Thank You Cards Are Valuable

By Cord Harper, CEO of Endeavor Agency

May 19, 2023

Following an interview, candidates who send thank-you notes receive significant bonus points. This additional credit can make the difference between getting a job offer and getting turned down. The significance of sending thank-you notes in addition to emails is emphasized in this article. It also provides specific instructions on how to accomplish it successfully.


Why Thank You Cards Are Important

The job search process offers lots of chances to earn extra points in your favor. Due to their willingness to go above and beyond, less qualified applicants consistently receive job offers over more qualified ones. Weekly, a plethora of articles written by experts discuss the significance and worth of thanking interviewees. Unfortunately, very few candidates bother to do it. According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 22% of hiring managers are less likely to accept an applicant who follows up with a thank-you email following the interview. The most common explanations given by these recruiting managers were that the applicant didn't follow through (86%), or that the applicant wasn't sincere about the position (56%). This research unequivocally demonstrates the importance of thank-you notes.


Should I Send a Card or E-mail?

"Should I send a handwritten note or just an email?" is a common question posed by professional job search candidates. Do both! According to an Accountemps poll, 87% of hiring managers said sending an email was a suitable approach to express gratitude. Email is useful because it gets to you instantly. Email is the primary communication tool used by the majority of professionals in the workforce. Handwritten notes are important since they will distinguish the applicant from other applicants. According to an Accountemps poll, just 13% of candidates really write handwritten notes as a way of saying thank you. Sending the email ensures that you are not disqualified or deducted from consideration by the employer.


Send Your Note Soon After Your Interview

Time is yet another crucial component. Interviewers typically decide on a candidate in the first 24 to 48 hours following the interview. The email should be sent that same day. Additionally, the email allows the candidate to address any questions that may have stumped them or may not have received the kind of response they had hoped for. Handwritten notes don't have to be extensive, in-depth summaries of the interview; they can be written in advance of the meeting. Saying something as basic as, "I really enjoyed talking with you today and finding out more about the opportunity," can suffice. I think we have a lot in common and am forward for the following steps. After the interview, you can add a line to make it more unique.


Thank You Cards After an On-site Interview

Candidates frequently have to travel to a different city for on-site interviews. The individual will then have to return home. Candidates frequently lose the opportunity to claim their extra credit if they wait until after they return to compose their thank-you notes. The duration required for mailing a card might frequently cause it to be sent beyond its window of opportunity. After the interview, the truly diligent candidate will have the cards written, addressed, stamped, and mailed out right away. Before they depart, they actually put the cards in the mail from the same city as their interview. This will guarantee that the cards arrive in a few days and help sway the choice.


Conclusion

Following up with thank-you notes via email and card increases your chances of getting the offer. Very few applicants use this additional opportunity. Make the extra effort and get your bonus points. Forward your emails and letters of gratitude right away.

About Endeavor Agency


Endeavor Agency is the nation’s leading company helping individual executives, VPs, senior managers, professionals, and physicians find the jobs they truly want. Our additional resources, expertise, and career change specialists help our clients uncover more and better job opportunities than what they could access on their own.


Endeavor Agency helps rebrand clients to effectively communicate their value throughout the interview process and increase their odds dramatically of winning offers. Additionally, Endeavor Agency helps clients achieve better results in negotiating the terms of their employment agreements.


Endeavor Agency also provides executive coaching, outplacement services, and business consulting services. Endeavor can also help guide executives focused on the private equity and venture capital market segments.

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