Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Job-hunting tips from the March 13, 2006 issue of
QuintZine.
Writing a thank-you letter after an interview doesn't just showcase a candidate's manners -- it
can also make or break their chances of landing a job. Nearly 15 percent of 650 hiring managers
say they would not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter after the interview.
Thirty-two percent say they would still consider the candidate, but would think less of him or
her, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey.
Although most hiring managers expect to receive a thank-you note, format preferences differ.
One in four hiring managers prefer to receive a thank-you note in e-mail form only; 19 percent
want the e-mail followed up with a hard copy; 21 percent want a typed hard copy only,
and 23 percent prefer just a handwritten note.
Schedule interviews at your optimal daily functioning time, advises career expert Ross
Primack of Connecticut Works. "I envy morning people," Primack writes. "They're
energized and on-task the moment they sit down at their desk. However, some of us take
longer to reach our optimal performance level. Our internal computer may not go on-line
until late morning or early afternoon. I ask my clients which category they fall into
and urge them to schedule their interviews accordingly. Some job seekers are under the
false impression that they must accept the first slot offered. It's okay to politely ask for an
early or later appointment. Since the interview is a stressful experience, [job-seekers] have
a better chance to succeed if they conduct their meeting at a time of day when they function at their best.
What information should you ensure you convey to employers in interviews? According to
author Tom Jackson, here are the 10 things employers want to know about you and that you
should be prepared to discuss:
Writing a thank-you letter after an interview doesn't just showcase a candidate's manners -- it
can also make or break their chances of landing a job. Nearly 15 percent of 650 hiring managers
say they would not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter after the interview.
Thirty-two percent say they would still consider the candidate, but would think less of him or
her, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey.
