Should I write a thank you note after an interview?

Question:

Should I write a thank you note after an interview?

Answer:

Yes. Yes. Yes. I have never once had negative feedback about a thank you note. They take only a few minutes to write and the worst that will happen is the recruiter or hiring manager ignores it. But most of the time, it’s going to make an impression, especially if it’s well written.

Explanation: 

I see a lot of posts on LinkedIn about how the thank you note is a ridiculous outdated convention. The posts usually take an overly strong stance specifically for shock value which increases engagement with the post, thereby juicing the algorithm. I tend to be more of a straight shooter when it comes to answering the questions job seekers often ask me. Whether to write a thank you note (or a thank you email) is one of those questions that have a “recurring status” in my inbox, so I think it’s important to answer it honestly. 

My answer is simple. Yes, write a thank you email because there’s no downside. You lose only a few minutes of your time. That’s it. No one is going to move you over into the reject pile because you wrote a thank you note. The absolute worst that can happen is they don’t care and it doesn’t help you in any way. 

My personal experience, both in my own career, my husband’s career, and in those job seekers who I’ve worked closely with or kept in touch with after we worked together, has been that thank you notes are generally well-received. Often, the feedback I’ve seen from recruiters and employers is something along the lines of: “Wow, no one sends these!” followed by some positive comments (or sometimes useful feedback) about the interview as well as insight into the current status of hiring for the role. The main message I’ve taken away is that writing thank you notes is rare, which means that doing it will make you stand out. And standing out is one of the most important things you need to make happen when you’re job searching.

You’ll hear some of those shock posters (and their commenters) say things like, “well I don’t want to work for a backward company who cares more about niceties than qualifications.” First of all, some job seekers don’t have the luxury to turn down roles because of things like that. Second, this objection is just ridiculous anyway. Why? Because there are plenty of applicants who are equally qualified (and some who are more qualified) than you. Every time. Except in technical, niche, or “hands-on skills” (such as electrical, heavy machinery operation, etc.), employers do not have a hard time finding qualified candidates. They’re inundated with resumes from qualified candidates. What they do have a hard time doing is sorting through those candidates. Which means you make their job easier by setting yourself apart from the huge (qualified) crowd. You’re not being passed over for a less well-qualified candidate because they wrote a thank you note and you didn’t. You’re being passed over for an equally well-qualified candidate who is also nice. If employers can choose between just qualified and both qualified and nice, which do you think they’re going to choose?