Many job hunters skip sending thank-you letters because they think no one reads them. In fact, more people than you think read thank-you letters. Sending a thank-you letter shows your interest. It shows that you are interested in that position and in that company. Also, it is a good way of showing your appreciation to the person who took the time to talk with you and meet with you.
Some job hunters choose not to send such letters because they think it is a waste of time. You never know if the employers read these letters or not. Some employers read them, but others don’t. However, I know of people who lost job offers just because they didn’t send a thank-you letter. In one case, there were only two candidates left for a position and the hiring managers didn’t know who to eliminate, and finally somebody said, “This person is not very interested in this position because he didn’t send me a thank-you letter. Let’s offer the position to the other person who seems more interested, since she followed up with a thank-you letter.” Now, do you want to take any risks by not sending a thank-you letter?
Even if the intended recipient doesn’t read your thank-you letter, you should always follow up because this shows your interest. Moreover, no one wants to lose a potential offer just because he or she didn’t send a thank-you letter, which takes only a few minutes of your time. Therefore, in my opinion, thank-you letters are very important.
A thank-you letter should be very short, about two sentences long. It should show your appreciation to the person who took the time to meet with you or interview with you. It’s only about thanking them. A sample thank-you letter would be, “Thank you for taking the time to meet/interview with me. I enjoyed our conversation and learning more about the company and the position. I look forward to hearing back from you soon.”
The common way of sending a thank-you letter is through e-mail because it is fast and easy. It doesn’t cost anyone any money. I don’t recommend sending it through social media platforms, because not everyone looks at these platforms on a day-to-day basis. I also do not recommend sending it through regular mail, because it can get lost and regular mail takes a few days to arrive. E-mail is easy and fast, so it is best to send it through e-mail.
