After a job interview, don't forget to say ‘thank you'

By Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hey job seekers, don’t forget that thank-you note.

Send it via email or snail mail. Just be sure to send it.

CareerBuilder, which places people in jobs, surveyed almost 2,900 hiring managers and found a candidate is unlikely to get past the first interview if they don’t follow up with a note. Even the candidate most qualified for the position could lose out if they don't say in writing "thank you" for the interview.

The lack of a thank-you note sends a message about the job candidate’s work habits, the hiring managers said.

Twenty-two percent of those polled said they are less likely to hire a candidate who doesn’t send a note after an interview. And job seekers should send notes to everyone they met on the interview, emphasizing their skills and enthusiasm for the position.

Of the hiring managers questioned, 86 percent said they get the impression the candidate isn’t very interested in the job if the interview isn't soon followed by a thank-you note.

Eighty-nine percent said an e-mail is fine; half even prefer it over a mailed note. The exception is hiring managers for positions in the financial sector. They prefer mailed thank-you notes, though they are OK with e-mails.

“While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions and job seekers need to stay on their toes," Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, said in an email. "Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well. Approximately one-third of hiring managers say a lack of a cover letter will likely result in them not considering a candidate for their open position."

As for the cover letter and resume, this is the first impression so don’t blow it, CareerBuilder said.

Seventy percent of hiring managers prefer a career summary at the top of a resume rather than the candidate’s objectives.

Resumes should be customized for the position and include a bulleted list of accomplishments with an explanation of how you did and how it helped the the company's bottom line.

“The more quantifiable results you can highlight, the better,” CareerBuilder report said.

"One-in-five hiring managers say they spend 30 seconds or less looking at a resume, so all your communications need to be professional and to the point," Haefner said.