Tips for Job Interview Success - Increase Job Offers with the Thank You Note

Getting an interview, a significant accomplishment, is only one step in getting a job offer. To close the deal you must employ better interviewing skills than your competition. Knowing how to prepare for an interview is a skill that will provide the edge needed to convince the hiring manager that you are the candidate best suited to help the company. If you have interviewed well and have established yourself as a leading candidate you must take appropriate follow up steps to increase you chances of a job offer. There are three action steps you need to complete after the interview. They are:

1. Send a thank you note
2. Follow with a letter or email
3. Place a phone call

A tip for job interview success is to immediately send an old fashioned thank you note.  When the hiring manager receives your personal hand written not you will have accomplished a number of things:

1. You will have demonstrated that you are a gracious person, respectful of others time and attention.
2. You will be remembered as a quality job candidate.
3. Your interest in the job will be communicated.
4. This little kindness is so rare now, it really makes an impression. You will set yourself apart from other candidates.

This technique works, I know from personal experience. I routinely send thank you notes in all of my personal and business affairs. The positive comments I receive regarding the notes motivates me to keep up the practice.

How to Write a Thank You Note

Your hand written thank you note should be between 3 - 5 lines, anything longer starts to become a letter. A good structure is to provide thanks for the interview, mention something positive that was discussed, and indicate a next step. Here is an example:

Dear Frank,

I appreciate the time you spent with me yesterday afternoon. Your comments on current market conditions provided me with great insight. I will contact you in the next few days to discuss the next steps.

Regards,

Mark

This is short and says that you are a gracious individual. It does not brag or boast, you can do that in your follow up letter or email.

The thank you note action step does not replace other follow up strategies like sending a follow up letter, email or placing a phone call. It is done in addition to these activities, and it sets you apart from the competition. Remember, almost all other candidates will not do this. Many will take no follow up steps at all. Do this after every interview and you will leap to the head of the candidate list.

Try this tip for job interview success and I guarantee you will improve your follow up success rate.

For more Tips for Job Interview Success visit the How to Prepare for an Interview Blog