Thank You Notes – Handwritten vs. Email

A reader writes:

I have been hearing a lot of talk about sending handwritten thank you notes versus email notes following an interview.  I have been sending email notes only.  What do you recommend?

My reply:

There is not one right answer to this question except that a thank you note must be sent and it needs to be sent within 24 hours of the interview.  The advantages of an email are (1) it gets there quickly; (2) it is typed, which is ideal for those that are handwriting challenged; and (3) there is more space to reiterate the benefits you will bring to the position.

The advantages of the handwritten thank you note are (1) you may be the only applicant that sends one, which will make you stand out from the crowd; (2) it shows extra effort on your part; and (3) an email is often quickly deleted but a card may stay on the hiring manager’s desk as a constant reminder of you.

My suggestion would be to take full advantage by doing both.  Show them you’re an overachiever and get your name back in front of them twice.  The email will get to the hiring manager the same day and the handwritten note will get there the next day or two.  (If you interview with more than one person, send separate notes to each of them.)

If you have a job search question, I would love to answer it in my blog.  Please submit your question to askterry@occupationalzen.com and look for your answer here.

Tags: Interviews, Thank You Notes

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