Posted by ResumeHelp on February 21, 2009
People often get confused at the difference between a follow-up letter and a thank you letter. A follow-up letter would be sent days or weeks have gone by after your interview and they are waiting for the decision. In the candidate’s mind they are wondering when they can expect a decision. The answer is simple – NEVER SEND A FOLLOW-UP LETTER! Here’s the reason.
What value does this add to the employer when you ask them when a decision will be made? The answer is obvious – NONE! You are just pestering them and people hate to be pestered. Odds are one of two things have transpired. Either they have not made a decision or they decided not to hire you. So use this opportunity to impress them and gain a competitive edge.
CALL them so you can have a conversation. This will build rapport and reemphasize your strengths. Begin by saying how excited you are about the opportunity, have given some more thought to the position and have some questions.
Now impress them with your insights and intelligence. It’s always best to ask questions that support your case. For example you might ask:
Is this position for the new plant you announced in your latest press release? You might remember I have been the plant manager at 2 startups and beat production goals in both companies.
See the difference? Instead of being a nuisance, you have reinforced your value proposition to the firm. This may be all it takes. It might make the difference between getting the position or missing out.
Ref: gotthejob.com
Posted by Leslie on February 9, 2009
Is an interview thank you letter absolutely necessary following a job interview? The short answer to that question is YES. The long answer is what this article is for.
Customs change with every generation but a thank you letter is one of those things that has never changed – it’s that important.
So it follows that the next thing on your agenda after a job interview would be a thank you letter. Out of curiosity I checked the websites of a half-dozen career coaching websites and every one said this is something that you MUST do.
So what constitutes a good interview thank you letter? Here are some examples.
If you are typing a letter then as in any formal business letter the first line is the person’s name you are addressing. Be sure to spell it right (I assume you thought to get the person’s business card). If not call and get the correct spelling from the companies switchboard.
Next, their title and department followed by the company name and address.
If you are hand writing a letter (which I usually do) then just their name on the card itself is fine. Then:
Dear (Mr. Or Ms.) So and So
Next, your interview thank you letter should thank them for their time and restate some main point that came out in the interview and how you’re the perfect person for the job.
I enjoyed the opportunity to meet you and the brief tour of _____ Company. The professional image your company has was obvious. And everyone I met was extremely courteous.
In addition to the information I shared with you during our meeting, I thought of another project that I worked on that reflects the kind of contribution that I could make as a member of _____ company’s (whatever department).
OR
After our interview I became even more excited about the _____ position . You stated that you need a person that can motivate themselves and also a team to work on tight projects and meet deadlines. In my last position as _____ manager I oversaw a team of 10 employees. Not only did we meet the deadlines, we routinely finished the projects before the deadlines.
Lastly give them your contact information and invite them to call you.
As soon as you are through with interviewing the other candidates, I would appreciate hearing from you, and of course I’d be very pleased to meet with you again. I can be reached at my home evenings as well as on my cell phone anytime.
Sincerely
(your name)
714-555-1212 (h)
714-555-1456 (cell)
It’s that easy. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be. 3 short paragraphs with no more than 5 sentences each. Really it’s just a polite way of bringing yourself back to the top of their mind.
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