Whether your interview went good or bad, you should always send a note to thank your interviewer for the opportunity to meet with him or her. Even if you tanked the interview, sending a thank you note could pay off in the future when being considered for another position either at this property or another one (as you know, managers often change positions to move up the ladder). Your thank you note, however, should not just be a quick message, but a note that is created with the purpose to ensure you leave a lasting impression and/or to keep you in the running for the position.
When Should You Write the Thank You Note?
You want to write the letter as soon as possible so as not to give the wrong impression to the interviewer. Remember that philosophy your friends told you about not calling someone for three days after a great first date, well that does not apply here! While you do not have to send the note as soon as you walk back in the door from the interview, it should be sent within 24 hours of the interview.
Who Should You Send Thank You Notes?
Throughout the process, you should be sending a thank you note to everyone you speak to about the position. The only exception to this would be if you met with a panel during the interview process. I ran into his several times during my career, so my advice would be to identify the highest-ranking member of the panel to send a note to that individual and express your gratitude to the entire panel through him or her.
How to Format an Interview Thank You Note
Before the advent of email, a handwritten note was a nice touch. Email, however, has changed that due to the nature of immediacy being more important, as second interviews are often issued with 48 hours of the first interview. As stated above, you want the note in their hands within 24 hours, so having a handwritten note delivered that quickly is unrealistic.
While the note should be longer than one sentence, it does not have to be the next great American novel, either. A quick intro expressing your thanks and a paragraph or two recapping the aspects of the job and/or interview that appeal to you will do the trick.
As for the tone of the letter, it should be professional, even if you connected with the interviewer on what you deem to be a deeper level. Even if you two seemed like best buds in the interview, the thank you note is not the time to test those waters. Be concise and be professional without being overly stiff or robotic in the writing. You can add some personality to it, just don’t go overboard.
Sample Thank You Note
Dear Mr. Jordan,
I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with me on Thursday.
It was great hearing more about the hotel and your philosophies on how the property can become more successful moving forward. I especially like your idea of using local craft brews in the bar to drive sales. After our discussion, I am more excited than ever to join your team and help you both improve banquet service levels and turn the restaurant into an operation that is capable of attracting more local business.
I look forward to hearing from you soon and, hopefully, working together in the future.
Sincerely,
Gerald C. McConway, Jr.
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