You’ll find it’s become an even greater challenge to stay connected during the interview process. The reality is that virtual interviews now outnumber in-person meetings, and they’re here to stay. Keep the conversation going with a career marketing campaign using these five techniques.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “A recent poll of 1,100 U.S. employers conducted by Indeed found that 82% of respondents said they adopted virtual interviews for candidates because of the pandemic, and nearly all—93%—expect to continue to use virtual interviews in the future.”

1. Go Beyond the Compulsory “Thank You for Your Time” at the Close of Your Interview

Of course, a “thank you” is always in order, but go beyond that. You’ve got the attention of your audience, now keep the momentum going by securing a commitment to continue the conversation.

Typically, at the close of an interview, you’ll hear, “Do you have any other questions?” It’s the perfect time to respond, “I don’t have any at this moment, but may I call you if I do?” Then, inquire about the best phone number, day of the week, and time of the day to reach them. You now have their permission to get in touch, removed the stalker concerns, and know the optimal time to make contact.

2. Have a Compelling Reason to Call the Interviewer

You’ve spent time with the hiring manager and maybe their team members. Was there a consistent theme to the stated expectations for the position or the challenges and opportunities expressed? Take careful note of them immediately following the interview and organize a thoughtful response.

Here’s what the follow-up call might sound like:

Thank you so much for agreeing to take my call. I wanted to follow up on the ERP upgrade you mentioned, but we ran out of time. As a project manager, I led the migration from Dynamics AX to Dynamics 365 and achieved all the milestones. I also served as the liaison among the business units to ensure the system requirements were met. I believe you are at the preliminary stages of this initiative and would be happy to share details of my project plan and lessons learned.

You’ve now addressed a top-of-mind issue by telling your success story and offering a possible roadmap.

3. It’s Not Just About Words, It’s Also About Images—Use Them All

Resumes and cover letters remain the traditional calling cards to get invited to an interview. Keep your messaging and branding alive with the tools available to build a career marketing campaign.

LinkedIn is the obvious choice to showcase a portfolio of your work. After the interview process has begun, hiring managers often revisit your profile. Keep it vibrant with interesting content, including media.

Create media using the arsenal of tools in programs including Canva, Visme, and Adobe Creative Cloud Express to create eye-catching infographics, leadership stories, etc., and send them to potential employers post-interview. If you feel you’re “ready for your close-up,” take a bolder move and create a video story in the headline area of LinkedIn. Keep your career story front and center and you may break the post-interview inertia.

Consider emerging technology and invest in professionally produced videos. My top pick is CareerBrandVideos , cocreated by Meg Guiseppi, Hannah Morgan, and André Palko. This clever trio infuses your personality, (but you don’t appear “live”), highlights your subject matter expertise, and features testimonials. They’ll even help put the video squarely in front of your audience with how-to guidelines for distribution to social media.

4. Share Interesting and Relevant Media With the Hiring Manager

Show your commitment to the industry by sending a relevant article, or a link to a podcast or webinar, to the hiring manager. Include a brief comment explaining the relevance to the company’s mission, values, competition, etc. Limit this technique to one or two “shares” to demonstrate your interest but respect the interviewer’s time.

5. Don’t Wait

Create a buzz on social platforms, take back the power, and keep things in motion. Continue to pursue your hottest prospect but market your brand on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Try a more subtle way to remain in the spotlight by writing a smart, impactful post—and you don’t have to be Shakespeare to pull it off.

The easiest topic to discuss is YOU. Why not start by posting a brief story about your career experience in the target industry? A real example comes from a colleague who did just that on LinkedIn. He highlighted his past successes at landing contract jobs in his field at age 75. He wrote about his specialized skills as a test compliance industrial electronic engineer and included a (recent) photo of himself cycling down a bike trail. This great, age-defying move led to calls from recruiters and phone screens while his potential employers considered his resume.

The Bottom Line

It’s increasingly difficult to be a standout candidate on a crowded (and virtual) stage. Get creative, stay visible, and beat the waiting game.

About the author…

Barbara Schultz is the founder of The Career Stager and a mid-career job search specialist. She is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) and a Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) through the National Resume Writer’s Association. Barbara offers career counseling and conducts workshops and webinars on every aspect of the search. Connect with Barbara via her website at Career-Stager.com or on LinkedIn.

The post Five Ways to Beat the Waiting Game Following an Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Why It’s Important to Ask For Interview Feedback

It’s not easy to ask for feedback on anything, but it can be especially hard to ask for feedback after job rejection. However, asking for and receiving it can help your job search.

Interview feedback may help you understand where you misstepped and how you can improve your answers. And because so few applicants ask for feedback, you’ll stand out as someone willing to learn and grow from uncomfortable or negative experiences. Who knows? The next time there’s a job opening, the company may reach out to you to fill it!

Asking for feedback after an interview also gives you the opportunity to learn something about yourself. You may think you’ve done a fantastic job explaining why the employer should hire you. But as it turns out, the interviewer had no idea why they should choose you over other applicants! Maybe your answers weren’t as clear as you thought they were, or the examples you gave weren’t as relevant as you’d hoped.

Finally, you may discover that you did everything right, but someone else was slightly more qualified for the role. Maybe they have a certification you don’t have, or maybe they have one more year of experience over you. This is still valuable information, helping you size up the competition and understand what steps you may need to take to stand out in your field.

When to Ask For Feedback

Ideally, you should ask for feedback as soon as you find out you didn’t get the job.

You’ll most likely receive an email, so send your feedback request within 24 hours of receiving the rejection. If you get a voicemail, 24 hours to call back is also a good rule of thumb.

On the off chance the interviewer is calling with your rejection, and you answer the phone, the right time to ask for feedback is while you have them on the line!

How to Ask For Feedback

Whether you’re leaving a voicemail, writing an email, or speaking to someone in real time, there is a basic outline to help you ask for interview feedback.

Start by thanking the interviewer for their time and discussing the position and company with you. Then, explain that you want to learn from this rejection so you can improve. 

Ask the employer what they feel you lack or can do to improve. You can go with something broad, like, “If I were to reapply to the company in the future, what’s one thing I could do to improve my application?” Or, you could ask for something specific, such as, “Am I missing any relevant skills you need from candidates?”

End your feedback request by thanking them again or expressing gratitude for being selected for an interview and telling them you appreciate anything they can share with you.

If this is a real-time discussion, make sure you pause to give the interviewer time and space to answer you. Most people who are willing to give feedback need a moment to frame their feedback in a positive yet helpful manner.

Here is a sample feedback request to get you started.

Hi, [Interviewer Name],

Thank you for your time and telling me more about [position name or company]. 

I understand your decision, and as someone committed to continuous improvement, I’d like to ask you for some feedback. Specifically, do I lack some experience, or did I not present my qualifications clearly?

I appreciate any information you can share with me that would help me improve my job search and in my career!

Again, thank you. I really enjoyed meeting with you and the team.

Your Name

What to Leave Out of Your Feedback Request

Asking for feedback after a job rejection is courageous. However, unlike the thank-you note you send after an interview, this is not the time to reiterate why the employer should hire you.

Accept your rejection with professionalism and grace, and make sure to avoid the following when asking for feedback: 

• Trying to get the employer to change their mind
• Being obnoxious, condescending, or argumentative
• Acting desperate (“I really need this job, so please reconsider!”)
• Arguing with the feedback
• Explaining why the company is wrong for not hiring you

If You Don’t Hear Back

Many companies have a blanket policy that they do not give feedback after interviews even when an applicant asks for it. While this policy usually exists for legal reasons, some employers are simply too busy to give you feedback or don’t want to risk upsetting applicants.

The reality is that you likely won’t hear back from an employer should you ask for feedback. If you don’t hear anything after a week, forget about the request and move on to the next opportunity!

Learn and Grow

If you’re fortunate enough to get feedback from a job that rejected you, listen with an open mind! Don’t try to sway the interviewer. Instead, learn from the information, use it wisely, and integrate it into your performance going forward.

The post Should You Ask for Feedback After a Job Rejection? appeared first on Job-Hunt.

This interview is usually short with the goal of determining if you are someone who meets the basic requirements.

If you pass this hurdle, your candidacy will move forward and the employer will continue with their vetting process to see if you should be hired.

As with all other aspects of job interviewing, how you handle the follow-up after your phone interview is very important as an indication of the quality of your work (and is, thus, another important hurdle to successfuly overcome).

Send your emailed thank you promptly (within 24 hours).

Following up with a thank you email helps the employer determine some important things:

• Are you good at following up?
• Do you understand business etiquette?
• Can you communicate clearly, effectively, and appropriately?

As usual, an emailed thank you is acceptable by the vast majority of employers.

These days a hand-written and snail-mailed thank yous may be received several days later, labeling you as old-fashioned and not quick to respond, even if mailed immediately after the interview.

The delay caused by regular snail mail delivery may cost you the opportunity.

More: How to Succeed in Your Phone Screen Interviews

What to Include in Your Phone Interview Thank You Email

Send the message from the email address used for your application and/or resume to help the employer “connect the dots” between your message and the interview and to increase the probability that it will get through the spam filters.

Here’s what to include in your thank you message:

• As ususal, leave the TO: field empty until you have completed, spellchecked, and proofread the message (or put your own address in that field until it is ready to be sent).
• Make the Subject short and specific to the job you interviewed for (see the sample below).
• In your message, reference the date and time of the call.
• Highlight any strength or qualification you have that was emphasized in the job description and/or the phone call.
• Use short paragraphs to make your message easier to read and comprehend if someone just scans it on their computer or mobile device.
• Use a formal closing including your full name, job title or expertise, your contact phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn Profile.
• Don’t try to be cute or funny. No emoticons and no texting language (LOL).

More: Guide to Email for Job Search

Sample Phone Interview Thank You Message

Replace the Italicized text with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Subject: [Job Title] interview on [date]

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Thank you very much for your time today [or yesterday or the date] to discuss the position of [job title]. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, and I look forward to discussing this position in person [on date and time, if the in-person interview was scheduled].

[Reference anything you said that seemed important to the interviewer, like: As we discussed, I find the technology related to using cloud computing fascinating and an amazing opportunity for the future, but security is also a major concern. Keeping XYZ Company’s information safe would be a top priority for the person in this job, and I would love to dig deeply into the protective technologies, as well as the threats, to avoid future problems.]

As we discussed, I have [months or years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification you have that seemed most important in the interview]. With my background and experience, I believe that I could quickly become a contributor, and I would love to meet your team to learn more about this opportunity.

I am excited about this opportunity at [organization name], and I look forward to meeting with you on [date and time of the in-person interview set up in the phone call].

Best regards,

[Your name]
[ Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

Send Your Thank You From Your Personal Email Account

If you are employed, do NOT send this message from your work email, your work computer, your work smartphone, or while you are in the office!

Your employer may discover the message and your intentions to leave. The result is that you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job. So, send this message from home using your own personal computer and your personal (not work!) email account.

Bottom Line on Thank You Notes After a Phone Interview

Emailed thank you notes are acceptable to most employers and are likely a necessity now because they are received quickly. I urge caution if the organization is very formal or “old school” like some old-line law firms, consulting companies, and other similar “traditional” organizations, particularly if all of your correspondence with them has been via “snail mail.”

More: Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview

More About What to Do After a Job Interview:

• Job Interview Follow-Up – the next step in the process
• Thank you letter or notes after an interview
• After the Job Interview, What Is Taking So Long?
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – IF you don’t get the job, but you did like the employer
• Guide to Email for Job Search

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview (Example) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Be very meticulous sending these “work samples.” Demonstrate the high quality of your work.

Speed of sending and receipt is the primary advantage of emailed thank you notes. For examples of good emailed thank you notes, read Job Interview Thank You Email (Templates & Samples).

You can follow up with paper, even hand-written, notes. Mailed (vs. emailed) notes take at least a day to deliver and may sit in a post office or corporate mail room for a while before delivery.

[For more information: read Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples), Guide to Interview Thank You Notes, and Interview Thank You Note Samples.]

Do’s and Don’ts for a Perfect Post-Interview Thank You Email

Email can be challenging to use, so pay attention to these do’s and don’ts to ensure that your message gets through and makes the best impression:

When to Send a Thank You Email After a Job Interview  

Send the message soon after the interview, preferably within the first 24 hours, even if the interview was on a Friday (send it as early as possible on Fridays). You do not want to be that last interviewee to send a thank you, in case other candidates are also smart enough to send thank you messages.

If you are unable to send the message in the first 24 hours, do not give up! Send the message anyway — MUCH better late than never!

Send Separate Thank You Emails to Multiple Interviewers  

Send a separate, relatively unique message to each person who interviewed you. Since messages are very easy to forward, expect that your message to Interviewer A may be shared (and compared) with Interviewer B and C, as well as with HR and possibly upper management.

Vary the wording, but keep the overall theme (you are qualified for the job and enthusiastic about joining the organization), the subject, the closing, and the timing consistent.

Send Your Thank You Note from Your Personal Computer  

Use your personal desktop or laptop computer to send this message.

Avoid using your smart phone to write and send this message. It is too easy for unintended changes to be made by the software when auto correction “fixes” the errors it finds. These kind of changes can make you look inept and unable to use something as simple as email.

If you are employed, DO NOT send this message while you are at work or using your work computer.

If employed and using your employer’s equipment or network to send your message, your employer may discover the message and your intentions to leave. The result is that you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job.

The Email Account Used to Send Your Thank You  

Send the message from the email address used for your application and/or resume to help the employer “connect the dots” between your message and the interview. (Hopefully, for your application/resume, you used a personal email address associated with an account you check often.)

Using the same email address on your application/resume should also increase the probability that your message will get through the employer’s spam filters.

Sending the message from a Gmail address or one associated with your home Internet provider, like Comcast or Spectrum, is fine. Many colleges and universities also offer alumni the ability to use an @[whatever].edu address, which is also acceptable, especially for new grads. 

If you are employed, DO NOT send this message from your work email address! You may think it is impressive, but it looks to other employers as tacky and disloyal.

Using your work email system also increases the probability that your job search will be discovered which will not be good for you. People get fired for being “disloyal” and/or “distracted” because of their job search while employed.

Avoid using a silly address email address like MillieJMBA@, SurferDude1@, or other unprofessional address that will not connect with your application or resume.

Instead, use @Gmail or other email account not associated with your work or, if possible, with your home. If possible, avoid @AOL, @Hotmail, @MSN, and @Yahoo — those addresses look “old” to most recruiters now.

For more tips on choosing a professional email address that represents you well, read How to Choose a Professional Email Address. 

Thank You Email Subject Line (Examples)  

Make the purpose of your message clear with a formal subject line like the examples below. DO use the whole phrase “thank you” in the Subject and the message. Do NOT use the informal term “thanks.” For example:

Subject: Thank you: [Job Title] interview on [date]

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] interview on [date]

Subject: Thank you for the [date] [Job Title] interview

Subject: [Job Title] interview on [date] thank you

Replace the text above [in brackets] with the appropriate information for you.

Keep the subject line shorter than 75 characters, if possible. Many email systems show only the first 40 to 50 characters, so keep that in mind when you write your subject.

Avoid seeming to be casual or informal by using a subject such as “Hi!’ or “Greetings!” or even “Thank You!” These subjects have two major problems:

• They do not make the topic of the message clear.
• They do not look professional.
• They may be caught in spam filters and never seen by a human.
• They do not look like you are taking the opportunity seriously.

Keep Your Thank You Note Formal  

The best strategy is to use formal business language and proofread very carefully! Remember, this message shows employers the quality of your work and is an example of your work..

Demonstrate the high quality of your work in your email. Avoid using informal language, typos, and strange formatting. Avoid the use of emoticons and no texting language (LOL).

The Thank You Email Message Length  

Keep the message short, not more than 3 to 6 brief paragraphs so it is more likely to be read. Try to include something memorable from the interview to help the interviewer remember you.

What to Say in Your Thank You Email  

Seek to connect with the interviewer with this message. If something you said seemed to resonate with that interviewer — perhaps something you shared about one of your achievements or information you learned about one of their competitors — include a brief statement related to that topic in your message.

If you did connect with the interviewer about something, from sports, schools, or a passion for recycling to movies, music, or an interest in cats, insert a reference to that connection in your thank you note to help the interviewer remember you.

Highlight any strength or qualification you have that was emphasized in the job description and/or the interview, particularly if you don’t think the interviewer understood your strength in that area.

Demonstrate your skill in business communications by writing a note as you would email a potential customer or client.

Do not try to be cute or funny, unless those skills are required for the job.

How to End Your Thank You Email  (Example Email Closings)

Use a formal closing like this —

Best Regards,
Jim Jones

Close with your full name, not just “Jim” if your name is “Jim Jones.” Other acceptable email closings include:

Best,
Respectfully,
Regards,
With gratitude,
Sincerely,

Below the closing add a “signature block” which includes

• Your full name
• Your job title or expertise
• Your contact phone number (not your work phone number!)
• A link to your LinkedIn Profile.

Avoid closing informally with language like this —

See you soon!
JJ

The Bottom Line on Interview Thank You Emails

Take great care with these thank you notes. Even though these are email messages, they are important examples of the quality of your work, your follow-up skills, and your expertise in sending effective emails. All of those are important points to make with a potential employer.

More About Interview Thank You Notes

• Sample Job Interview Thank You Email
• Sample Job Interview Thank You to the Person Who Referred You,
• Sample Job Interview Thank You to an External Recruiter
• Sample Thank You Note After a Bad Job Interview
• Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
• Formal Interview Thank You Notes (with Samples)
• Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples)
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – the thank you after you are turned down for the job

More: The Waiting Game After the Interview by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz and Job-Hunt’s 2017 study, Job Seekers: What Happens After You Apply.

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How to Write a Successful Thank You Email After an Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Don’t assume that because you have already been interviewed and sent a thank you note to this person after the first interview that a follow-up email after the second interview is optional. It’s not!

After the second round of interviews with the same people for the same job, you need to send a slightly different thank you message, and it must be different than the thank you note you sent after the first round.

Send this thank you even if the first interview was a phone interview.

Why You Should Send a Post-Interview Thank You Note

The majority of job seekers don’t send thank you notes after job interviews, and even fewer send them after the second or third round of interviews.

By sending this thank you, you are highly differentiating yourself from the other candidates.

You are demonstrating your ability to follow through and, when done well, the high quality of your work. Very impressive!

Remember that the job interview process is, consciously or unconsciously, viewed by the employer and interviewers as a “sample of your work.” So, your thank you notes are important:

• Do you follow up consistently?
• Do you communicate well?
• Do you use good grammar and spelling?
• Do you understand the basic elements of business etiquette?
• How well do you treat “customers” (as the interviewers usually consider themselves in this situation)?
• Particularly for sales and marketing positions, how well do you market yourself? Do you “close the sale” if you are a sales person?

Be sure that the quality of your thank you is high. NO typos or bad grammar!

What to Include in Your Second Interview Thank You Email

If you have been communicating via email and emailed your first round of thank you notes, an emailed thank you is your best bet.

However, if this employer prefers more formal methods of communicating, send a hand-written (if your writing is legible) or, more likely, a typed thank you sent via the postal service (a.k.a., “snail mail”).

Stick with the email thank you standards.

• Send from your personal email account (NOT your work account, if you are employed!) — the same email address visible on your resume and/or application.
• Send a unique message, individually, to each person who interviewed you for the second time. Don’t send one message with every name in the TO: field.
• Send the message from the email address you have used successfully for communicating with this employer during this process. Don’t change email addresses unless you have no other options.
• Make the Subject short and specific to the job you interviewed for (see the sample below).
• In your message, reference the date and time of the interview.
• Highlight any strength or qualification you have that was emphasized in the job description and/or the discussion.
• Use short paragraphs to make your message easier to read and comprehend if someone just scans it on their computer or mobile device.
• Use a formal closing including your full name, job title or expertise, your contact phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn Profile.

This is a formal business message, even if you feel more comfortable with the person than after the first interview.

Sample Second Interview Thank You Email

Adapt the text in this sample to your circumstances, and customize it to each individual. Stay formal unless the person insisted on having you call them by their first name.

Replace the Italicized text with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Subject: [Job Title] interview on [date]

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name or First Name]:

I was very happy to return for a second interview [today, yesterday, or date]. My interest in this position has grown as a result of our discussion. This job, [job title], and working with [or for] you are definitely goals of mine.

As we discussed, I have [months or years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification you have that seemed most important in the interview]. With this background and experience, I believe that I could become a contributor very quickly and help you with [project or task that is key to doing this job successfully].

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your job title or tag line, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Email addreess — not your work email address if you are employed
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

More information: Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview

If email is not acceptable for this employer, put the thank you message content above in a hand-written or typed note, and use the formal snail-mail process described in the Sample Formal Job Interview Thank You Note.

Send Your Thank You From Your Personal Email Account

If you are employed, do NOT send this message from your work email, your work computer, your work smartphone, or while you are in the office using your employer’s network or WiFi!

Using your current employer’s equipment and/or WiFi may “out” your job search. If your employer discovers the message and your intentions to leave, you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job.

Send this message from home using your own personal computer and your personal (not work!) email account.

More About What to Do After a Job Interview:

• Job Interview Follow-Up – the next step in the process
• After the Job Interview, What Is Taking So Long?
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – IF you don’t get the job, but you did like the employer
• Guide to Email for Job Search

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How to Write a Second Interview Thank You Email appeared first on Job-Hunt.

You were late, gave a bad answer, forgot to include something important in an answer, or made some other major error.

In this message, apologize for your poor performance, bad behavior, or missing information, and try to recover.

This thank you may save the opportunity. OR, it may remind them when you were less than impressive and end any opportunity you might have had.

Sending a standard thank you note might be a better idea. See the samples in Formal Interview Thank You Notes and Sample Interview Thank You Email Messages.

If you know for sure that they are not considering you, perhaps a thank you note after receiving a rejection is more appropriate — that thank you note works much more often than you may think. But send it only when you really like the people you met and want very much to work for that employer.

Should You Send An Email Acknowledging a Bad Job Interview?

Send this only if you are absolutely positive that you failed the interview. Often, we can be too self-critical as we look back at our performance in an interview.

Apologizing for something that was NOT viewed as a failure by the employer can backfire, big time!

However, if an interview scheduled for sixty minutes lasted only five minutes with no business emergency reason given for the shortened interview and no apology or request to reschedule, something was wrong.

Or, the interviewer clearly lost interest and tuned you out, ending the interview with a chilly good bye. Then, you might have a failed interview.

Do’s and Don’ts for Bad Interview Follow Up Notes

Be very careful with this message! You don’t want to draw attention to your error.

DO send this message very soon after the interview, as soon as you are sure it is necessary particularly if you haven’t already sent a standard interview thank you note.

DO use email — probably the best method to use because it is so quick. If the organization is anti-technology or feels extremely traditional, a letter that is delivered quickly (perhaps by hand?) might be a better response. If you do deliver it by hand, do NOT socialize. Just drop it off — be as low-profile as you can be.

DO NOT make this message long or include too many details or apologies. Be brief. Make your point, and end the message.

DO NOT send this message so quickly that you make errors in grammar or facts. Avoid misspellings and sending it to the wrong person. If possible, have someone else proof it for you.

3 Sample Thank You Emails for am Unsuccessful Job Interview

Adapt the text in the sample to your circumstances, and customize it as described in Sending Your Thank You’s After the Job Interview. Replace the Italicized text in the samples below with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Message to include something you forgot to mention in the interview:

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] position interview on [date]

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you very much for your time interviewing me for the position of [job title]. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this position, meet you and other members of the team [OR, if only one other person, include that person’s name], and see your facility [OR office, building, location, whatever is appropriate].

After our discussion [OR the interview], I realized that I neglected to include [OR to fully explain OR to describe] something you would probably find useful [OR important OR relevant].

[Now, add a short but clear paragraph that shares the information you mentioned in the paragraph above.]

I hope to remain in consideration for this position because I have [years] of experience with [the technology, tools, or qualification you have that is important to the job] in my position with [name of a current or former employer where you gained the experience relevant to this job]. I look forward to the opportunity to become a contributor to your team.

I know that your time is very valuable, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

Advertisement

OR, message if you were late and they cancelled the interview or cut it very short:

Subject: Apology for tardiness for the [Job Title] position interview today [or date]

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

My deepest apologies for being late for the interview today. [Unfortunately, we had an emergency at work which needed my complete attention until it was resolved, so I was unable to leave when I had planned OR Being on time is one of my strengths, but an accident caused a traffic jam and trapped me for over 45 minutes with no way out. Unfortunately, my phone was in the back seat, so I was unable to contact you. OR whatever happened that doesn’t make you look like you would be a bad employee.]

I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interview again. I have [years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification you have that is important to the job] in my position with [name of a current or former employer where you gained the experience relevant to this job]. I believe that I could become a useful contributor to the team very quickly.

I know that your time is very valuable, and I promise not to waste it if you will allow me another opportunity to interview for this job. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[ Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

OR, message if you KNOW (absolutely, positively!) that you made a mistake which has already cost you this opportunity:

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] position interview on [date]

OR, if the failure was clear and obvious

Subject: Apology for the [Job Title] position interview on [date]

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you very much for your time interviewing me for the position of [job title]. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this position, meet you and other members of the team [OR, if only one other person, include that person’s name], and see your facility [OR office, building, location, whatever is appropriate].

Unfortunately, the fire alarm in our building went off at 3 am [or whatever happened], so I was not at my best during the interview. Consequently, I need to clarify what I said about [whatever it is that you feel needs clarification or correcting.] [Then, make your clarification short and specific.]

I have [years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification you have that is important to the job] in my position with [name of a current or former employer where you gained the experience relevant to this job]. I believe that I could become a useful contributor to the team very quickly.

I know that your time is very valuable, and I promise not to waste it if you will allow me another opportunity to speak with you about this job. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[ Your job title or tagline, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

After the Thank You Note Is Sent for a Bad Interview

They may respond and reschedule, or they may ignore you.

Let them decide if they want to give you another chance. Another opening with different interviewers may happen with them in the future, so just chill after you send this message. And, be extremely well-prepared for that next interview, if it happens!

If this is a small organization and you really want to work there, give them a call a week or so after you have sent the message to respond, particularly if you sent this message on a Friday or just before a holiday. Don’t be a pest.

Your best strategy may be to wait until they have another appropriate job open (or until you can get a referral from an employee).

More Information About Interview Thank You Notes

• Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
• Formal Interview Thank You Notes (with Samples)
• Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples)
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – the thank you after you are turned down for the job

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post Bad Job Interview? Sample Thank You Emails & Notes to Recover appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The interview seemed to go very well.

They seemed to like you, and you liked them and the job.

You had everyone’s contact information, and you immediately sent your thank you messages. (Right?!)

But, they haven’t called you (yet!) to schedule the next appointment or to offer you the job.

The recruiter/HR person/hiring manager said they would make a decision before the end of last week. Or by the middle of last week. Or before the end of last month. Or some other time in the past.

Their own deadline has passed — maybe days or weeks (even months) ago. But, you haven’t heard from them. And, you may never hear from them. Or, you may hear from them tomorrow…

Waiting to Hear Back After A Job Interview

Do not assume that you did not get the job!

At least, don’t assume it, yet.

Often, the hiring process must take a back seat to other more urgent matters, like staying in business – handling crises, taking vacations, staying home sick, traveling on business, being promoted, leaving the organization, etc.

Or, another candidate has appeared who must be interviewed before they get back to you. Or someone high up in the organization has decided that NOW is the time to re-organize. Or, the job was cancelled. Or, …

Do not “pause” your job search while you wait for an answer.

Keep your job search momentum rolling. Until you hold a job offer (with the right job title, salary, and start date) in your hand, you do not have a new job. Yet.

Do not assume that no news is bad news for your job search!

You will probably not be told what happened, but don’t give up on an opportunity too soon. Employers almost always need more time to fill a job than they believe they will. Particularly if it has only been a few days or a couple of weeks past the date the employer said they’d get back to you, don’t give up on the job. Yet!

10 Things That Could Be Happening While You Wait

While this job interview is the biggest thing on your mind right now, the people who interviewed you have “real jobs” that they are doing. And, their jobs are usually their highest priorities. Interviewing job candidates usually falls under the heading of “other duties as required” for most of the people involved.

Job seekers always seem to assume that the process works perfectly and smoothly on the employer’s side. But, speaking as someone who has been on the “other side” of the process, that assumption is often totally wrong. The reason you haven’t heard from them may have very little to do with you.

Without intending, the employer’s plans for the timing of the next step in the hiring process are almost always too optimistic.

  At the start of the process –  

Many things can disrupt the schedule, particularly in large organizations.

1. Someone necessary to the process is missing.

Hiring someone usually involves more than one person, and someone necessary to the process might be missing — out of the office (vacation, illness, death in the family, business travel, fired or quit, etc.) or handling an emergency. Until that person is available, the process waits.

2. The other interviews are taking more time than expected.

Whether or not you were the first candidate interviewed, it may be a long wait. Interviews with other candidates are scheduled and re-scheduled as necessary people become available and unavailable (see #1).

3. They are getting ready for the next round.

Then, they may be scheduling a second (or third or fourth) round of interviews for the people who did well on the early round(s), after they determine who made it to the next round. And, figuring out who gets invited back is often a very complicated process involving meetings, discussions, email, and more meetings and discussions.

  After a round (or two or three or more) of interviews –  

If you have been through one or more rounds of interviews and are still waiting to hear, other things can get in the way:

4. They are working their process, tying up all the loose ends, checking off all the to-dos.

They are checking references and running background checks on all the finalists, and waiting for results before they make their decision.

5. Someone is missing, again.

Again, someone critical to the process may be unavailable, and nothing goes forward until they rejoin the process.

6. They may be restructuring the job.

Someone(s) is holding out for the “perfect candidate” (who did not apply), so they may be discussing re-posting the job or re-structuring it to fit the best candidate they have.

  When it is finally time to make an offer –  

They told you the interview process is complete — all drug tests, background checks, and everything else is done, and a decision will be made by last week (or even last month). But, it may still take longer because:

7. More missing decision-makers, higher up the chain.

Yet again, someone important in the decision-making may be out of the office or unavailable for some reason. The right people need to approve new hires, often in very specific order up the organization’s management chain, and decisions wait until the appropriate approval is received so the paperwork can passed on up to the next level.

8. Business has changed unexpectedly, and they are waiting for the dust to settle or adjusting to a new reality.

Perhaps budgets are being changed because of an unexpected drop in business and/or profits, and they won’t contact anyone until they know they can afford to fill the job. Maybe, the job will be changed to something that will be cheaper to fill.

Or, perhaps, business has improved, and them may be able to make multiple offers. Or, possibly, they are considering restructuring the job to a higher level now that they can afford it.

9. Definitely cancelling and restructuring that job. Probably… Maybe… Or, maybe NOT!

Again, they haven’t found the perfect candidate or there’s been a change in profits, so they are reconsidering the structure of the job. When they are done, it may be a perfect fit for you, or not. They won’t know until they’re done making the changes, and, of course, you won’t know until after they do.

Maybe they will decide, in the end, that it’s too time-consuming and expensive to re-post and go through the whole interviewing process again, so they will go with the best candidate they have now. Which could be you, IF you are still available (don’t wait, though!).

10. Waiting for a decision from candidate #1. You are candidate #2.

They could have offered the job to someone else and are waiting for that person to accept (or not). Or are in the process of negotiating the job offer with the person. It is not over until the person starts the job (sometimes not then, either). If that person does not accept the job — or does not stay in the job very long — you might well be next in line for the job!

Or, you may be completely out of the running, and they do not contact you because they do not have the time, technology, or manners required. Or they are afraid of getting sued.

Try not to assume the worst — or the best — until you know for sure, or until several months have passed with no word and no responses to your efforts to get an answer from them.

  If it does not work out this time…  

Perhaps you felt a “connection” with one or more of the people there and would be interested in that employer if another opportunity developed, ask those folks to connect on LinkedIn (what do you have to lose?), and stay in touch. If you would like another opportunity to work for them, send them a thank note for the opportunity to meet them and to learn more about the organization. This thank you note may put you at the top of the list for the next job.

If you worked with a recruiter, send the recruiter an invitation to connect on LinkedIn. Most recruiters welcome all connections, and connecting with them makes you more visible to them and to the recruiters and employers they are connected to as well.

Staying in Touch After the Interview

Calling more than once a week is usually a VERY BAD idea!

Do not call more often than once every two weeks. That is usually best, particularly when you are working with busy people in a large organization.

Understand that everything you do throughout this process is viewed as a “sample” of what you would be like as an employee or co-worker. So, don’t establish a reputation for yourself as someone who is annoying and pushy.

A good technique for reminding them about your talent is to call the company and indicate you have been thinking more about the position and have some additional questions.

Do NOT call to ask how the decision process is going! Ask good questions, perhaps based on research about the organization, the products and/or services. Or questions that occurred to you after the interview.

Take this opportunity to showcase your skills, your interest in the opportunity, and to build rapport with the proper people. Note, too, that if they do not call you back, then you are probably NOT a contender.

Be Organized When You Contact Them

Phone calls are usually best because you can ask follow-up questions if necessary. Be polite and professional, not angry or annoyed.

Give your name, the job you interviewed for (by requisition number, if you have it, or by job title), the date and time of your interview, and the name(s) of the person (people) who interviewed you.

Then, assuming they don’t tell you that the job has been filled, ask these questions:

• Where they currently are in the hiring process?
• What the next steps are in the process?
• What timing they expect for those next steps?
• When you can expect to hear from them next?
• Who should you contact if you don’t hear from them after that next date (question above)?

These are the basic questions which should provide you with all of the information you need.

The Bottom Line on The Hiring Process and Waiting for a Job Offer Call After an Interview

The job interviewing process usually takes more time than anyone wants or plans. Employers do frequently cancel jobs for many different reasons. They also hire other people. Avoid boxing yourself in or limiting your options by keeping your job search active until you have a job offer.

For More Information About What to Do After a Job Interview:

• After Your Interview, What Employers Talk About Behind Closed Doors
• The Waiting Game After the Interview – by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz
• Job Interview Follow-Up – the next step in the process
• Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
• After the Job Interview, What Is Taking So Long?
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – IF you don’t get the job, but you did like the employer

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post What’s Happening With The Hiring Process After Your Interview? appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The interviews went really well! You liked all (or most) of the people you met there, and you feel that they liked you, too.

But, in the end, they decided to hire someone else, not you.

You may have been the number 2 or number 3 candidate. Close, but no cigar… Dang!

What now? Move on to the next opportunity, right? Of course. But first…

View This as a Temporary Setback

If you really liked the people and the organization, do not cross them off your list of potential employers. Consider this job rejection a speed bump in your efforts to find a new job.

NOTE! This is not a permanent rejection. They did NOT say go away — we would never, ever hire you!

They did say — we’re not going to hire you for THIS job at this point in time. BIG DIFFERENCE!

So… if you really liked the people and the organization, try turning that rejection letter on its head! Convert it into an opportunity. Maybe.

Send a Thank-You Note Even After a Failed Interview

Hopefully, you wrote thank-you notes to the interviewers after the job interviews. (Right?)

Ask yourself: Would I want to be considered when another opportunity opens there? If the answer is “yes,” proceed with this thank you.

If you did NOT like them, and don’t really want to work there, don’t bother.

In 2014, I posted a version of this article on LinkedIn with this headline: The Biggest Mistake After a Job Rejection. If you think the thank-you-for-rejecting-me note is a crazy idea, read all the comments from people for whom this strategy worked!

A Thank You Email for a Rejection? Seriously? Yes!

You are not thanking them for rejecting you! You are thanking them for the opportunity to learn more about them and the organization and for letting you know their decision, even though it was not the outcome you wanted.

At this point, what do you really have to lose? Really?

Many employers decide not to hire a candidate and never let the candidate know. If you have been informed, the employer has shown you some courtesy, unfortunately a somewhat rare example of professional courtesy. Reward their courtesy, and reinforce your professional image.

Why You Might Benefit

They’ve already offered the job to someone else and probably gotten an acceptance. But that person may change their mind and never start the job. Or that person may take the job but prove to be unsatisfactory.

“New hires” fail more often than you think.

So, what does the employer do when they face this situation? They groan, roll their eyes, and take another look at the applicants who almost got the job. Why? Because they really don’t want to start from scratch, post the job, review the resumes, schedule interviews, spend time in meetings discussing the job and the candidates, etc.

• If the new employee failed quickly or didn’t start at all, they may reach back to the almost-hired list to see who is available.
• If the new employee stayed a while before they failed (or left), a new job may be posted, but you might have an “inside track” IF they have a positive impression of you based on receiving this thank you when they hired the other person.

Sending this message can move you higher up on the list of the almost-hired — a great place to be for the next job opening or if the new employee doesn’t work out.

What to Write in Your Letter

This thank-you note reminds them of you (nicely) because you included the following elements in your note:

• Thank you for letting you know the outcome of the search, even though they didn’t choose you.
• Thank you for the time, courtesy, and consideration shown you during the interview process. (Hopefully true!)
• Express your disappointment in not getting the job.
• Express your appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the organization and meet the people working there.
• Reiterate your continued interest in working in their organization.
• Request that they get in touch with you for the next time a job is opened.

Keep it brief, but clear and cordial. Disappointment is OK. Anger is not.

Sample Thank-You Note After Being Rejected

As usual, sending your message as soon as you learn the outcome is the best strategy. If they let you know about the rejection via email, simply reply with this message. If you learned another way, you may — or may not — want to share how you found out.

An email is typically the best way to respond, particularly if that is how you have corresponded with this employer in the past.

Subject: [Job title of the job you didn’t get] position

[IF they notified you, use this first paragraph] Although I am truly disappointed to learn that you have selected someone else to fill this job, thank out for taking the time and effort to let me know.

— OR —

[If you learned unofficially that someone else was hired, use this first paragraph] I understand that you have hired someone for this job, and I am very disappointed that I am not that person.

I do greatly appreciate being considered for this opportunity. I enjoyed meeting with [names of the people who interviewed you] and learning more about your organization. I have been a [name of organization] fan of for quite a while and that won’t change as a result of this outcome. [If they have a product or service that you really like, share a bit about that here.]

Working for [name of organization] is still a goal of mine, so I will continue to observe your activities and new developments in the hope that someday I will be able to become a contributor to [name of organization]‘s continued success.

Please do keep me in mind for future opportunities. I would be very happy to hear from you.

Thank you,
[your name]

[your email address — not work!]
[your phone number — not work!]
[your LinkedIn Profile URL]

Send a different version of this to everyone who interviewed you, including the HR and/or recruiting staff members.

If you felt a “connection” with someone, make the note longer and a bit more personal. But, avoid anything that could be viewed as flirting. Be completely professional with this message!

The Bottom Line on Sending a Thank You Letter After a Rejection

A thank-you note after a rejection will really stand out. The probability that it will pay off may be less than 5%, but that probability may show a higher return on the investment of your time than any other job search action you take that day, and it won’t take much time to do.

Sample Job Interview Thank You Notes

• Job Interview Thank You Note Guide
• Sample Job Interview Thank You Letter — for formal organizations and people.
• Sample Job Interview Thank You Email — acceptable in most situations.
• Sample Telephone Interview Thank You Email
• Sample Job Interview Thank You to the Person Who Referred You — if you were referred to the opportunity by an employee
• Sample Job Interview Thank You to the Recruiter — if an external recruiter referred you to the opportunity.
• Sample Thank You Note After a Bad Job Interview — if you feel that you performed badly in the interview.
• Sample Thank You Note After a Rejection — if they hire someone else for the job.

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post Thank You Email To Turn Rejection into Opportunity After Unsuccessful Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

A traditional handwritten thank you will take at least one day to be delivered and, depending on the organization, may sit in the mail room or on someone’s desk for several days before it is read.

Surveys by both CareerBuilder and Accountemps have indicated that an emailed thank you note is acceptable to most employers in the USA.

However, if the organization feels very “old school,” consider sending a formal thank you via USPS (a.k.a. “snail mail”) in an envelope with a stamp as a follow up to your emailed thank you.

Remember that employers will view your thank you notes as a “work sample” demonstrating the kind of employee you would be. So, focus on sending the most professional thank you notes that you can, with good spelling, grammar, and use of technology.

How to Write a Job Interview Thank You Email

Leave the TO: field empty until you have completed, spell checked, and proofread the message (or put your own address in that field until it is ready to be sent).

Adapt the text in this sample (below) to your circumstances, and customize it to each individual who interviewed you.

If you know the person who is receiving this thank you note, you can be less formal, as in “Dear Mary” vs. “Dear Ms. Jones” — but err on the side of being more formal rather than less formal when in doubt.

Send the thank you email from your personal email address, not your work account. If you don’t have a personal email account, follow these tips to choose a professional email address that represents you well.

Don’t make the mistake of sending exactly the same message to everyone who interviewed you at an employer! Emails are easy to share. Vary the details a bit, or use the second, more customizable sample below.

More: Interview Email Thank You Do’s and Dont’s

Sample Thank You Emails After an Interview

Replace the text below [in brackets] with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation. Send this very soon after the interview, preferably on the same day as the interview.

Simple Thank You Email (Sample)  

This is a basic, simple thank you note.

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] interview on [date]

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Thank you very much for your time today [or yesterday or the date] to interview me for the position of [job title]. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, to meet you and [names of other interviewers], and to see your facility [or offices, location, whatever is appropriate].

As we discussed, I have [months or years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification(s) you have that seemed most important in the interview]. With my background and experience, I believe that I could become a contributor to your team very quickly.

I am excited about this opportunity to join [organization name]. Please do not hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or need any additional information.

I look forward to hearing from you [whenever they said they would be in touch or in 10 days if they didn’t give you a date].

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your job title or tag line, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

More Complex Thank You Email (Sample)

Replace the text below [in brackets] with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Subject: Thank you for the [Job Title] interview on [date]

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Thank you very much for your time today [or yesterday or the date] to interview me for the position of [job title]. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, to meet you and [names of other interviewers], and to see your facility [or offices, location, whatever is appropriate].

[Reference anything you said that seemed important to the interviewer, like: As we discussed, I find the technology related to using cloud computing fascinating and an amazing opportunity for the future, but security is also a major concern. Keeping XYZ Company’s information safe would be a top priority for the person in this job, and I would love to dig deeply into the protective technologies, as well as the threats, to avoid future problems.]

[If possible, reference any “connection” you may have made, like: I enjoyed finding someone else who attended XYZ College and also roots for the hockey team. Hope they make the NCAA Division finals next year!]

As we discussed, I have [months or years] of experience with [technology, tools, or qualification(s) you have that seemed most important in the interview]. With my background and experience, I believe that I could become a contributor to your team very quickly.

I am excited about this opportunity to join [organization name]. Please do not hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or need any additional information.

I look forward to hearing from you [whenever they said they would be in touch or in 10 days if they didn’t give you a date].

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your job title or tag line, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[LinkedIn Profile URL]
[Phone number — not your work number if you are employed]

More: Email Thank You Do’s and Dont’s, Guide to Interview Thank You Notes, and Interview Thank-You Note Samples.

Staying in Touch After the Thank You Notes Are Sent

Hopefully, you will get an email in response to this message, but don’t panic if you don’t hear from them on their deadline. MUCH may be happening that has nothing to do with you at all.

Read 5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for Your Next Job Interview to get the details you need about how their hiring process works so you have contacts and their guidelines.

If they said they would contact you in a week, DO reach out after five business days to see what is happening if they have not contacted you when they said they would. If you forgot to ask when they would be contacting you after the interview, five business days is a sufficient gap to demonstrate that you are interested, but not a nuisance.

DO NOT contact them daily — or even weekly — for a decision.

DO move on with your job search. This opportunity may happen or it may not. Don’t “pause” your job search until you know. Keep searching. Best case, you’ll have a choice to make between two (or more) jobs. Worst case; you won’t lose any momentum.

The Bottom Line on Interview Thank You Emails

Many think that thank-you notes are trivial, but thank-you notes, done well, are a great way to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Take the time to follow the Email Thank You Do’s and Dont’s, and send your thank you notes very quickly. If you forgot to send immediate thank you messages, send them as soon as you can — better late than never! Good thank you notes demonstrate the high quality of your work, and all the characteristics you may claim, like: attention to detail, ability to communicate, comfort with technology, and knowledge about the job and the employer.

More About Interview Thank You Notes

• Sample Job Interview Thank You to the Person Who Referred You,
• Sample Job Interview Thank You to an External Recruiter
• Sample Thank You Note After a Bad Job Interview
• Sending Your Thank You After the Job Interview
• Formal Interview Thank You Notes (with Samples)
• Job Interview Thank You Email (with Samples)
• Turning Rejection into Opportunity – the thank you after you are turned down for the job

More: The Waiting Game After the Interview by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz and Job-Hunt’s 2017 study, Job Seekers: What Happens After You Apply.

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post Thank You Email After a Job Interview (Template & Samples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

For the employer, this note is a “sample” of your work.

Keep it short (less than one page), but personalized.

Typically, as with email, you send a separate (and unique) thank you to a each member of the employer’s staff who interviewed you. Also send a different thank you to an external recruiter, if one referred you to the job.

NOTE: If an external recruiter referred you, ask them which thank you is most appropriate for the employer, including whether email is appropriate and acceptable by this employer.

When to Send a Formal Interview Thank You Note

Email arrives immediately, assuming you have the correct email address and your message does not get caught in a spam filter. So, unless the employer really seems to dislike technology (and you didn’t receive an email from anyone at this employer setting up the interview or see anyone using a computer while you were there), often the best strategy is start with email and follow-up with a formal paper thank you note.

If appropriate, send the email thank you as soon as you get home. Then, follow up with the formal thank you as soon as possible after that.

When you send a formal thank you letter through the mail service, assume that it may take several days to reach the recipient, particularly in large organizations where mail is first sorted in a mail room and then distributed throughout a large facility. So, don’t wait!

Write this thank you note after then interview. Then, drop this thank you note into the mail as soon after the interview as possible, preferably by the next day.

If you forgot to send this note until a week (or more) after the interview, send it anyway. Hopefully, you sent an email thank you immediately, which should be sufficient for most employers.

Two Basic Formats for Formal Thank You Notes  

You have two options for sending formal thank you notes.

  1. Handwritten Thank You Notes  

Some old, very traditional organizations — and traditional people — will expect handwritten notes, done very carefully and as legibly as possible. [Jump to: Sample Handwritten Thank You Note]

  2. Printed Thank You Notes  

A word-processed note printed by a computer printer is usually acceptable in most organizations today. It’s also usually much more legible.

Choose the format that seems most appropriate for the organization unless your handwriting is illegible. If no one can read your writing, use your computer to send the printed version.

See the sample printed and handwritten thank you notes below on this page or the Sample Job Interview Thank You Email for comparison.

How to Write a Thank You Note After an Interview

Prepare in advance and treat the thank you note as a task that can demonstrate your professionalism. You want your thank you notes to make a positive impression, and support your candidacy for the job.

1. Send to the correct name and addresses.

Hopefully, you collected business cards from the people who interviewed you, so you have the correct spelling for the person’s name plus their snail mail address. If you are not sure, Google the business name, and look for business directories or contact the recruiter or HR staff members (very apologetically).

Note that some people may have traveled from another location to interview you, so worst case (avoid if possible!), call the recruiter and ask for the correct addresses for each person.

2. Use good quality thank you notes or paper.

If you are going to hand write a letter, use standard thank you notes you find in a stationery/card store. Don’t use fancy and flowery cards unless they are appropriate for the business (like a florist), and avoid very small cards since that will limit your ability to include sufficient information.

Thank you notes typically fold in half with “Thank you” on the top and the inside blank. Hand write your thank you on the bottom half or the right half of the inside of the note, depending on how the card works, so that your note is immediately visible without having to turn the card to view it when opened.

If you are sending a word processed note, be sure to have good quality paper in your printer with, hopefully, matching envelopes for you to use.

3. Don’t just copy the emailed thank you.

If you sent an email note, don’t paste it into your word processor and click print. Unfortunately, the content of the physical thank you and the electronic thank you must be different. The difference doesn’t need to be dramatic, but it needs to be real.

4. Send a unique thank you note to each person.

Assume that, like emailed thank you notes, the physical notes will be shared and compared, too. So, sending the same note to each person is not a good idea! You’ll look lazy and a bit cheesy — not a good impression to give.

5. Address the note correctly.

Be sure that you are spelling each person’s name correctly. I’ve met so many people with names spelled differently — Jenifer (vs. Jennifer) and Jon (vs. John).

I happen to have two first names — “Susan” and “Joyce” — and people who address me as “Joyce” clearly aren’t paying very close attention. Don’t make that mistake.

6. Match the right card with the right envelope.

Be sure to put Mary Smith’s thank you into the envelope addressed to Mary Smith, not into the envelope addressed to Bill Jones.

7. Include a return address on the envelope.

Worst case, if your card isn’t deliverable, you will know when the Post Office returns it to you.

Include your business card in the thank you note, just in case the recipient doesn’t remember you. The business card also makes it very easy for the recipient to reach out to you without going to the trouble of digging out your resume or application.

Sample Post-Interview Thank You Notes 

Use these as samples as guides. Customize them to your own situation.

  Sample Printed Thank You Note 

If you are using your computer to write, print, and send your thank you, write a one-page letter (99% of the time one page is sufficient).

Adapt the text in the sample to your circumstances, and customize it as described in Sending Your Thank You’s After the Job Interview. Replace the Italicized text in the sample below with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.

Use the formal business letter format like this:

Your street address
Your City, State and Zip Code

Date of the letter

Name of the Recipient
Job Title of the Recipient
Name of the Employer
Employer’s Street Address
Employer’s City, State and Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms Last Name:

Thank you very much for the opportunity to interview for the position of [job title] yesterday [or today, if appropriate]. I enjoyed speaking with you, meeting other members of the staff, and the opportunity to learn more about this position. I am very interested in this position and the opportunity to join your team.

This job feels like a very good match between my skills and experience and the requirements of this job. As we discussed, you need someone with strong [whatever] skills, and I have extensive experience with [whatever technology or tool that is important to the job and that you have experience using]. In addition, in my current [or former] job as [names or type of employer in your past] has provided the opportunity to polish my skills in [whatever] and [whatever] needed for your [job title] position.

Again, thank you for considering me for this wonderful opportunity. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns or need more information. I look forward to hearing from you next week [or whenever they said they would be in touch] and hope to join your staff soon.

Best regards,

[your name]
[Your tag line, like “eCommerce Customer Support Specialist”]
[Your job search email address]

  Sample Handwritten Thank You Note 

The good news about a handwritten thank you is that you won’t have much space to fill, so it can be much shorter. Avoid the instinct to write a long message. When you crowd too much handwriting into a small space, legibility and comprehension can be lost.

The bad news is that you need to write very carefully so the note can be easily read — a harder task these days when most of us spend our time typing on a keyboard. Write the note on a piece of paper before you write it on a card to be sure it will fit and is legible.

Date of the letter

Dear Mr./Ms Last Name,

I appreciate your time and the information you shared in my interview on [date] for the [job title] position. I am very interested in this job and in becoming a contributor to your organization.

I believe my experience as a [whatever] where I [name a relevant accomplishment or work] will enable me to hit the ground running in this position.
[OR, I believe my training as a [whatever] where I learned [a specific skill required for the job] will enable me to hit the ground running in this position.]

Please contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you, again, for your time.

Best regards,

[Your full name]

Choose your words carefully and double-check the spelling of anything you are not 100% sure of. When you hand write a note, you don’t have a built-in spell check to keep you from embarrassing yourself with bad spelling.

After the Thank You Notes Are Sent  

If you don’t hear from them for a couple of weeks longer than you expected, don’t panic. MUCH could be going on that has nothing to do with you at all. But do reach out to see what is happening. Do NOT contact them daily — or even weekly — for a decision.

NEVER suspend your job search while you wait for a decision from an employer, even if the job is your dream job.

Restarting your job search can be challenging and, if you’ve been turned down, you may be more discouraged because you need to re-start your momentum.

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How to Write a Thank You Letter After an Interview (Examples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.