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Thank You Letter
A thank you, or follow-up letter, may be one of the most important letters of your job search. It is a way of offering your appreciation for an interview, and in some cases accepting, or declining, an offer. Most importantly, the thank you letter is another way of further marketing yourself and impressing potential employers.
Thank you letters are usually personal and express your sincere interest in the position. They expand upon your qualifications, illustrate examples of your work, and further develop issues discussed in the interview. Send a thank you letter immediately following the interview, and customize it to meet each individual situation.
Thank you letters for varying situations
- Following the job interview
Indicate your appreciation for the opportunity to interview and your interest in working with the organization. Reiterate your qualifications for the position, highlight strengths that may, or may not, have been mentioned in the interview. Keep it short and to the point; do not use the thank you letter as a tool to beg for the position.
- Following an informational interview
Thank the individual for taking the time to speak with you regarding their field. Mention how the interview was informative and helpful to you. Note that you are following up on any referrals they may have made, and indicate that you will keep them appraised of your progress. A thank you should be sent for telephone interviews as well as personal interviews.
- Accepting a job offer
Thank the individual for giving you the opportunity to work with them. Indicate your enthusiasm for the position offered and your acceptance of the position. Confirm the agreed upon start date. Also offer to complete any preliminary paper work prior to your start date.
- Declining a job offer
Should you decide not to accept a job offer, a thank you letter is mandatory. Indicate your appreciation of the offer and the time invested in your interview. State that you are removing yourself as a candidate for consideration and explain your reasoning for doing so. Even when declining a position, a thank you letter keeps the lines of communication open should you need to contact the organization in the future. Always leave a situation in a positive and fair manner.
Presentation For letter production, use the following guidelines:
- Send a clean original signed with black ink.
- Use high quality business letter stationery.
- Stay away from bright colored paper.
- Use a common font with a professional appearance. Suggested fonts are: Times Roman, Palatino, or Arial.
- Use appropraite greetings: Dear Dr. ______, Mr. ______, Ms. ______, Rev. ______. Do not use "Miss" or "Mrs.".
- Thank you letters may be emailed if the hiring decision is going to be made so quickly that a letter sent through the mail would not reach the employer in time.
Business Format A business letter format is a block style format with all text beginning at the left margin. Paragraphs are not indented. Use these samples as a guide to your letter structure. After the final paragraph leave 2 lines (returns). Type "Sincerely," and leave 4 lines (returns). Type your name. Do not forget to sign your name, in black ink, in the spaces between "Sincerely," and your typed name.
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