The Importance of Thank You Letters

If you have had a job interview or important networking opportunity recently, a thank you letter is a wonderful way to stand out from the crowd, make a positive impression, and restate important points as to your qualifications and/or suitability.

But beyond a gracious (and explicit) "thank you," what should a thank you letter contain?

A successful thank you letter may:

• Stress how your experience/attitude/background/etc fit the demands of the position.
• Build upon the strengths that you have already established in the interview.
• Entice the employer with additional antidotes or clever writing.
• Perform damage control if you feel you misspoke or took a misstep in some way during the interview.
• Include afterthoughts or additional questions that you did not think of until it was "too late."

A thank you letter can also be as straightforward as that. You may not have made any guffaws; you may have already said everything that you want to say in the interview. A thank you letter is still appropriate.

Here is a sample letter:

Dear Mr. XXXX,

Thank you for taking the time to discuss the XXXX position at XXXX with me. After meeting with you and observing the company's operations, I am further convinced that my background and skills coincide well with your needs.

I really appreciate that you took so much time to acquaint me with the company. It is no wonder that XXXX is so respected in the industry. I feel I could learn a great deal from you and would certainly enjoy working with you.

In addition to my qualifications and experience, I will bring excellent work habits and judgment to this position.

I look forward to hearing from you concerning your hiring decision. Again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Name Here