Personal Stationery and Thank You Letters
Should you send a thank-you letter by e-mail or by snail mail — and on letterhead or stationery? Reader K wonders…
I am a rising 2L and am starting to prepare for the upcoming interview season. I've always been told to write “Thank Yous” after an interview. I haven't had stationary since high school and I'm wondering if you have any recommendations! I want to pick something that represents me, however I want it to be professional and conservative at the same time. Any advice?
We haven't talked about how to thank your interviewers since March 2010 (aww, back when I was anonymous and writing in the plural). I'm curious what the readers have to say about this, because I think my own rules have changed over the past few years. (Pictured: Thank You, originally uploaded to Flickr by vistamommy.)
For my $.02,
– For interview week, I think an e-mailed thank-you is the appropriate thing, within a day or two (tops) of the interview. Hiring and callback decisions are made quickly and I really don't think you have time to wait for the postal service.
– If you do want to mail your thanks, I would do it in a type-written letter on normal-sized paper. Personally, my resume has always had my name at the very top in a large font, and on the next line it has my address, phone number, and email address, all separated by bullet points but on the same line (pic below). Call me cheap, but I've always just copied those two lines for a “personal letterhead” that I've used for printing from my computer; if you wanted to be fancier you could certainly buy some proper letterhead using those same lines from some local place — I believe both Office Max and Staples have a number of reasonably-priced options for creating that kind of stuff.
I think it's an interesting question whether you should use fancy paper or regular printer paper. The last time I interviewed, it felt antiquated to me to send a type-written thank-you note on the nice Crane stock (with matching envelopes!) that I had used since law school. Since then, any business correspondence that I've sent, I've sent on regular paper, using regular envelopes.
– Some thoughts on stationery… Let me be up front: I love stationery. Love love love it. My favorite are correspondence cards with my name on the top in a raised ink — the correspondence cards are the perfect size for brief thank-you notes to my grandmother, my friends, whomever. I got my latest stuff from Fine Stationery, but I've been drooling over some of the patterns and styles available through my friend (and fellow blogger) Kalyn Johnson, who has a new line called Effie's Paper inspired by her grandmother — truly gorgeous stuff. But here's the thing: I think personal stationery is for personal correspondence; see above re: thank-you notes to my grandma. I have once used personal stationery to send business correspondence — to thank a man I'd known for 10+ years and looked at as a mentor — but honestly it felt weird, and in the future I think I'm going to stick with type-written correspondence for business.
But this is just my $.02 — readers, what do you say? Let's take a poll…
P.S. For all of you grammar/spelling dorks out there, here's my simple way of remembering the difference between stationery and stationary:
– StationAry involves Action or the lack thereof
– StationEry may involve Erasers
I like to think I've made those up myself, but perhaps that is part of what my fancy journalism degree bought me.
Great post. A pet peeve — if you do include your email address at the top of Word-processed “letterhead,” PLEASE right click on it and “Remove Hyperlink.” It looks unpolished otherwise.
Personally, I use ecruwhite correspondence sheets from Crane’s with a simple but feminine monogram in the top left hand corner, and envelopes with a simpatico liner. I feel anytime I’m sending a handwritten note, it’s to acknowledge above and beyond the business relationship (a favor, condolences, congratulations) so a bit of a personal (yet polished) feel is warranted.
I SO agree with the hyperlink issue. I hate that in any printed document. It takes two clicks to remove it and makes the whole document look do much more polished!!
I don’t send handwritten notes for anything business-related. Email only.
I guess the exception would be when I am writing personal thank you notes to people I know through business – when I had my second baby, my boss sent me a nice gift basket and I sent him and his family a handwritten thank you note. I got those at Crane’s. Very nice.
I do also send sympathy cards when people at work have a relative who dies – but for those I get actual sympathy cards, not stationery.
If you have a call back interview or networking interview with an alum or firm that has a strong relationship with your lawschool it might be a nice touch to use your lawschool’s cards or stationery if your school’s bookstore sells it.
If Kat sent me a handwritten note, I’d keep that sucker or even frame it!
An email, not so much.
I’ve ordered blind embossed (raised letters, no color – think braille)correspondence cards from this online company for several years, both for myself and as gifts for others (both men and women). They are heavy card stock, elegant, always appreciated, speedy and relatively cheap. http://www.classiccommunication.com/stationery_cards.htm
When I interviewed my 1L and 2L summers at large firms in the Midwest, I hand wrote thank you notes on heavy card stock and mailed them to each individual interviewer. I had them in the mail by the day after the interview to make sure they arrived on time. Our class was told that emails looked informal and rushed, and I only emailed a thank-you if I knew the callback or hiring decision would be made before my notes would arrive (and then followed up with a hand-written note). It may be a personal choice too – if your handwriting is terrible, maybe handwriting is not an option :)
Great post!
I am also in the midwest and did handwritten notes on very classy simple personalized cards and was very successful interviewing. I think the prompt response and personal touch is very appropriate, too.
When I interviewed in 2009 I sent handwritten thank you’s on Crane’s thank you cards or plain Crane’s stationary. I put them in the mail the day of the interview. I got callbacks and offers so I don’t think timing was an issue.
I think handwritten cards are still preferable unless time is an issue.
Completely agree with this post. I think emails are a last resort if you know you won’t have time to get a note in the mail. I think typing a note on regular paper is tacky. You should have just written the email because it shows the same lack of personal touch.
If you’re going to do a note, I say hand-write it on nice (not necessarily personalized) stationery.
Agree. Handwritten on a card or stationery, or email. Writing a thank-you note as though it were a business letter just looks so weird.
Read more: https://corporette.com/2011/06/23/personal-stationery-and-thank-you-letters/#ixzz1Q8wh9K6g
I know that email thank-you’s may be all the rage but they are a pet peeve of mine. I have interviewed many hopeful law students as an attorney at a BigLaw firm. I always responded better to the individuals that took the time to send a typed letter on nicer paper (not letterhead or anything fancy). When I received a thank you by email, I always felt that it wasn’t worth the effort and time for the interviewee to send me a typed letter. While I never held an email thank you against them, it always left me with the impression that I wasn’t worth it to them. Not necessarily the impression that you want to make when looking for a job.
Agreed. I didn’t vote in the poll above because my choice (handwritten, on good stock) was not there…
Agree. Handwritten on a card or stationery, or email. Writing a thank-you note as though it were a business letter just looks so weird.
Oops – meant to agree with LizzyLaw above.
Emails seem to be standard in my area (Western Canada, biglaw). When I did interviews, I sent emails to most places, but I hand-delivered typed on plain paper to my two favourite firms. It worked out in my favour, but I don’t think it was because of the thank-yous, I think it was because I just clicked with the firms.
I remember stationAry because ‘standing about’ (i.e. an example of being stationary) has all As and no Es.
I don’t have personal stationery. Should I? Is it one of the things I need have + use to be considered ‘put together’?
I don’t have personalized stationery, but I love paper generally and I keep a couple of different kinds of letterpress cards + envelopes around for personal thank you notes.
My two cents – I think personal stationery is very uncommon in Canada. I don’t know a soul who has it. (Also Western Canada, formerly biglaw but considering re-entering the fold.)
I think personalized stationery is worth buying because you can get nice stuff for not that expensive. I think you’ll be glad you have it. On the other hand, there is some nice boxed stationery that can serve just as well. My only hesitation is about the boxes that you can get at the grocery store, etc. Those just don’t look that nice to me.
Just went through a round of interviews and sent handwritten thank you notes on stationery. No plans to change to thank you emails or typewritten letters.
As someone who has been “the interviewer” in a number of situations (both on the admissons board of a graduate school and in my position at work), I don’t have a preference for the type of thank you that I receive. An email is fine, a letter sent PROMPTLY is also fine. And believe me, though we have all been taught that a post-interview thank you is essential, it’s still not a common occurence.
All but one or two of the letters that I have received over the past few years have been hand written on varying levels of stationery. Admittedly, the heavier cardstock with monochromatic monogram is nicer than the variety that is obviously purchased at a big box retailer (think cheap white paper with the silver “Thank You” on the front) but in the case of a student trying to gain admission to graduate school, I’m not going to “dock them” for not being able to afford expensive stationery (and they might not know better at that point). Honestly, I’m not as much of a fan of the typewritten variety only because I feel that it’s very “canned” and easy to copy paste from one interview to another; hand written provides the allusion that it is not a stock thank you.
All that being said, the thank you note is not likely to sway a hiring decision one way or another; it’s simply a nice touch and good ettiquette.
I agree that email is definitely the way to go unless you are 100% certain any sort of next-round decision is a ways off.
However, I don’t see the point of sending a type-written thank you note in the mail. I’d find that very odd to receive. If someone is going to mail a note, I’d expect it to be handwritten.
I agree re: type-written mailed thank you. Unless you have absolutely terrible handwritting, they should be handwritten.
I use personalized stationery quite frequently, for all purposes. It is still used extensively in the south, at least. In fact, if I got a typed out letter on letterhead thanking me, I would think it was kind of odd. So I say either email or personalized stationery. I am clerking right now, and the judge constantly sends and receives thank you notes that are business related, such as from potential clerks she interviews, people she meets at functions, etc.
Of course, you should have pretty professional looking personal stationery. No pink flowers, hummingbirds, etc.
I think this question may certainly depend on your region or whether or not you’re in a very large market. As an attorney in a relatively small market in the South, I think a handwritten note on professional-looking stationary is your first choice. An email is acceptable, but a personal, handwritten note stands out.
Rats! StationEry — also a reminder not to misspell anything in a thank-you note!
I have a strong preference for email thank you notes, and here’s why:
1) They are faster.
2) When I get a thank you note via email, I can save the person’s contact information indefinitely.
3) I can respond quickly to email, which is especially useful if I liked the person and want to encourage them to come work for us. Emails open a dialogue. Handwritten thank you notes are an ending point.
I don’t disapprove of handwritten notes, by any means — and I love stationery! But I do strongly think that for business, you’re better off with email.
I agree with anon. I’m a corporate attorney and see a lot of hiring correspondence. I’m most impressed by a prompt email follow-up. It’s easy to file, hits my inbox quickly, and costs nothing for the applicant.
Ooh, good point on the email being more easy for follow up!
…of course, the last interview I had (a year ago) was mostly a disaster, so the handwritten thank you notes I sent were fine because I didn’t expect a call back!
Hmm. Kat, you mention sending thank you notes during “interview week”– do you mean that on-campus recruiting 300-1L’s-in-a-hotel extravaganza that goes on at the end of 1L summer? I’m gearing up for that right now, and our Career Services people told us that we weren’t expected to write thank you notes for the thirty-interviews-in-four-days flurry. Can anyone else weigh in on this? It seems rude to me not to write a note, but I guess it might seem a little silly when the employers know full well how the interviews are being run.
Thanks!
FWIW, I’ve done on-campus interviews from the employer’s side, and I haven’t gotten a single thank you note, emailed or otherwise. Personally I wouldn’t expect them – if I have to interview 15 people in a row that day, I don’t really want 15 thank you notes in my Inbox that night. That said, I certainly wouldn’t ding someone for sending one.
Had 42 interviews in the first week of OCI when I was a rising 2L. Sent 42 emailed thank you notes. Pain in the butt, and probably didn’t matter, but I would have worried about it if I hadn’t done it. Given all the time you’re already spending preparing for and attending the interviews, sending some brief emails really does not take that long.
I had 37 OCI interviews, and every single one got a slightly personalized thank you note (one or two sentences referencing something about the firm, their practice, or something we talked about). Because I didn’t know any better, and possibly because I love Crane’s, they were all handwritten on nice notecards (the ecru colored ones with a navy colored edge, and navy-lined envelopes). They were sent day of or next day, which was fine given 1) it was OCI so there were several days before OCI ended and 2) I was only interviewing with local firms, both of which gave my cards enough time to get there before decisions were made. After corporette’s 2010 post, I realized that email was probably the way to go.
However, I ended up with one of my OCI firms, and on my first day, the hiring partner whipped out my OCI thank you card, as well as my thank you card for my call back interview, and said that my thoughtfulness and prompt sending was one of the things that pushed me into getting an offer because no other candidate sent cards. Obviously, YMMV, but I found that very interesting.
I did send thank you emails in that context, and have now received some (but not tons) in that context as well. I skipped a couple where I learned during the course of the interview that the position was of no interest to me and I hadn’t otherwise clicked with the interviewer, but by and large I sent to everyone.
In general yes, you should send a thank you to your interviewer. However, if you do an interview at OCI and you really don’t like the firm, there’s no need to bother. If you do like the firm and really want a callback, then write the thank you.
I agree with M, SF Bay Associate, and Eponine. Even if you have 45 interviews during the day, it’s worth writing a brief email, because you never know who might appreciate the gesture (could be a tipping point in your favor!). A tip – scribble a few notes about the interview on your way out, so that it’s easy to write something to that remind’s the interviewer who you were. I do not think you need to write them on note cards, however, considering how many you are likely to attend in a week/day.
For interview thank-yous only, I still send handwritten notecards. It just seems a little cold to send a type-written letterheady note after you’ve met in person, and my feel is that if you’re doing it on the computer, you might as well just email it.
My “signature” stationery isn’t personalized, but I have been using the same Crane & Co. red bordered note cards for years. These: http://www.crane.com/stationery/boxed-stationery/folded-notes/Folded%20Notes/folded-notes/RedHandBorderedPearlWhiteNotes?PID=CN1105&pcat=folded-notes
For all other business correspondence it’s email all the way. Unless I’m mailing something that someone has requested…then sometimes I’ll write a quick handwritten note on blank company letterhead and paperclip my business card to it.
I have very simple thank you cards from Crane’s that I use. I prefer handwritten thank you notes. I also like that there is a smaller space that I have to fill.
Related question: What about holiday cards? I worked for five years before law school in a related field, so when I was in law school, I sent nonreligious holiday cards in December to contacts in order to stay in touch. A letter on plain paper does not seem like it would work for this purpose. What do you think — would a friendly email be better, or are (simple, non-offensive) holiday cards acceptable?
I’m curious as to what others have to say. My parents have received holiday cards from business acquaintances that are printed inside with a neutral message and the sender’s name, and then the sender usually adds a short handwritten note and signature. I might do that next year to keep in touch with profs and the judge I’m currently clerking for once I change jobs.
I think Christmas cards are a good idea for keeping in touch. (By the way, is someone really going to find it “offensive” if I send a Christmas card?)
As someone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas, when I receive a very Christmas-y card, I do sometimes stop and wonder whether the sender considered the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas. I’ve certainly never been offended, but I’ll admit the reaction isn’t always a, “wow, this is so thoughtful! So glad to have heard from this person!” that the sender may have been hoping for. I find the “Peace on Earth” variety preferable.
Same here- I always send out “Happy Holidays”, because most people I know will have at least one holiday in December/early January (even if it is just the New Year).
Do you send birthday cards to other people on your birthday? If not, why would you send Christmas cards to people who don’t celebrate Christmas? It’s not any different.
New Year’s cards, on the other hand, fit the holiday sentiment, and last I checked everyone acknowledges the ending of the calendar year.
But if you send a New Year’s card, please be sure it does not say Happy 2012 A.D.
Kidding, I think ADS makes a good point.
I send holiday cards to my immediate coworkers (usually to their home address and addressed to their entire family, when applicable) and to clients or contacts that I’ve worked closely with. Mine are more happy new year/season’s greetings than Christmasy, since I’m Jewish, although I don’t mind getting Christmas cards from others. I don’t send out cards to most of my work contacts, just really close ones, because my employer sends cards to a huge database of people (and I can add my contacts to that database if there’s someone in particular I want to receive a card).
I’d like to get personalized stationary made up – of the note card variety. Any recommendations for places in NYC or online?
Here: http://www.thestationerystudio.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/catalog.listProducts/catId/731/Embossed.html
or here: http://www.expressionery.com/line.aspx?lineid=263
You can usually find a discount code for either store on the web.
I love my embossed stationary and use it all the time, for both personal and work.
i have had good luck with this company: http://www.embossedgraphics.com/
Never ordered online, but have used their products through a local retailer.
I agree, I think their stuff is super nice, particularly for hte price.
I don’t work for them but they have nice cards and are quick : http://www.classiccommunication.com/stationery_cards.htm
Professional, typed letter or formal email.
IMO, handwritten thank-you notes are too personal (especially since they are such a prominent “rule” of wedding & shower etiquette). I have no evidence for this hunch, but I also suspect that only women would really send scripted thank-you cards—perhaps, again, because the bridal industrial complex has emphasized it as such a point of manners? Anyway, the “personal touch” conveyed by handwritten cards is, to me, too personal for a professional setting. Show them you can write a formal letter/ email— something you might send to a client sometime— not something you might send to your BFF for her baby gift.
I’ve seen tons of men handwrite thank you notes on personalized stationery. Tons. My old boss, a senior corner-office partner, had personalized stationery that he frequently used. My dad owns a successful business – same for him. Male interviewees for clerkship positions – probably more than the women interviewees.
Wasn’t this question about 2Ls interviewing at law firms? That’s what I was responding to.
I wasn’t suggesting that men don’t EVER write hand-written notes; I was saying post-interview by a 2L interviewee—not someone like your dad, who is a business owner, or your senior-corner-office partner. I might still be wrong, but just clarifying my point.
I totally agree. Plus, as an interviewer, I usually fill out the evaluation form required by our firm as soon as the interview is over, so that it is done while the interview is still fresh in my mind. Anything other than a prompt thank you email isn’t going to make any difference (and even a prompt thank you email isn’t going to make a difference unless it is truly personalized and says something meaningful, e.g., “I want to reiterate my interest in your firm because of X, Y, and Z specific reasons,” or “Thank you for answering my question about X thing.”)
Actually, I should add a caveat to what I just said. A thank you note (in any format) would definitely hurt you in my eyes if there are ANY typos or grammatical errors. If I received something like that even after I had turned in my eval form, I would let the hiring coordinator know about it.
Completely disagree. I have received plenty of thank you notes from men, and know that many of my male colleagues send them.
And sending a thank-you note in a business letter format just looks weird. It looks like you don’t know what the appropriate format for your correspondence is, actually. I probably wouldnt’ count it against someone, but it would strike me as odd.
But actually in law, I know law school OCI tells students to do the business letter format. It is the common appropriate form in law.
Agreed. In a business setting, like after an interview, I think handrwitten letters or notes are inappropriate. You are there in a professional capacity, so why should your thank you be something personal like a handwritten note.
One of the largest male rainmakers at my firm is adamant about sending hand-written notes to his contacts on nice note cards (think Crane). He emphasizes that it is a personal touch that reflects more effort than dashing off an e-mail.
I’m on the interviewer side, and have been for longer than I care to admit. E-mail thank-yous do exactly nothing for me (don’t help or hurt your candidacy), except in the rare cases where there is actually a reason for follow-up. If you send me an e-mail, PLEASE proofread it!
A typed letter is a mild plus at best. I could not care less what sort of paper you use. However, if it is late or has any typographical errors, the demerits start adding up quickly!
Handwritten notes actually creep me out a bit. I don’t think of them as professional… And I suspect you may really confirm an “unprofessional” vibe if you send them to a male interviewer.
So what type of thank you note are you advocating for then, as it seems none of the three above are good? I’ve always done a handwritten notecard on embossed stationary, as I think it’s more personal than a canned type-written response (either on letterhead or email), as I think that is what my resume and cover letter are for.
Why are handwritten notes unprofessional? Seem to me it would depend on the content of the actual note. I’ve never heard anyone say that handwritten notes are “creepy.” And what does sending it to a man have anything to do with making it worse??? As long as it’s not on pink scented stationary and signed “love,” then I don’t see why it’s “creepy” or “unprofessional.”
I’m also on the interviewer side, BTW. And we appreciate it when we receive thoughtful, handwritten (or typed) thank-you notes.
Oh come on! I’m all for not sending an unprofessional vibe, but a handwritten, professional thank you note from a woman to a man thanking them for taking the time out of their day to meet with you sends a weird vibe? I find that hard to believe.
I guess I don’t understand why the fans of handwritten thank-you notes on cards or stationery think they are good because they are more “personal.” This is an employment situation: it’s business, not personal (to quote a terrible Tom Hanks movie).
To me, “personal” is sort of the opposite of “professional” in this context—what is meant to be essentially a business letter emphasizing your interest in a law firm job.
Agreed. I think it also depends on the context. If you are networking with someone who took time out of there schedule to meet with you and that you know from another context then a handwritten note may arguably be appropriate. If this is OCI or you have no other relationship with the person other than that they interviewed you, I think a handwritten note is odd.
As to what’s more personalized, I think personalization is about the content of the note or letter. If you write a canned thank you, regardless of whether it is handwritten, an email, or a typed-up letter, it reads like a canned thank you. I would much rather receive a thoughtful typed thank you letter mentioning things discussed in the interview than a handwritten note that just says thank you for meeting with me. The former shows you took the time and mental energy required to write the note.
In need of some quick advice.
I was took a new job in October of last year. At the time, my boss, the head of the organization, was also hiring for another position that would be Chief of Staff for the org (my position is an entirely new one for the org and I have strategic but not many operational responsibilities.) After interviewing for a while, my boss decided not to hire someone for the Chief of Staff role.
Today my boss informed me that she is thinking about hiring someone for the Chief of Staff role but doesn’t want to jeopardize my role in the org since I am getting on so well here. I told my boss that I would not be bothered by this new hire since I accepted the job with the knowledge that she was hiring for this role. At heart though, I am a bit bummed about this because I was hoping to stay the next several years here and go to grad school at night, but now that doesn’t really seem like as good of an option since this new hire would really limit my ability to grow in the org.
My boss is going to be telling this new position whether or not they will be offered the position tomorrow morning. Should I raise any of my concerns about this change to her? Or should I just not say anything and accept that the totally awesome, completely ideal gig I had is now slightly less awesome but still really good. I have a great relationship with my boss and don’t want to look like I have sour grapes for something that was never promised me (ie, the idea that I could grow my responsibilities over time.)
Sorry for the typos. I was slightly unnerved by the conversation.
Perhaps you can elaborate some more? It’s not clear how the hiring of a Chief of Staff will impact your role, or how the addition of this person/role affects your ability to stay at the company for a few years while pursuing grad school at night.
Have you been a defacto Chief of Staff? Could your position be a hybrid strategic/chief? Does the potential chief have significant experience you do not have?
Agree, some further clarification would be helpful. At first I thought you were going to complain that you took one job and have now unexpectedly been saddled with two!
The organization I work for does a specific task, that takes specific training so I couldn’t really move into an operation role in the org. I would need to stay in the sort of big picture, outcomes type role. Beyond me (and now possibly this Chief of Staff) there is the only boss. There is not really a huge amount of air in the room, for me to grow over time and this new person to come on board.
I guess that I have been operating as defacto Chief of Staff, many people come to me for advice/perspective on issues.
I am thinking that I will have to leave in a few years because at that point I will be stagnating. I really thrive on new challenges and three years of basically the same thing really bums me out.
Why are you worried about what might happen a few years from now? Things change, people move on etc. I say you continue with your goals of learning what you can and going to school and see how things shake out.
From your description I’m wondering if you might work on the hill…. if that’s the case I would agree with Anon 2.0. Things change, all the time – especially on the hill, and staying as long as you continue to grow is about all you can control. If you’re not on hill perhaps you’re just concerned about being edged out by a new employee who has your bosses ear? In that case, just continue to do good work and view your new coworker as an asset not competition. You never know this new arrival could be great for you!
Our career services (Midwest law school) emphasized handwritten thank you notes, so that’s what I wrote. It was sort of annoying because sometimes, I would get a rejection letter at the same moment the firm probably got my thank you note (awwwwkard). These days, I prefer a typed thank you letter on nice paper. Email I’m still lukewarm about.
Not that I ever think thank you notes make a huge difference, but isn’t this a clear argument in favor of emailed notes? These places where you were interviewing had obviously made up their minds very quickly and mail was too slow.
Sure, it’s still polite to express your appreciation in any event, but if it weren’t for the potential to make an impression before a hiring decision is made, we wouldn’t be discussing this. (For instance, this conversation comes up ALL THE TIME in the context of interviewing, but never in the context of, say, having been invited over to a coworker’s house for a bbq.)
I agree with the argument for emailing, but I feel like, at least in my region, it is still negatively perceived because it’s seen as impersonal and “easier” to do. That’s the only reason I would hesitate.
I think the answer to this question really depends on what kind of interview you are talking about. It seems like the original question was referring to on-campus interviews (OCI) and callbacks. I can’t imagine that screening interviewers would want any sort of thank-you from the 15+ people they had to interview that day, much less letters that won’t arrive until days later, possibly after call-back decisions are made.
For callbacks, I sent out email thank-yous to each person I met with because 1) there were often more than 6 and 2) you never know when the hiring committee will meet, and there’s a risk that a letter wouldn’t get there in time and they’ll think that you didn’t bother thanking them.
If you decide to accept an offer, I think it’s a nice touch to send a letter by mail thanking the main recruiter. It shows that you valued their time in setting up all the interviews and considering you.
I’ve interviewed and only twice have thank you notes made a difference. With one, I was doing a job fair and one candidate who was impressive in person, but not the top in terms of grades/experience, sent me an email thank you before I was even done with the job fair. That he made that effort confirmed my gut sense of him — that he was scrappy (in a good way). He got a call back (over some candidates who were better on paper) and got the summer associate position. Another time, a candidate handwrote a thank you. She was already a strong candidate and getting that helped me decide that I thought she was stronger than another candidate. Bottom line, I don’t think a “thank you” will make up for deficiencies, but it might be a tie-breaker between equal-seeming candidates. Consider the circumstances and what will stand out most.
FWIW, I belive Miss Manners would say that a handwritten note on Crane paper is always correct.
I am on the side of e-mailed thank-yous and have been since one of the people who interviewed me for a job I got commented that it was kind of funny to receive a thank you days after they’d decided to hire me.
I’d also add that the purpose of the thank-you is not necessarily to get the job. As others have pointed out, the thank-you makes little to no difference in the hiring decision. Our office makes a decision quickly (e.g., by the end of the day) and we acknowledge that thank-yous and mailed thank-yous may not have been sent yet.
The primary purpose of the thank-you is to network and keep lines of communication open. If you get the job, a thank-you will go along way in getting along with your new co-workers and mentors.
If you don’t get the job (for a reason like not being an exact fit, not having the right background, or the position was filled some other way BUT they would have hired you or recommended you), the thank-you goes a long way when the interviewer comes across another opportunity you might be a good fit for. In my field and geographic area, I swear everyone in my niche is only 2 degrees of freedom from each other. The thank-you as a law student goes a long way when you are lateraling or going in-house 5 years later.
I got my first job because of a handwritten thank-you note (this was 5 years ago). My boss said that it was the determining factor between me and another candidate – so, yes, handwritten thank-you notes are important!
For the notes, I generally used a nice ecru stationary with my law school’s name and seal on it. You can usually buy it at the school bookstore. It’s a nice touch, but not too personal or cheap looking.
I always appreciate hand-written notes from interviewees and mentees. I have a simple stack from vista print that I have used before that only have my monogram. I particularly liked a card I received with a drawing of our shared school from a student.
I had this problem interviewing for clerkships. I ended up calling the judges’ secretaries and asking if I could email a typed, printed, and signed letter which I scanned and was then given to the judges I interviewed with. They were all very nice about it and didn’t mind at all. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the email in terms of speed but there is something different about a letter. You could also email and follow up with a posted version of what you said in the email.
I had an OCI interview where I was the last interview of the day. When I received the call back interview, the interviewer commented that he received my email thank you before receiving one from anyone else. He also mentioned that receiving my email first left a very favorable impression. I would not refrain from emailing a quick thank you to OCI interviewers just because they are interviewing 15 people and you are interviewing with 15 firms.
For those who are in favor of handwritten notes, does the look of the handwriting ever change that for you? My handwriting looks like a 3rd grader’s and I’m really not proud of it. Would getting a thank you with ugly handwriting be more of a turn-off?
LOL – I know what you mean! My handwriting looks like a sixteen-year-old girl’s, all I need is to dot my i’s with hearts. Although personally, I can’t recall a time where I ever got a thank you note and was like “Hmmmph what ugly handwriting!” It’s the thought that counts.
Following interviews– within 24 hours, the sooner the better– I send an email thank-you to each person I have contact information for. If the timeline is indefinite or fairly long, I follow that up with a written thank-you as well. I had one interview call me and thank me profusely for the handwritten note, saying that each person who received one loved it. YMMV but I always send emails, and follow up with letters if the timeline allows.
Handwritten on beautiful stationary I picked up in India got me a callback once after an informational interview. The partner told me he thought I had great style and would be a great fit for the job. Know your audience, I guess, but I doubt a handwritten note is going to hurt you.
I’m a hard-core stationery user and a notable thank-you note writer – but for interviews, I go with email. It feels more business to me (since email or websites are typically how I obtained the interview), and is more in line with the hiring timeline. As an interviewer, I have no preference. The content, and not the media, is what’s important.
For informational interviews, however, I send a handwritten note. Time isn’t an issue and I feel it’s more personal.
PS – LOVE the mnemonic trick! I always get those wrong.
this may be controversial, but
I interviewed for a really interesting opportunity a couple of years ago using a well-known recruiter in my industry. After the in-person interviews, she advised me not to send thank-you notes. She said, “They never help, and sometimes they hurt.”
I got the job offer anyway. (Didn’t take it, but that’s another story.)
That’s what my law school career services said as well.
Same advice from my law school career services – no thank yous for OCI whatsoever (clogging up recruiting lawyer’s email inboxes, they say they don’t want them, decisions are made before snail mail can be opened, and somewhat inappropriate since at my school the firms have no choice in which students they will be interviewing) and as for callbacks, they are more likely to hurt than help so send them only if you feel absolutely necessary. Having been on the other side for 7 years now, I can see the truth in what my school said. I would add, of course, that if you send a thank you after a callback, expect your interviewers to compare your note. Particularly, and oddly, the male interviewers.
These tips are extremely helpful!! Thank you all. Anything to give me a little peace of mind before interview season helps.
If you are in the south, you had darn better write the handwritten note on your personalized stationery like your mama taught you.
For professional writing, I use engraved 6.375” x 4.625” correspondence cards (traditionally used by men, but increasingly used by professional women) with my First Middle Last centered at the top in an upper and lower caps font. I get all my engraving done at Reaves Engraving – incredible service, quality and price. Those correspondence cards are only $112 for 100.
Wow, I’m kind of surprised by the responses here. Now I’m wondering if I really screwed up something …
I’m a rising 3L with a very focused career goal. This spring I did an internship that was spot-on in terms of my future career goals. I was in a relatively small practice group/unit and, well, I really outshone the other intern (he was arrogant, his work was sloppy, and he frequently came in and announced the severity of his hangover) – perhaps because of this juxtaposition, I formed a close (and professional, obviously) relationship with the mid-level supervisor and the senior supervisor, both men. When I left, both gave me genuine words of encouragement, offers to help me find a job upon graduation, offers to keep in touch, etc. Throughout the course of the internship, their feedback was so helpful, they were always available to answer questions, or chat generally – really, it was a dream working situation, and I was touched by the interest they both took in my brand-new career.
I wrote both of them handwritten thank-you notes on some simple cards I got at Target years ago. I didn’t hear anything back, didn’t expect to, but now I’m wondering if I should have done things differently?
I think this is a bit of a different situation. I did the same thing (hand-written thank you notes) when I left my summer internship and was offered a post-graduation job two months later. Once you’ve formed a work relationship with someone, I think hand-written thank-you notes are fine, as long as the content is appropriate and professional. I think most of the posters here are referring to not giving hand-written thank-you notes to strangers that interview you, though I know Kat addressed hand-written notes in all professional situations in her original post.
What an interesting post! I prefer handwritten notes. I think emails (while timely) are impersonal and show a lack of thought. If you do send emails beware of spacing problems if the email is sent from a blackberry. I received one thank you note (clearly sent from a blackberry) which was formatted in a weird font which can give the impression of carelessness (which can hurt the applicant if you are applying for a job as a lawyer).
I’ve heard from attorneys that emails after an OCI interview should wait a day — otherwise, the attorney who is trying to check her email during breaks has to wade through thank you emails and gets frusterated.
With fall interviews coming up, thanks for the timely post!