the power of the thank you note

I think the art of saying thank you has gone by the wayside, and it's really disheartening. As a newlywed, I just waded through a slog of thank you notes, and though my husband complained about his hand cramp, nearly everyone commented on the fact that they had received a personalized, heartfelt thank you. It's more likely that they commented because they got the notes less than a week after the wedding, but that's neither here nor there.

I've been working with a candidate over the last couple weeks who is the king of saying thanks. To the point that he's probably overdoing it. Seriously - I get an email after almost every interaction with him. Just to be clear, though, he's not pandering; he's just the kind of guy who is genuinely thankful for every chance he gets.

A thank you note isn't just a great way to express your gratitude. When it comes to saying thanks after an interview, it can convey a lot about you to a recruiter and a hiring manager, and can help you clarify any concerns or questions about your background that maybe weren't covered in the discussion.While saying thank you after every phone call isn't necessary, Mr. Candidate does have a really good system that has certainly kept him top of mind around here.

- He thanks us for spending time with him, acknowledging the time the managers take for him out of their busy schedule.
- He reiterates his level of interest in the position and the company (hint: we love it when you seem eager to work here).
- He reiterates his background to make sure we know what he brings to the table and how he matches our requirements.
- He asks questions! About the next step, about the company, about the team - he makes his thank you something that requires action.
- He sends personalized emails to each person. I noticed during one round of his interviews that he walked away with some sticky notes. I was curious about that - the folks he had met with didn't have business cards with them, so he asked for their email addresses on a pad of stickies he found in the conference room. (What do I love about this? He ASKED for their contact information, and found a creative way to get it when they didn't have cards. Always ask for a card.)

A thank you note from a candidate can totally change someone's day. It takes 5 minutes of your time, and if you send an actual card via snail mail, it'll cost you $0.46. So if you really want a job, take the time to say thank you when someone spends time with you talking about it. Who knows - it could be the whole reason you get a shot.