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How to
write a thank you letter to use after an interview,
a phone interview, or even to someone who passed
your name on to a hiring manager is an art that is
not taught as often as it should be by placement
services and others who help job seekers with
finding jobs. They always cover the basics of resume
writing, interview preparation, cover letter
writing, how to create a reference sheet, and even
how to prepare a salary history, which isn't even
required that often, but how to write a thank you
letter is a subject that should be covered. It is a
necessary skill that puts the capstone on the
interview or other contact you had, makes you appear
to be thoughtful and intelligent, and puts you above
the crowd.
Some
hiring managers are so swamped with resumes and
cover letters when they post a listing on an online
job bank or run a newspaper classified ad that they
look for reasons to discard resumes. Having five
hundred resumes in your email inbox can be quite
intimidating. Some hiring managers have been known
to send out an automated response to all applicants
letting them know that the resume was received. They
will then sit back and wait for further
communication. If an applicant knows how to write a
thank you letter, they have a jump on the
competition immediately.
How to do
it? As in all formal correspondence, it should be
block formatted with proper spelling, addresses and
salutations. Keep it short - two or three
paragraphs. In the first paragraph, express your
primary purpose by thanking the person you are
writing to for their time and consideration.
Business people are busy and time is a valuable
commodity. In the second paragraph, restate one or
two key job skills you can bring to the position.
Remind the reader as to why you are a good candidate
for the job. In the third paragraph, thank the
reader again, and reiterate that you are available
by phone, email or in person should they have
further questions. End with the traditional business
ending "sincerely yours."
An
example of how knowing how to write it occurred with
one job seeker a few years ago at a business
brokerage in the Midwest. This job seeker was
already working as a part-time telemarketer. She was
competing for a full-time office manager position
against two others. One of the men had a bachelor's
degree and the other was about to receive her
degree. Both had several more years of experience in
office administration. Obviously, the other
candidates were more qualified than the first
applicant, but she knew how to write a thank you
letter, and proved it. After her interview with the
company owner, the managing broker and the old
office manager (who was retiring and helping choose
her own replacement) the fist candidate composed a
thank you letter. She then printed out
individualized copies for each person she
interviewed with and mailed them that evening. When
the interviewers received them the next day they
were impressed with her thoughtfulness and adherence
to protocol. Despite the fact that the other two
applicants were more qualified, she was hired. The
fact that she knew how to write one probably got her
the job she was seeking.
Many
hiring managers will interview multiple candidates
and only hire from those who send thank you letters.
Some studies have shown that only one in ten
applicants see the importance of thank you letters,
so it should be obvious that if you know how to
write a thank you letter you have a very important
job skill.
Are
you guilty of sabotaging your own job search along
with the opportunity to earn more money? Heather
Eagar, a former professional resume writer and
creator of ResumeLines.com, provides reviews of the
top resume writing services that put you in charge
of your career so you can get the job you deserve.
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