tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16975734.post7521883687951928758..comments2007-10-24T12:19:06.272-04:00Stephen Seckler, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16309679653492293632noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16975734.post-51835619981806307242007-10-24T12:19:00.000-04:002007-10-24T12:19:00.000-04:00Thanks for this piece! Candidates are always asking me whether or not they should send thank you notes. Personally, I come down on the side of foregoing the gesture. While polite, I certainly do not think that such notes are expected nor necessarily helpful. If the note strikes the perfect tone, has no stylistic, grammatical or spelling errors or issues, comes through the email with unblemished formatting, and otherwise all the planets line up to make the note as positive as possible, the net effect in my book is completely neutral. In other words, the perfect note has no value whatever other than making your mother happy. Thus, of course, the upshot is that there is risk of negative impact if there is even the slightest mistake or faux pas.<BR/><BR/>In my view, you have done everything you can to present yourself as perfectly as possible. You have gone over your resume with a fine-tooth comb, perhaps participated in writing or editing your recruiter's cover letter, you have practiced for your interview. Your presentation is complete. And now you want to mess with that? I don't think so. I say, thank the interviewer during the interview for their time. That's plenty. Your interview doesn't need one more email, doesn't need a hand-written note, doesn't really have time to think about you other than as a potential candidate. Thus, sit back and wait to see if they want something from you. Whatever it is they want from you next, it isn't a thank-you note.<BR/><BR/>Just my opinion.Peter L. Smith, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04602053152595235439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16975734.post-37831621252124168982007-10-24T12:18:00.000-04:002007-10-24T12:18:00.000-04:00Thanks for this piece! Candidates are always asking me whether or not they should send thank you notes. Personally, I come down on the side of foregoing the gesture. While polite, I certainly do not think that such notes are expected nor necessarily helpful. If the note strikes the perfect tone, has no stylistic, grammatical or spelling errors or issues, comes through the email with unblemished formatting, and otherwise all the planets line up to make the note as positive as possible, the net effect in my book is completely neutral. In other words, the perfect note has no value whatever other than making your mother happy. Thus, of course, the upshot is that there is risk of negative impact if there is even the slightest mistake or faux pas.<BR/><BR/>In my view, you have done everything you can to present yourself as perfectly as possible. You have gone over your resume with a fine-tooth comb, perhaps participated in writing or editing your recruiter's cover letter, you have practiced for your interview. Your presentation is complete. And now you want to mess with that? I don't think so. I say, thank the interviewer during the interview for their time. That's plenty. Your interview doesn't need one more email, doesn't need a hand-written note, doesn't really have time to think about you other than as a potential candidate. Thus, sit back and wait to see if they want something from you. Whatever it is they want from you next, it isn't a thank-you note.<BR/><BR/>Just my opinion.Peter L. Smith, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04602053152595235439noreply@blogger.com