Distinguish Yourself with a Proper Thank You Note

A friend and I had coffee recently.  It is always wonderful catching up, discussing business and challenging each other’s thinking.  My friend owned a highly successful independent pharmacy for many years.  Notice the words “highly successful”.  Generally, one does not see those words in connection with an independent pharmacy because the chain stores now dominate the landscape.  

There were several things my friend did to be successful but one unique practice in particular is a whooping example of excellent customer relations!   This example can easily translate into the interview process.   

Each week my friend wrote thank you notes to 10 different customers.  This was done each week for over 15 years!  Think of it…520 customers getting a personal handwritten note saying THANK YOU!  If we do the math, over 15 years this accounts to nearly 8000 Thank You notes!  This highly successful business owner built a fierce, loyal customer base that continues long after his retirement.

This story reminded me of my time as a divisional manager and trainer within corporate life.

As technology has advanced hand writing thank your notes has become somewhat of a lost art.  Having personally received hand written notes, I continued to share the idea of a handwritten note with my team members.  Yes, sending a follow up email to an interviewer is now generally accepted.   But I would explain to them the value and impact of how an actual thank you note can affect the interviewer.  This simple piece of cardstock is a very tactile, palpable and personal experience. The mailman actually delivers an envelope with their name on it in cursive writing! It shows that the sender thought enough of the experience to take their personal time to mark their appreciation.   

Utilizing this simple, yet antiquated type of communication to convey your appreciation can be a differentiator in the interview process.   It will distinguish you, thus setting you above the ordinary email or worse yet, the text thank you message.   Writing a handwritten thank you note may not get you the job but it will set you apart from your competition.  Everyone will (hopefully) write a follow up email.  As a hiring manager I always looked for that email and if it did not arrive that gave me an additional insight into the candidate.  

So please send a thank you email followed by a hand written THANK YOU note.  

When you write the THANK YOU note, state your appreciation for the opportunity to interview, give a brief review of your branding statement and let them know that you really want the job.  You know the address to mail it to because you got their business card at the interview.  If the mailing address is not on the card then ask for it.  Mail your hand written thank you note the same day you interview!  This is important as it will arrive within a couple of business days and be a nice reminder of you along with your talents and abilities when the hiring manager reads it.  

You will be remembered!

Everyone has good intentions of writing thank you notes.  For years my friend wrote all of those personal thank you notes with purpose and intent.  In the interview process use this simple step purposefully and intentionally as an additional way to separate yourself from the thundering herd!