Do hiring managers appreciate thank you letters after an interview?

[Anonymous]

I've been told that you should always send a thank you letter to everyone you interview with within 24 hours after the interview. I have a friend who works in the HR department and she advised me not to do that because it actually hurts your chance of getting the job because the hiring manager looks at you as a "suck up" and that you're more trouble than your worth. Does anyone else agree with this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been told that you should always send a thank you letter to everyone you interview with within 24 hours after the interview. I have a friend who works in the HR department and she advised me not to do that because it actually hurts your chance of getting the job because the hiring manager looks at you as a "suck up" and that you're more trouble than your worth. Does anyone else agree with this?

No, that's ridiculous. Most people email them now (rarely get a thank you letter in the mail anymore), but I think they are still expected.

[Anonymous]

Why will anyone penalize you for thanking them?

[Anonymous]

yes

[Anonymous]

I've been told that you should always send a thank you letter to everyone you interview with within 24 hours after the interview. I have a friend who works in the HR department and she advised me not to do that because it actually hurts your chance of getting the job because the hiring manager looks at you as a "suck up" and that you're more trouble than your worth. Does anyone else agree with this?


No, that's ridiculous. Most people email them now (rarely get a thank you letter in the mail anymore), but I think they are still expected.

This. Your friend in HR is wrong, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I've been told that you should always send a thank you letter to everyone you interview with within 24 hours after the interview. I have a friend who works in the HR department and she advised me not to do that because it actually hurts your chance of getting the job because the hiring manager looks at you as a "suck up" and that you're more trouble than your worth. Does anyone else agree with this?


No, that's ridiculous. Most people email them now (rarely get a thank you letter in the mail anymore), but I think they are still expected.

This. Your friend in HR is wrong, OP.

+1 I expect a thank you (usually emailed).

[Anonymous]

Yes as long as you attach it to a 100 dollar bill.

[Anonymous]

Where did ur friend get this from? That is totally wrong and was never advised to anyone , if anything, everybody stretches the importance of thanking the interviewer promptly after the interview

[Anonymous]

Yes. If you are one of the top candidates or on the bubble, the search team may expect and/or think more favorably of you.

However, if you are not a top candidate, this will be thought of as nice, but will not get one into the next level of the interview process.

This is just my experience of having served on several searches over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. If you are one of the top candidates or on the bubble, the search team may expect and/or think more favorably of you.

However, if you are not a top candidate, this will be thought of as nice, but will not get one into the next level of the interview process.

This is just my experience of having served on several searches over the years.

Exactly. But, remember that there is a good chance that they will all end up being viewed together (or trashed, it could go either way), so make sure they look natural and to a real person if you send several.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been told that you should always send a thank you letter to everyone you interview with within 24 hours after the interview. I have a friend who works in the HR department and she advised me not to do that because it actually hurts your chance of getting the job because the hiring manager looks at you as a "suck up" and that you're more trouble than your worth. Does anyone else agree with this?

Listen to your mother. Your mother was right. IF this is the prevailing view at a certain organization, you don't want to work there anyway.

[Anonymous]

A thank you letter would not make a great deal of difference to me one way or the other.

I guess it would connote that the person remained seriously interested after the interview. But that's all. It would not factor much at all into my decision-making process re next steps.

I do not consider a thank-you note to be required by any stretch of the imagination.

[Anonymous]

We usually convene immediately after a candidates day of interviews, or at least submit our impressions to HR.
Receiving a TY email later is nice, and might come into play on the margin, but is not necessary. Written/mailed notes seem like real kissing up.
But really, most important is how you do at the interviews.

[Anonymous]

Really??? I would most definitely send a thank you. It can't hurt and it might help. Plus it's the polite thing to do.

As a hiring manager I would not consider someone who couldn't be bothered to take 2 minutes to write a thank you (email is fine in my book).

[Anonymous]

I am a hiring manager. I very much appreciate a thank you note that specifically refers back to things said during the interview and restates why the candidate is interested in and highly qualified for the job. A well-written, enthusiastic note tells me that: a) the candidate has good follow-up skills, b) the candidate has good writing skills, c) the candidate really "got" what was covered in the interview, and picked up on what I think is important, and d) the candidate is excited about the position.

The best format I've seen is a formal letter written in Word and attached to e-mail. If I don't receive it within 24 hours I start to think they're not serious about the job. Not getting one at all might totally turn me away from an otherwise good candidate.

I feel the same way about a carefully crafted cover letter. That can bring a candidate in the door if done well.