"I just had an interview. Do I need to send a thank you letter?"

Yes.

Wait, let me say that again. YES!

Turn that question around for a moment. Why wouldn’t you? If you opt out of sending one, you’re missing a prime opportunity to sell yourself for the position. You’re giving up the chance to make a strong impression and stand out from the crowd.

I’ve talked about the importance of thank you letters in the past, and wanted to dedicate more time to addressing six questions that frequently come up with clients:

1. Is short and sweet good enough?  “Thank you for your time. I hope to hear back from you.”  It’s okay, but just okay. It’s better than not sending anything, but you’re letting a huge opportunity slip right past you.

If you come away from the interview more excited than before, more convinced that your background is a great fit for the role, that your strengths and values would complement the company – then tell them that!  

- Reiterate positive points made during the interview. 
- Relate a piece of the conversation to something you’ve accomplished in the past. 
- Match the specifics of your experience to one of the company’s or department’s goals. 
- For a senior role, even provide the basics of a proposal or solution to a problem discussed.

2. Is sending a thank you letter really going to make a difference?  It could. Consider this: why wouldn’t you do everything in your power to put your best foot forward?  If you decide not to send a thank you letter and your competition does, it could end up being a tie-breaker. And guess who'll win? 

In some instances, the status of your candidacy is decided before the thank you letter arrives, but in other instances, the hiring manager may be on the fence or undecided as to who to call back for the next step or there may a drawn-out interviewing period. You most likely won’t know which scenario you fall under, but in the latter, it’s smart to take the opportunity to market yourself and why you are right for the position one more time. 

3. Should I type the letter or send a handwritten note? This a very popular debate whose answers almost seem divided 50/50. I’ve seen questions on LinkedIn about this as well as many blog posts. There are no hard fast rules on this point. My advice to clients is dependent on their industry, position for which they’re interviewing, and which option makes them most comfortable. 



- A senior level VP or Director level position in investment banking or insurance? Type the letter, no questions asked.
- A service-oriented role at a non-for-profit?  A handwritten note may be warmly received. 
- An associate program post-MBA?  A typed-written letter. 
- A patient advocate role at a nursing home?  A handwritten note may be best.

One great way to convey your interest and set you apart from others is to also include an article on a topic discussed in the interview or relevant to the industry. This advice comes with a warning, though, to be sure the clipping is value-added, timely, and appropriate.

4. Can I email the letter or send it through regular mail? Ideally you’ll know or will have asked when a decision will be made and whether or not they are interviewing more candidates.

- If you know that they are interviewing candidates through next week, then there is no rush to run home and email the letter. Go home, draft it carefully and get it in the mail within the next day or two (ideally the next day). When you do mail it, I recommend mailing job search correspondence in a full-size envelope in which the stationary does not need to be folded - for two reasons. First, unfolded letters appear more crisp, professional, and clean, and secondly, the larger envelope will stand out more in your interviewer's in box. 

- If on the other hand, you find out you’re one of the last candidates being interviewed, then be sure to email the thank you letter within 12-24 hours, which brings us to our next question...

5. Should I paste the letter in the body of email or attach it as a Word document?  To maintain a consistent branding across all your documents and correspondence, I recommend typing the letter in a Word document with a header that coordinates with your resume. You could attach the letter as a Word document or as a PDF file and write in the body of the email a simple, “Thank you for meeting with me earlier today. Please see my attached letter. I look forward to continuing the process.” 

Opponents of this approach will argue that it's easier (and free from potential virus concern) to copy and paste the letter into the body of the email. My concern with doing that is that you lose much of the professionalism of the correspondence. My ultimate preference here is to mail the letter, but when time is of the essence, email is your friend.

6. Do I still need to send a letter if I know I am no longer interested in the position? Yes, you should. You never know when your paths may cross again, so my advice to clients is to take the time to send a thank you letter. It needn’t be a full-blown marketing letter like we’ve described earlier, but you can still show your professionalism by sending a courteous: “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today." And in this instance, you have my permission to go short and sweet.