Well, do you? The short answer is yes, but I’ll explain how you can actually use it as a tool to your benefit.
Maybe you’ve heard that writing a thank you note is a good idea after an interview, but where should you start? Do you actually need to spend time writing one? What should it say? Below are a few pointers to help guide you.
You should write a thank you note. Yes, after each interview. This not only shows professional courtesy to each person you interview with, but it also sends the message that you’re interested in the position. It also gives you an opportunity to elaborate on anything you want to clear up or solidify a point you wanted to make sure to get across. Writing a thank you note is also something easy you can do to set yourself a part from other candidates.
Email your note. Hand writing a thank you note is a very nice gesture, but it will arrive days after the interview, either after you’re already been set up on next steps or got a rejection notice. You should be prompt in sending your note, so send it the same day that you interview. You can ask a recruiter you’re working with for the interviewees email address or the recruiter will send it over for you; if you are not working through a recruiter, you can ask the contact who has been coordinating your interviews. Not giving out the hiring manager’s direct contact can be normal, so if they say they’ll pass it along, just be easy and go with that.
Your note should be no more than 2 paragraphs. Keep it short and to the point. You can think about your two paragraphs this way; one covers your interest and reiterates how your skills translate well to what their looking for, and the other addresses anything you wish you would have covered in more detail, or to address something you feel you could have answered in a better way. Think about it as an opportunity to go back and say the thing you wish you would have said, or to really nail down an important point you wanted to get across.
Use spell check. For obvious reasons… never forget it!
