5 Ways to Screw Up After the Interview

Thank you emails

Personally, an email thanking the person interviewing you for taking the time to interview you shows an added interest in the position. I don't think its a negative reflection. It's sets you apart from the others that interview.

There have been plenty of people who have never sent a follow-up email, note or thank you email or note and have still been offered the position. But I would estimate that you could at least double that number for those that have sent some kind of follow-up respose and got the job because of it. And not because they were not honest in the interview, but because the went out of their way to show the interviewer they are still interested in the job.

The time to send the follow up letter is NOT three days later, its within a couple hours after the interview or the next day, NO LATER.

Of course you must keep it short and precise. Emphasize you are still interested in the position and be honest, don't fake it. BE PREPARED TO BACKUP ALL THAT YOU SAY IN THE INTERVIEW AND THANK YOU LETTER if you get the job.

Only in ONE instance have I received a job offer and/or job without sending a follow-up email or letter, and that was my very first job during high school. Every other position offer or job has been with a follow up email. I can't say that was the primary reason for being offered the job, but I GUARANTEE it helped.

But that's just me.

Matt of CA @ Sep 10, 2009 03:00:12 AM

Thank Yous are not for me

I agree wholeheartedly with Wayne of GA. I've always had very good instincts for whether or not I got the job after an interview. Never once sent a thank you note in my history of working and always was right about getting the job. To me, the idea of sending a thank you note is phony and dumb and makes me feel like i am coming across as brown-nosing. That's just not me. I think if I were on the hiring end, it would be almost a turnoff to get a thank you note. It just seems automated and fake. If they want to hire me, they will hire me based on my interview, not on whether or not i send a thank you. I already thank them at the end of the interview for their time and consideration. No need to prolong it. In this current economic crisis we are in, I had an interview recently that I was sure I aced. Out of pressure from people like this who wrote this article, I decided to try sending a thank you email right after my interview. I kept it short and concise and personal and even had several people proofread it before I sent it. It was the first job I DIDN'T get after feeling CERTAIN i had the job. Coincidence? I'm still not sure. But i won't be sending any thank you emails again!

vegetable biryani of AZ @ Aug 13, 2009 14:07:38 PM

Whomever wrote this article is not a hiring manager

A hand-written thank you note? Nice idea for 1985. By the time the interview is over, normally you have the job, or don't. 3 days later when the thank you note comes, I laugh and throw it immediately in the trash. Only people that DON'T get hired have to send a thank you note. Those that get hire will be called later that day with the offer.

I'm okay with an email if you have something interesting of follow-up based on our conversation. But that is more about professional courtesy to follow-up on an open item, as opposed to getting the job.

An email to thank me? Don't waste my time. I get hundreds of emails a day and another is not exciting.

You want to set yourself apart? Be honest and open in an interview. I'd rather hire some that I disagree with slightly but has a smart opinion based on experience than to hire someone I can smell is BS'ing me.

Think of an interview like a first date. If he's interested...he'll call. Otherwise, move on...you blew it.

Wayne of GA @ Jul 05, 2009 10:37:25 AM

Thank You Note: Do it electronically

Since companies are getting greener, I think it is better to send an thank you note by email. It's faster and cleaner. I don't think anyone wants one more thing to file, so paper should be avoided. Green is really the way to go.

www.jsantascoy.com of CA @ Jun 05, 2009 15:12:44 PM

Close the Deal

I've had over 100 different jobs in my life time of 40 years of work. I've found that if they really want you, they will ask you when you can start, and they will follow-up with a letter to confirm your hiring. Thank them at that time with a nice email response to the hiring team. Keep it short, otherwise you may interject other issues they hadn't thought about and that could create doubt and a withdrawal of the job offer.

Tony Lee of CA @ Mar 13, 2009 15:54:04 PM