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Never Write A 'Thank You' Letter Again
Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Perry Maisin
When I was in graduate school, I had a friend who interviewed at fortune 500 companies and succeeded at landing a great job. One day, I saw him sitting in the student union with a stack of cards. The cards said "thank you". He opened each card and signed his name. The inside of the card was blank. I asked him what he was doing and he told me that it was important to send a 'thank you' to every person you interviewed with. He believed that that was the difference between getting the job and being passed over.
Today we know better. Networkers will tell you that a 'thank you' letter is a misnomer for a strategic follow-up letter that is called a Post Interview Letter. The post interview letter is a valuable marketing tool you can use to restate your case and keep yourself in front of the interviewer.
1. Gather Your Information
The most important thing you do at an interview is ask the right questions. Everyone agrees that how you answer the interviewer’s questions is paramount. But, the questions you ask at the end of the interview answer the most important question that remains unsaid.
Interviewers will not come out and say “did you listen to me?” or “did you hear what I said?” but you can bet they are looking to hire someone who did. When the interview is ending, and the interviewer asks you if you have any questions, this is when you strike.
2. You Must Ask These Questions
Q1. What is the biggest challenge you face in the next 60 days? Purpose: To force the interviewer to commit to an issue or concern that is real to them. Value: Once the interviewer commits, and tells you what his/her biggest challenge is, you will know how to write your post interview letter.
Q2: What do I need to accomplish in the first 60-90 days to succeed at this job? Purpose: To sell your enthusiasm, desire, and concern for success. Value: The answer you receive will provide supporting details for the answer to Question 1.
Example:
You: What is the biggest challenge you face in the next 60 days? Interviewer: My biggest challenge is to develop a set of policies and procedures in time for our annual audit. You: What do I need to accomplish in the first 60-90 days to succeed at this job? Interviewer: I’m looking at three main things. We need to identify our gaps in OSHA safety. We also need to get document our project oversight process. Last, I need someone who can break through the politics and interview our senior people to get the info on this stuff.
Bottom Line:
The interviewer just provided you with the sales pitch for your post interview letter.
Let’s recap:
The interviewer told you what his/her biggest challenge was. The interviewer told you what the three tasks/activities were that must be accomplished to meet the challenge.
3. The Post Interview Letter
Your post interview letter will contain four paragraphs: Paragraph 1 - The Thank you. Yes - you still need to thank the interviewer for inviting you in. Make it two sentences maximum.
Example:
"Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the Audit position at Company X yesterday.I appreciated the time and attention you provided me".
Paragraph 2 -Problem Identification:
This is where you begin your sales pitch. The purpose of this paragraph is to tell the interviewer that you understand their concerns.
Example:
"At our interview, you expressed a major challenge/concern about preparing a procedure guide in time for the annual audit. You identified three tasks that need to be accomplished: Data gathering, gaps in OSHA, and documenting the project oversight process. I have worked on internal audit plans and have created deliverables similar to the ones you require. If I am hired, I would present the following plan:
Paragraph 3 - The Solution:
In paragraph #2 you connected with the interviewer and acknowledged their concerns.You proved that you were an active listener' and not just a bobble head. In this paragraph, you provide the solution in 3 easy steps.
Example:
"Over the last five years I have worked as an assistant internal audit manager. I have implemented a process that prepared my company for their outside audit.
Step 1: Develop an interview schedule with all subject matter experts and create a responsibility matrix for them to adhere to: Create an interview schedule and get buy in from senior management. The data gathering phase may be a project unto itself. A kickoff meeting might be a good idea.
Step 2: Update the OSHA safety process and project oversight as material becomes available.
Step 3: Add all of the components to create a complete internal SOP that will satisfy all of the auditor’s concerns. I believe that this process will achieve your objectives.
Paragraph 3 is the most important one in the letter. It provides a strategy to follow for your client. It sends the message that you paid attention to his/her concerns and provides a solution to the problem presented at the interview. Listening to the interviewer is the best 'thank you' you can provide.
Paragraph 4 The Close - In this paragraph you restate the reason(s) you think you will be the best candidate for the job.
Example:
"I believe that I am qualified for the audit position because I will be ready on day 1 to implement the data gathering process and SOP update process.”. The post interview letter above is far more than a thank you letter. It is a strategic sales letter that convinces the employer that you can solve their problems.
Conclusion
The next time someone reminds you to send out a thank you letter, just say 'thanks'. Then, sit down and write your Post Interview Letter.
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Perry Maisin is a resume writer and career counselor. His web site: http://theresumecounselor.com provides readers with career search advice about Resume Development, Networking, and Career Search Tactics and Strategy. Visit his site to learn how to use the BLS ONET database where you will find the best job descriptions on the internet.
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