Politeness Pays: Post-interview Etiquette
Whether you graduated from school with all of your tuition covered by an academic scholarship or you took out student loans, you will most likely need to find a job soon after classes are over. This means that you’ll be on the job hunt right when you graduate (if not before).
Let’s say you land an interview for a dream job. You do all you can to prepare for it – you study up on the company and the position and you do practice interviews.
MPOWER Pro-tip 1
Need help preparing for an interview? Read our blog about how to best prepare and take a look at Betterteam’s list of common interview questions.
The day of your interview, you’re nervous but prepared. You go in looking as polished and professional as possible….and YOU NAIL IT. You’re charming, you answer questions thoughtfully, and you ask your own great questions of your interviewers.
You will obviously get a job offer, right? Right?
Not necessarily.
What you do after an interview matters a lot. Sending thank you notes to everyone you interviewed with can make a huge difference in the way potential employers view you. Showing them that you value their time and consideration with a thank you is crucial, and demonstrates your respect for the interviewer, the position, and the company.
MPOWER Pro-tip 2
Don’t know what to write? Forbes has some great examples of interview thank you notes to follow.
Make sure to send a thank you email within 24 to 72 hours of the interview and to personalize it to the discussion you had with each interviewer as well as to your relevant skills. Your potential employer may have interviewed several candidates, and including specific details reminds them why you’re the best person for the job.
MPOWER Pro-tip 3
If an assistant or secretary spent time scheduling interviews for you, don’t forget to thank them as well. Their opinions of you matter to their supervisors because their interactions with you could reveal a different side of your personality. Make sure to show them you appreciate their work too!
Thank you notes can potentially set you apart from other applicants in the very best way. Everyone wants to hire someone who comes across as considerate.
MPOWER Pro-tip 4
If you really want to stand out, consider writing a handwritten note instead of an email, if you think it’s appropriate. Just make sure you mail it immediately after your interview so it arrives in a timely manner.
We all want to put our college education to good use and to start paying off students loans by working in a position that we love. But to get that position, we have to be polite. It doesn’t take much to write a thank you note, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
