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After the interview

 

You should keep in mind that you are being observed throughout the time that you interact with the organization or unit, not only during the formal office interview, but also prior to and after the interview. Do not say or do something which may be seen as 'unprofessional' or have a negative impact on your reputation. Even though you may not have been selected for the position to which you had applied and for which you might have been interviewed, you may be considered for other positions in the future. It is therefore important that you leave a lasting positive impression with the organization or unit.

 

Thank You Letter

You may wish to send a brief thank you letter or note after the interview. The thank you letter is your opportunity to mention any experience or skills that were not discussed in your interview. Try to offer new information, if possible. It can be a determining factor in your favour after an interview, especially if there were many candidates with your qualifications applying for the same position.

The purpose of a thank you letter is to show appreciation for the employer's interest in you. In addition to thanking the person with whom you spoke during the interview, it reiterates your interest in the position and organization. It allows you to: (i) include additional information you may have forgotten to mention during the interview; (ii) discuss anything important the interviewer neglected to ask; (iii) follow-up on anything you might not have answered during the interview. If you should fail to receive an offer, the organization or office will still retain a favourable image of you if you take the time to send a thank you note. This could be beneficial for you in the future.

If you no longer want the job, it is still recommended that you send a thank you note in order to respectfully withdraw your application. Since you do not know what the future holds, courtesy is essential; do not burn your bridges.

 

Writing a good Thank You letter

Use the thank you letter to restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make significant contributions, and so on. It generally has three basic parts:

  1. Start by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to talk with you. It is generally a good idea to include the date on which the interview occurred.


  2. Reaffirm your interests in the organization by pointing out particular issues brought up during the interview that appeal to you. Try to personalise the letter by referring to some topic or common interest discussed during the interview.


  3. Close your letter with another word of appreciation, an offer to provide more information and a statement that you look forward to hearing from them.

 

Additional tips

  • Do not send a handwritten letter; type it and use good quality paper, whenever possible.


  • Use one-inch margins and a 'serious' font in 10-12 point size, i.e., Times New Roman or Courier New. Avoid 'fancy' fonts, such as Haettenschweiler or Impact, for example. Justify the text and centre it (from top to bottom) in order to avoid large white spaces.


  • Do not copy letters verbatim from websites.


  • A thank you letter may be sent as e-mail, the quickest way. However, if you choose email over post, be sure still to treat it as a formal business letter. Avoid using: 1) Emoticons, such as :) or :( ,2) shorthand, e.g., 'u' for 'you' or 'r' for 'are'; 3) Acronyms, e.g. 'TIA' for 'thanks in advance'; or 4) Casual tone, e.g. 'Ciao' or 'See you later!' , especially, 'CU LTR'.


  • Wherever possible, send a personalised and single thank you letter to each interviewer (the content must be different at least in one sentence).


  • Remember to proofread, check spelling and grammar and eliminate typos.


  • A thank you letter must be sent promptly, meaning within twenty-four hours after the interview and no later than one week.

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