After an interview: a card, an email, or a letter?
August 9, 2011 4:11 PM Subscribe
After an interview: thank-you letter? e-mail? card?
Just had a super-quick interview for a job I would really like; it's unclear to me whether more interviews are yet to come, but obviously I'd like to thank the person I spoke with. I've communicated with her briefly over email, but I like the idea of sending a paper thank-you. I have some stylish, not-overwhelming cards , or I could write a letter or write an email. Which should I do?
Just had a super-quick interview for a job I would really like; it's unclear to me whether more interviews are yet to come, but obviously I'd like to thank the person I spoke with. I've communicated with her briefly over email, but I like the idea of sending a paper thank-you. I have some stylish, not-overwhelming cards , or I could write a letter or write an email. Which should I do?
An email. Keep it short.
A card would be strange and inappropriate. They are your potential boss, not your girlfriend.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
A card would be strange and inappropriate. They are your potential boss, not your girlfriend.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would send an email. A card takes longer to arrive while an email has immediate presence.
I would find it odd if, after having just interviewed someone for the first time, that I receive a handwritten card thanking me for the interview.
Perhaps it's different in your location or your industry, but I'd say the email is the way to go.
posted by dfriedman at 4:25 PM on August 9, 2011
I would find it odd if, after having just interviewed someone for the first time, that I receive a handwritten card thanking me for the interview.
Perhaps it's different in your location or your industry, but I'd say the email is the way to go.
posted by dfriedman at 4:25 PM on August 9, 2011
Email sounds more conventional to me.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:29 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:29 PM on August 9, 2011
I think a stylish, not-overwhelming card would be fine, and so would an email -- it's the content that counts.
posted by BurntHombre at 4:31 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by BurntHombre at 4:31 PM on August 9, 2011
Nthing email. I coordinate interviews all the time and anything more than an email would strike me as odd.
Caveat: unless the field is creative, unusual or somehow different than a typical office job.
posted by thankyouforyourconsideration at 4:33 PM on August 9, 2011
Caveat: unless the field is creative, unusual or somehow different than a typical office job.
posted by thankyouforyourconsideration at 4:33 PM on August 9, 2011
Snail-mail unless you were interviewing in Patagonia (and aren't in Patagonia now).
Do not send a card. Cards are not formal, this is a formal situation.
Use A4 or Monarch sized paper, white, 100gsm or heavier. Typed, not handwritten.
Mail it in a DL envelope of the same paper stock, hand-addressed in block letters in black or blue-black ink.
If you are really desperate that she receive it right away, save it as a PDF and email it to her like that.
posted by tel3path at 4:34 PM on August 9, 2011
Do not send a card. Cards are not formal, this is a formal situation.
Use A4 or Monarch sized paper, white, 100gsm or heavier. Typed, not handwritten.
Mail it in a DL envelope of the same paper stock, hand-addressed in block letters in black or blue-black ink.
If you are really desperate that she receive it right away, save it as a PDF and email it to her like that.
posted by tel3path at 4:34 PM on August 9, 2011
As someone who hires a lot of people, emails are best, cards are a little weird, and nothing at all is actually not a dealbreaker.
The main purpose is to remind the recruiter that you exist.
posted by charmcityblues at 4:38 PM on August 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
The main purpose is to remind the recruiter that you exist.
posted by charmcityblues at 4:38 PM on August 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
email is standard.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:40 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:40 PM on August 9, 2011
I vote email. I was in a similar situation about nine months ago-- had a short interview, emailed to thank them ("Really enjoyed meeting with you, seems like a great place to work, etc."), and didn't get the job. I asked them to keep me in mind if anything comes up in the future. Then three months ago I emailed again to ask if they had anything available, and they hired me for a temp position. It's always good to keep communication lines open.
posted by easy_being_green at 4:41 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by easy_being_green at 4:41 PM on August 9, 2011
I always email if I have their email address. Send a letter if you like, but they might have already made the decision by the time they get it.
One of my Facebook friends wrote a post saying that there's some gendered double-standard in which women but not men are expected to send a handwritten note! But that strikes me as implausible. Interviewers are busy people; they're not going to sit around admiring the note you send them as if it were a wedding invitation.
posted by John Cohen at 4:58 PM on August 9, 2011
One of my Facebook friends wrote a post saying that there's some gendered double-standard in which women but not men are expected to send a handwritten note! But that strikes me as implausible. Interviewers are busy people; they're not going to sit around admiring the note you send them as if it were a wedding invitation.
posted by John Cohen at 4:58 PM on August 9, 2011
I think email is fine, but I caved in and did cards this last go-round. About half of my business school class mates were sending hand-written cards. Very simple index-sized cards, like these. People seemed to appreciate them and our career center staff encouraged it.
posted by mullacc at 5:09 PM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by mullacc at 5:09 PM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also - and this sounded crazy to me at first - most of my classmates would have a thank you card ready to go before their interview (addressed, stamped, etc). You only need two or three sentences at most, and one of those is likely going to be a generic "thank you for meeting with me" thing. So my class mates would prep everything but those last one or two sentences. As soon as they left the interview, they'd finish the card and put it in the nearest mailbox. This usually resulted in the interviewer getting the card the next business day.
posted by mullacc at 5:15 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mullacc at 5:15 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Absolutely, without a doubt, 100% send a card!
Send a card, send a card, send a card! Why? There are a couple of extremely important reasons.
1) You're dealing with a human and a card is still a very human thing to do. You probably already have done some e-mail correspondence so an e-mail thank you is nothing special. Cards can be formal, friendly, professional, whatever. Choose the right style for the interview (an engineering job and a fashion design job would probably require different styles of thank you cards.)
2) And this is the big one: Nobody does it! If you send a card you will stand out from the pack. You will distinguish yourself not as a technological luddite but as a real person. You will BE REMEMBERED! That is the key! You don't have the job yet. The goal at this point may not be "land the job" but "land the next interview." (Perspective now is important!)
Cards are so incredibly important! Forget all the concerns about cards not being right or being too formal or not formal enough or whatever.
Send a card and do it extremely fast--the day of the interview or a day after. It is such an incredibly awesome thing to do! Think of the dynamics!
Who sent this card?
Joe Baggadonuts.
Joe? Really? Hmmm.
What's that you have there?
It's a card from that guy we interviewed a couple days ago.
Really? Lemme see. I don't think we've ever gotten a card before.
Which one was Joe?
You know. . .brown eyes, brown hair, blue shirt.
Oh yeah. Lemme see the card.
Your name gets passed around. Your face gets remembered. Not so with an e-mail.
Secretaries love cards. They show you are thoughtful. Bosses love the idea that you can be thoughtful and not cause problems with other employees. If you're thoughtful with cards you may be thoughtful on your job. Good good good.
A card can turn a bad interview into a second chance or boost a good interview to the final cut. It is always a good idea!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 5:26 PM on August 9, 2011
Send a card, send a card, send a card! Why? There are a couple of extremely important reasons.
1) You're dealing with a human and a card is still a very human thing to do. You probably already have done some e-mail correspondence so an e-mail thank you is nothing special. Cards can be formal, friendly, professional, whatever. Choose the right style for the interview (an engineering job and a fashion design job would probably require different styles of thank you cards.)
2) And this is the big one: Nobody does it! If you send a card you will stand out from the pack. You will distinguish yourself not as a technological luddite but as a real person. You will BE REMEMBERED! That is the key! You don't have the job yet. The goal at this point may not be "land the job" but "land the next interview." (Perspective now is important!)
Cards are so incredibly important! Forget all the concerns about cards not being right or being too formal or not formal enough or whatever.
Send a card and do it extremely fast--the day of the interview or a day after. It is such an incredibly awesome thing to do! Think of the dynamics!
Who sent this card?
Joe Baggadonuts.
Joe? Really? Hmmm.
What's that you have there?
It's a card from that guy we interviewed a couple days ago.
Really? Lemme see. I don't think we've ever gotten a card before.
Which one was Joe?
You know. . .brown eyes, brown hair, blue shirt.
Oh yeah. Lemme see the card.
Your name gets passed around. Your face gets remembered. Not so with an e-mail.
Secretaries love cards. They show you are thoughtful. Bosses love the idea that you can be thoughtful and not cause problems with other employees. If you're thoughtful with cards you may be thoughtful on your job. Good good good.
A card can turn a bad interview into a second chance or boost a good interview to the final cut. It is always a good idea!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 5:26 PM on August 9, 2011
Clearly the consensus here is email. I agree. In my last few years hiring people (through 2008), I don't think I ever got any snail mail followups, just email. So I think snail mail is truly out of the norm these days. The question is, what would you be trying to communicate by using paper? "I know how to use this old-fashioned form still prescribed by certain manuals of protocol, and what kind of stamp to put on it?"
As the prospective employer I would rather see someone demonstrate that they are adept and comfortable at digital forms, from the application through the interview followup. As part of that, I'd be looking at whether you embedded any hyperlinks if appropriate (rather than pasting in full-length URLs), and whether you have a useful sig with all your contact info and appropriate social media links embedded.
Yes, perhaps a card makes you stand out from the pack to some employers. (Lord Fancy Pants says "secretaries," whatever those are, will love them too.) That may be, but I would aim for an email that makes you stand out from the pack. That card is more likely to get you remembered as the 20th-century type who actually mailed a card, than as the applicant who knows how to communicate in today's environment.
posted by beagle at 5:34 PM on August 9, 2011
As the prospective employer I would rather see someone demonstrate that they are adept and comfortable at digital forms, from the application through the interview followup. As part of that, I'd be looking at whether you embedded any hyperlinks if appropriate (rather than pasting in full-length URLs), and whether you have a useful sig with all your contact info and appropriate social media links embedded.
Yes, perhaps a card makes you stand out from the pack to some employers. (Lord Fancy Pants says "secretaries," whatever those are, will love them too.) That may be, but I would aim for an email that makes you stand out from the pack. That card is more likely to get you remembered as the 20th-century type who actually mailed a card, than as the applicant who knows how to communicate in today's environment.
posted by beagle at 5:34 PM on August 9, 2011
I love the few suggestions about sending cards and plan to use the idea myself. But, I'll also send an email first. In my office, people get next to no mail these days, not even intra-office mail. Mail just sits in the common mail area on each floor - with no personal delivery - so it could be days or more than a week before someone even notices they have mail. So unless you know the delivery system at the company you're sending the thank you note to, I'd say send an email as well.
posted by daikon at 5:38 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by daikon at 5:38 PM on August 9, 2011
By the time you send a card, they will have hired someone, and that person will open your card.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:15 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:15 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you mail a letter/card the same day as your interview, they'll probably receive it the next day. It's not rocket science.
I've sent cards before. I've sent letters before. Even emails. I've never noticed an appreciable difference, although I certainly felt like more of a grownup sending something in the mail. People get dozens, even hundreds of emails a day. How many personally addressed letters do they get?
posted by hermitosis at 6:30 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've sent cards before. I've sent letters before. Even emails. I've never noticed an appreciable difference, although I certainly felt like more of a grownup sending something in the mail. People get dozens, even hundreds of emails a day. How many personally addressed letters do they get?
posted by hermitosis at 6:30 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I often do annual interviewing for law clerks or new associates. I get both TY cards and emails and I'll be brutal here. I'd rather get a same day email with an add on thought that reminds me of an interesting point in the interview than a stilted card 5 days later. Neither is fine too.
You'd think the cards would be better, but no; they're annoying. I email my colleagues who also interviewed, saying, "hey got card from x" then either toss immediately or put into a pile along with the interesting conferences I'm never going to attend, only to toss later when the clutter gets to me and the conference dates are long past.
I keep emails, which give you room for more detailed thoughts than what fits on a thank you card. Not that I'm likely to, but if I wanted, I could search for your email later.
Of course, I also toss wedding and birthday thank yous, and generally think they're silly too, so perhaps I'm not an accurate judge.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 7:20 PM on August 9, 2011
You'd think the cards would be better, but no; they're annoying. I email my colleagues who also interviewed, saying, "hey got card from x" then either toss immediately or put into a pile along with the interesting conferences I'm never going to attend, only to toss later when the clutter gets to me and the conference dates are long past.
I keep emails, which give you room for more detailed thoughts than what fits on a thank you card. Not that I'm likely to, but if I wanted, I could search for your email later.
Of course, I also toss wedding and birthday thank yous, and generally think they're silly too, so perhaps I'm not an accurate judge.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 7:20 PM on August 9, 2011
I interviewed some people recently. Got a card from one (next day - mail to the office in the same city is fast). Got an email from another. Preferred the card - but, I preferred the card person anyway based on the email.
The card and email were both short and sweet, which was appropriate. I think I would have thought the card was nicer no matter what, and I think a full-blown letter would have been weird, but those are guesses.
posted by J. Wilson at 7:45 PM on August 9, 2011
The card and email were both short and sweet, which was appropriate. I think I would have thought the card was nicer no matter what, and I think a full-blown letter would have been weird, but those are guesses.
posted by J. Wilson at 7:45 PM on August 9, 2011
(sorry, I meant to say I preferred the card person anyway based on the email interview.)
posted by J. Wilson at 7:55 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by J. Wilson at 7:55 PM on August 9, 2011
For my current job, I did a round of interviews and met with five people in one afternoon. That evening, I wrote thank you emails to each person, personalized based on our conversations and thanking them for their time. I also wrote a quick hand-written note reminding each of them how lovely it was to meet them and how enthusiastic I was about working at the organization.
I also did a round of phone interviews the week after and did the same thing.
After I got hired, I was told by several people that my email and note were incredibly professional (entry-level, just out of college) and it really set me over the edge. I work at a communications firm so perhaps it is a bit more common/acceptable, but I say why NOT show how enthusiastic you are?
posted by angsolom at 8:23 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I also did a round of phone interviews the week after and did the same thing.
After I got hired, I was told by several people that my email and note were incredibly professional (entry-level, just out of college) and it really set me over the edge. I work at a communications firm so perhaps it is a bit more common/acceptable, but I say why NOT show how enthusiastic you are?
posted by angsolom at 8:23 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I send a business letter. I have found formal snail mail letters (typed) to everyone I interviewed with sets me apart from other candidates.
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 8:28 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 8:28 PM on August 9, 2011
I am way into cards, but only if you know the hiring process is deliberative. If you have any reason to suspect a quick decision - and I would err on the side of caution here - email is the way to go. Don't do both, that comes off as creepy.
posted by Miko at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by Miko at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2011
Oh, and point of data, the last 2 people hired for senior positions at my job had lenghy interviews and sent email thank yous the next day.
posted by Miko at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2011
posted by Miko at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2011
I've been doing a small amount of hiring over the last few years and what has really got my attention is an e-mail that gives a little more information about the candidate. So for one recent candidate (who got the job), we were talking about writing reports and she was about to be published in a journal, so she sent me a draft in her thank you e-mail. Others have followed up on a particular project that may have been relevant to some of the topics we were covering.
The e-mails that are thanks for your time don't have a big impact on me. I know that they are appreciative, but if you can turn it into another opportunity to reinforce why you'd be great for the job I think it pays off. For me, that reinforces that they are really interested in the job.
posted by Edward L at 9:24 PM on August 9, 2011
The e-mails that are thanks for your time don't have a big impact on me. I know that they are appreciative, but if you can turn it into another opportunity to reinforce why you'd be great for the job I think it pays off. For me, that reinforces that they are really interested in the job.
posted by Edward L at 9:24 PM on August 9, 2011
I've always made a decision on a candidate well before a card would arrive at my workplace. Not worth doing at any company I've worked at.
Try not to make your email a generic copypaste situation, too. I'd rather get no email at all than an email that wasted my time. At least say something about one of the questions you were asked, that it made you think or that you'd had an additional insight.
posted by troublesome at 9:43 PM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Try not to make your email a generic copypaste situation, too. I'd rather get no email at all than an email that wasted my time. At least say something about one of the questions you were asked, that it made you think or that you'd had an additional insight.
posted by troublesome at 9:43 PM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
E-mail, sent no more than one business day after the interview. Try to include something you liked about the company that struck you in the interview, like "I was particularly impressed with Initech's commitment to bureaucracy."
posted by tckma at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2011
posted by tckma at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2011
People get dozens, even hundreds of emails a day. How many personally addressed letters do they get?
Maybe not many letters, but certainly in the industry I work in the decision-makers and managers of all sorts do get a ton of mail - sales bumf, invoices, invites, credit card bills, etc etc etc. Your card/letter would be likely to end up in an inbox with a lot of other pieces of mail as well as internal paper and not be seen for days. Your email would be seen almost immediately. So if time is of the essence that might be a factor. On the other hand sending a letter or card is hardly likely to hurt, although I've never sent nor received one.
posted by jamesonandwater at 6:32 AM on August 10, 2011
Maybe not many letters, but certainly in the industry I work in the decision-makers and managers of all sorts do get a ton of mail - sales bumf, invoices, invites, credit card bills, etc etc etc. Your card/letter would be likely to end up in an inbox with a lot of other pieces of mail as well as internal paper and not be seen for days. Your email would be seen almost immediately. So if time is of the essence that might be a factor. On the other hand sending a letter or card is hardly likely to hurt, although I've never sent nor received one.
posted by jamesonandwater at 6:32 AM on August 10, 2011
Your card/letter would be likely to end up in an inbox with a lot of other pieces of mail as well as internal paper and not be seen for days.
This. I check my email pretty much all day. Physical mail is mostly commercial or periodicals now. I check it a few times a week. I'd much rather have a quick email than a letter.
posted by bonehead at 8:24 AM on August 10, 2011
This. I check my email pretty much all day. Physical mail is mostly commercial or periodicals now. I check it a few times a week. I'd much rather have a quick email than a letter.
posted by bonehead at 8:24 AM on August 10, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you all so much! I wrote an email. I had sent a card (and thank-you email. Both!) to someone with whom I did an informational interview, but I hope any concerns about informality are assuaged by our pretty casual interactions beforehand (we're both recent alums of the same college).
posted by c'mon sea legs at 12:33 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by c'mon sea legs at 12:33 AM on August 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
A card would be odd. A letter is fine, but might take an exceptionally long time to reach the recipient if the recipient doesn't check their mail frequently.
posted by saeculorum at 4:13 PM on August 9, 2011 [3 favorites]