I am still surprised to learn of candidates who do not know how to write a Thank You note. Most of these candidates seem to be surprised to learn that creating a Thank You note could be the thin line between an offer and a rejection. A Thank You note can give you a step up on the competition of another candidate who may have similar skills and the personality to match the team.

The Art of a Thank You note is not to Google “how do I write a thank you note for an interview” but more to answer or follow up on anything that was left unsaid in the interview and to ask for the position. The candidate’s Thank You note should be the cherry on top of the interview. Depending on the pace of a decision, the Thank You note can either be hand-written or an email. Most IT staffing companies prefer their candidate to email the Thank You note to their Recruiter or Business Development Manager. This process helps keep the IT staffing company who presented the candidate, to stay in the process and never to lose that process. The email also gives a second pair of eyes to find any grammatical errors or misspelled words or names.

The Thank You note should always thank the interviewer(s) for their time and energy spent meeting with the candidate. The candidate should address how their skills match up to the position, and any skills lacking that are required for the role. The Thank You note should also cause the candidate to stand out in the interviewer(s) mind. If there was a story or common interest that was discussed, make sure there is a line or two mentioned that could trigger the interviewer(s) about whom the candidate is for the opportunity.

The candidate should end the Thank You note with a polite, business closing and a typed signature of their name. I do not believe in having any of the candidate’s contact information on the Thank You note since I want to be sure I stay in the process between the client and the candidate. Once the Recruiter or Business Development Manager has reviewed and corrected anything that is needed, the email can get sent to the client. The Thank You note attached to the email is a great opportunity to ask the client for feedback and to reiterate the interest of the candidate. If the client also feels the same way about the candidate as the candidate does for the client, then the Thank You note just sealed the deal.