We do get this question a lot from candidates, and our answer is generally ‘Yes’. Thank you notes serve more than just a gesture of professional courtesy. They allow you to concisely summarize and reiterate your qualifications positioning you for the job fresh off of what you heard in the interview.
Key criteria for effective notes are:
- Must be concise – short and sweet!!!
- Must be specific with specific examples or points that demonstrate what you heard, and how your skills lend themselves to the requirements of this position
Here is a general outline that we recommend for post-interview ‘Thank you’ notes:
(1-3 sentences per section)
Section 1: Thanking the interviewer and team for their time.
Section 2: Summarizing what you heard as the key success criteria or needs in this role and how you specifically meet them given your skills or experience.
Section 3: Looking forward to next steps and the opportunity to join the organization and contribute to the team.
Lastly, we also recommend that if you are working with a recruiter or placement firm, that you have the account manager review your thank you note and forward it on to the interview team on your behalf. This way, you can ensure that it is received and you don’t have to worry about asking for email addresses or any spelling mistakes.
