A thank you acknowledgement should be sent as soon as possible after an interview. A thank you letter? may be sent to each interviewer or, if the firm has one, to the recruitment coordinator with a note to pass along your thanks to those with which you spoke during the interview. When writing more than one firm member, try to personalize each letter by altering at least one sentence in the letter. It can be time consuming, but it may pay off. If you are sending a single letter which thanks everyone you met, take the time to give the names of those you interviewed with and make sure you spell their names correctly.
You should consider this letter to be a marketing tool. Too often students do not realize the importance of a follow-up letter and miss out on this opportunity. An interviewee should never consider a thank you letter as optional. Even if you should fail to receive an offer, the firm will retain a more favorable image of you if you take the time to send a note of thanks. This could prove beneficial to you in the future.
Generally, a thank you letter has three basic parts:
- Start by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to talk with you. It is generally a good idea to include the actual date on which the interview occurred.
- Reaffirm your interest in the firm by pointing out particular issues brought during the interview that appeal to you. Try to personalize the letter by referring to some topic or common interest you discussed during the interview.
- Close the letter with another word of appreciation, an offer to provide more information and a statement that you look forward to hearing from them.
Resist the temptation to sell yourself by reiterating your resume strengths. Keep it short and to the point. If you receive a call back interview, you should send another thank you letter.
