Short & Sweet

Ding! The elevator door slowly opened and you made your entrance. You approached the receptionist, informed her of your arrival, grabbed a seat, sat back and went over your game plan. You shoes were shined & you pulled off the perfect full Windsor. You glanced at the clock and it was about 13 minutes until your interview – you timed your arrival perfectly. Things were looking good and it was only about to get better.

You noticed people in the office were actually smiling and the lobby was beautiful. Was that Italian marble? Your gut was telling you that this company was going be a perfect fit. You scoured their website the night before and knew more about the management team’s professional & personal history than your own siblings. You are almost ashamed to admit how much you knew.

office businessman french bulldog dog as boss and chef , with typewriter as a secretary, sitting on leather chair and desk, in need for vacation

You were only supposed to meet with one person, but things went so well during the interview, they asked if you could spare a little bit more time. You met with your potential boss, hit it off, and were briefly introduced to a few more folks on the team. After about an hour and half they walked you to back to the elevator, thanked you for your time and offered you a firm hand shake. These things are usually a two way street and you were left feeling terrific. You nailed it and will surely be welcomed back for round two.

Now, don’t blow it.

A thank you letter is a wonderful tradition and a sign of respect that should always be taken seriously. I cannot think of a moment after a first round interview where a “thank you” letter isn’t  justified. It offers an applicant the time to reiterate there interest in the role and gives them a moment to thank the team that took time out of their day to sit and chat – but please, always remember, keep it short and sweet. There is no need to pen a novel and certainly don’t “CC” everyone you met on the same letter. If you didn’t get a business card, show a little initiative, figure out their email addresses and individualize each “thank you”. Remember, there is a fine line when writing a “thank you” – you don’t want to come across desperate, but you don’t want to seem aloof. Put the finishing touch on your perfect interview and seal the deal with a crisp, well thought out letter – just keep it brief.

Brian Englebert is the Managing Partner & Founder of Niagara Partners, Inc – a New York City Executive Recruiting firm located downtown on Wall Street in New York City’s Financial District.

 

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