The Thank you that will get you Hired! IM HIRED

The Thank you that will get you Hired! Dont forget your pleases and thank yous You got through the interview (hopefully you stopped by my previous blog The Interview Answers that will get you hired) and the mine field of questions fired at you by your potential employer. So what now? Well the wait for feedback begins. Although the phrase no news is good news is partly true, everyone wants the feedback as soon as possible so you can be put out of your misery. Whether that be the excitement of an offer and a new chapter of your career or even the feedback if you havent been successful. So you can use that to improve next time round. How long does it take to hear back after an interview? Well there is no definitive answers here it can be as soon as a few hours after the interview. Or Ive heard of some processes taking up to 3 months to give feedback. From experience, I would expect an employer to take approximately a week to give you feedback, so you definitely need patience to be one of your strengths during the recruitment process. The wait isnt easy but in the background neither is the decision making process, the recruiter/employer will be taking time to consider and review each applicant which is made a harder process when two applicants are just as strong, qualified and right for the job as one another. How to impress after the interview is over? Well its simply and you can probably guess by the title of this blog that a thank you goes a long way.  Now I dont mean you need to send a long detailed letter about how great the recruiter was and how amazing the interview was structured. (I mean all recruiters like a ego boost but no need to lay on the cheese) As a kid, did your parents make you write a mountain of thank you cards after birthday parties and send them out to all your distance relatives? (That being your one and only communication with them throughout the year.) Well this is similar however I have no idea how much a stamp is anymore so it doesnt need to be as formal as a letter. An email or linkedin message would work just as well, its the content that counts. So lets start at the end, the end of the interview that is. In the interview hopefully you got an opportunity to ask questions about the role, the company and culture. Reflect on their answers and really decide whether this job role is something you feel passionate about pursuing further. Every interview is a two way street; it has to be just as right for you. Before we proceed answer this question to yourself, is this the right job for me? First of all this is a good step so dont be disheartened youve learnt what isnt right for you. However, you never know when circumstances will change so leave things on a good note. Send a polite, short note to the employer explaining you wish to withdraw your application. And wish them luck finding the right person for the job. Simple, you done! You get the feeling of apprehension as you wait for feedback knowing this job is ticking off all your non negotiables. (Remember these from my What Career Suits You?  blog.) But whilst you are waiting we can help the employer/recruiter with their decision by making it clear why they should hire you.  Everyone leaves an interview wishing they had said this and talked more about that. The thank you is the perfect chance to add all that in. Firstly, you want to be quick. There is no point sending a note a week after the interview; they have most likely already decided. You need to have the note in the recruiters inbox by the latest the day after the interview, time isnt on our side. You want to write about what made you want to work for that company. Pinpoint any information they gave you in the interview makes it sound more genuine and confirms you paid attention. Again using the information they discussed in the interview. Sum up why you now know that you are definitely the right match for the job. (This isnt your CV again but sprinkling in one or two examples for them cant hurt.) Most importantly it is a thank you, it needs to do what it says on the tin. Thank them for their consideration. Allow them the option to get in touch if they wish to discuss your application any further. A simple Thank you template: Good Morning/ Good Afternoon XXX,   I just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you for your time yesterday especially for being so flexible around my availability.   It was great to hear more about the role of XXX, and it certainly brought the position to life for me. I can definitely say it is something I would like to pursue further. It was interesting to hear more about the companys journey and transformation and I feel my previous experience in XXX could really transfer well into your company.       You mentioned that the role would involve a lot of XXX and this is an area in which I feel I have strong experience within through (give an example.)     Thank you again for your time and I look forward to hearing from the team shortly.   Kind Regards,     XXX. I am not making any promises in this blog, a thank you note after an interview is not a guarantee to getting the job.  (sorry to burst that bubble at the end.)  But it can show your passionate and willing to go the extra mile. From my experience sifting through countless applications and interviews it really does bring that person to the forefront of your mind. Now that cant be a bad thing in the decision process.