How Important is a Thank You Letter?

In this day and age, how much do employers care about whether or not they receive a thank you letter from candidates? Well, believe it or not, I have seen it be a make or break deal if it was the one thing setting apart two equally strong candidates. Let me give you a little insight into why the thank you letter is so important to send the employer after your interview with them.

Final Impressions

We all understand how crucial a good first impression is at an interview, but we can’t forget the value of the final impression you give the employer, as well. Your first impression is supposed to make them glad that they are spending their time and resources to interview you. Your final impression needs to make them want to bring you back. They will probably interview several candidates that they liked, but a reminder of who you are and how you could be valuable to their company after you are no longer in front of them can definitely set you apart from the sea of faces to choose from.

Professionalism

The thank you letter demonstrates true professionalism and courtesy. It says that you appreciate the effort they made to consider you. It says that you believe communication is very valuable and necessary, something that employers understand to be a critical component to every successful business. A well-written thank you letter shows them your ability to express yourself in a way that they feel would represent their company well, both internally and externally. Though it seems like such a small thing, as you can see, it goes a very long way to convincing them that you would be a strong asset to their company.

Reiteration of Skill Sets

Just like every well-written essay or speech needs a summary paragraph, your thank you letter functions very much the same way. After they have been introduced to you, gotten to know who you are and what you bring to the table, they can now see all of the elements tied together in a clear, succinct fashion. This brief review, along with thanking them for their time, should also briefly reiterate your skill sets, background experiences, and personality strengths that make you a great fit for the position. With all of the choices they will be facing, this could help bring a lot of clarity for them in the selection process.

Keep these things in mind as you sit down to write that thank you letter after your interview. For additional tips on the format of a really good thank you letter, click here to read our website page on this topic. Or if you have additional questions that weren’t answered, feel free to post a comment below or contact us directly.