Thank You Notes After Interviews: A Personal Experience
Hi there, let me share my experience with thank you notes after job interviews. At the time when the Ringling Brothers closed, somehow my resume got picked up by Cirque as they were offering job assistance to a lot of unemployed circus workers. Confusingly, I got invited to an interview, even though I wasn’t an employee at Ringling. Of course, I accepted because who doesn’t want to work for Cirque?
I once lost an interview opportunity with Cirque back in 2014 due to a real-life emergency. Despite losing that opportunity and my mixed emotions with that experience, I got excited when, years later, I was invited again.
During this recent interview, there was an awkward moment where the interviewer assumed I was a displaced Ringling worker. I corrected her, but we decided to proceed anyway. It was an average interview, at the end of which, I thanked her for her time.
Following the interview, I sent her a physical thank you note. I mailed it to the corporate office, addressed to my interviewer. I thanked her once more and asked her to keep me in mind for future stage management needs. To my surprise, a couple of months later, I was offered a job.
Honestly, I attribute a lot of this success to the thank you note. It helped me stand out in an industry filled with talented individuals. Still unsure of what to include in a thank you note? Here’s a simple template you could use:
Dear ___,
[Express gratitude for their time. Compliment the company or describe why you’re enthusiastic about the job. Reference something specific from your interview]. Looking forward to potentially working together!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
Remember to keep it succinct and genuine. If the decision-making process for the job is fast, consider an email. But if you haven’t heard anything after some days, try a handwritten note.
Just curious, have you ever sent a handwritten thank you note after an interview? Did you land the job?
You might find these articles useful:
– How I Got So Good at Failing
– How I Actually Use LinkedIn
– Bucket List Revisited
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Best,
Mel
June 22, 2022
Tagged in: interview techniques, interviews, thank you notes.