Dorothy writes:
After an initial or second interview, is it appropriate to email a thank you and follow-up note or must you type a letter and mail?
The Career Doctor responds:
Here’s your answer: it depends.
But more important than delivery method is the fact that you are sending a thank-you note! While career experts differ on whether thank you notes should be typed or hand-written, mailed or emailed, on plain paper or on note paper, they all agree on one thing: that job-seekers who send the thank you notes will have an edge — however slight — over job-seekers who do not bother to take the time send one.
My advice is to take the cue from the employer. If all the people you’ve interviewed with have given you their email addresses and the culture seems to be one where people depend on email, then send your thank you electronically — it will get there faster and have an immediate impact. If the culture seems to be one of more traditional communications methods, then consider either mailing your thank you notes — or hand-delivering them (yourself or through a messenger service) to the employer. And even with an email thank you, you might also send a hard copy.
Remember to tailor your letter to the culture of the company and the relationship you established with the person(s) who interviewed you.
Read more in this article from Quintessential Careers: FAQs About Thank You Letters.
