Importance of Sending Thank You Cards After an Interview

Following up with a thank you card or email after an interview is important. It could be the difference between getting hired or not during the employee selection. Many interview candidates never sent a thank you card thinking that it was a waste of time or that it was not even important. However, any opportunity that will help in an interview is an advantage worth fighting for. As based on the famous policy expert, Alexander Djerassi, following up with a thank you card strongly helps with nailing an interview.

There are countless advantages with following up with a thank you card after an interview. A thank you card allows another opportunity to talk with the interviewer again. The candidate has another chance to provide any important information that they may have forgotten and answer any questions that were left unresolved during the interview. The candidate could elaborate why they are the best person for the job and highlight any positive moments, skills or expertise that were discussed during the interview. The ability to write a well written thank you card also allows the candidate to demonstrate a high level of written communication skill, close attention to details and great enthusiasm for the open position.

Whether an interview took place on the phone, in person or through an online video chat, following up with a thank you is very important. Any opportunity that allows a candidate to stand out from the competition is a valuable advantage that will help with the employee selection. The most effective time to send a thank you card or email is between 6 to 24 hours after the interview ends. This way it will give the interviewer a strong impression that the candidate has taken the time to digest what the job entails and still remains very enthusiastic about the job opportunity. Incidentally, if a follow up thank you card was sent too soon, then it will give an impression to the interviewer that the candidate was just giving an automatic and insincere thank you.

The most popular follow up thank you medium is through emails and the least popular is through social media or text messages. Based on another survey by Accountemps from 500 hiring managers’ opinions, 87% chose emails, 81% chose phone calls, 38% chose handwritten personal thank you, 27% chose social media and 10% chose text messaging. Although handwritten or typed thank you cards are nice and appreciated, the chances that the interviewer is able to receive it in time before making the job decision is very slim. Also, text messaging and social media posts should be avoided as they appear insincere and unprofessional.

Professionalism is very important for a hiring manager as expressed by Alexander Djerassi. Following up with a thank you card gives a strong impression that the candidate is not only professional, but also demonstrates good manners and professional courtesy. Allowing the interviewer to see that this candidate is a team player instead of a difficult person to work with.