Saying thank you after a job interview is smart. Saying thank you while emphasizing the reasons why you are perfect for the job is a brilliant job search strategy. Get some expert insight into the art of crafting the perfect thank you note.
Finding your dream job is something everyone wants to accomplish in life.
That’s because, when you are doing work you love, it doesn’t seem like work. You feel energized and eager to do it. You feel satisfied and fulfilled at the end of the day.
It’s good to keep this end goal in mind when planning the often dreaded job search strategy, or getting yourself to the other side of an uncomfortable interview.
There is lots of great advice on my website and blog about how to develop a successful job search strategy… (If you haven’t checked out my best advice about behavioral interviewing techniques, now is a good time to brush up on those).
But here, I’d like to mention one important thing to do after each of your interviews.
That is the thank you note.
Not sending a hand-written thank you note is unacceptable in my book. It is a simple way to acknowledge your appreciation for the time your interviewer has taken with you, and it makes you stand out as someone who is:
- Professional
- Conscientious
- Responsible
- Unique (because most people don’t do it)
- And that you pay attention to detail.
But there’s a little insider secret I really want you to know!
The thing that really makes you shine in your hand-written thank you note is when you do a little reverse-engineering based on something positive you talked about in the interview.
Anything you talked about in the interview related to your “rightness” for the job is appropriate to add after you have thanked them for their time. It should be framed in a way that reminds the interviewer that you are excited to utilize your special set of skills, values, and/or talents to benefit their company.
The note should still be only a few sentences, but this piece will reinforce the reasons why you are a perfect fit for the job.