going to be an email stalker. Plus, the ones that email seem to be the least impressive candidates. Wow me in an interview, and I won't forget you.
 
preslove said:
For my current job, I emailed the entire 6 person search committee individually.
Click to expand...

I send an email to each and every person individually. The hiring manager thanked me for the note. Of course it doesn't make up for a bad interview, but not sending one can make a good interview look worse.
 
I'd say that it's a good idea to send one in general as that is definitely the norm, but I think there are a few exceptions:

1. If you can't send one very quickly (like within a day at the most), then don't bother. A lot of times, the interviewers would already have met to make a decision and it would have been too late anyway.

2. If you are going to write some overly generalized and short note that has no substance whatsoever, then it's also probably not worth it. In other words, don't say anything if you don't really have anything valuable to say.

3. If your writing skills are poor in general, it's probably a good idea to forgo the note and not show your weakness.
 
I never have before but I did recently just because I genuinely liked the people I interviewed with and I'm a little worried they're so busy they'll forget to hire someone.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top