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The 60 Most Valuable Seconds of an Interview: It’s Not What You Think

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When was the last time you sent or received a thank you card?

What if the thank you card (or a simple thank you note) was seen as a seed that was essential to making a relationship flourish?

Many high school graduates have fond memories of a parent who reminded them to send thank you notes to people who attended their reception or sent gifts.

No, you cannot send a text message. No, you cannot send an email. Write a thank you note by hand.

My mom taught us the subtle art of writing thank you notes right after receiving a gift. No child wants to do that, of course; But the discipline of doing it right away helps you avoid the embarrassment of remembering that you didn’t send a thank you card for a meeting you held 3 months earlier.

Over the years, I have spoken with countless people who have saved thank you notes or heartfelt thank you notes. When someone is feeling depressed, opening their collection of letters and thank you cards takes them out of the complacency routine.

After the concert in New York:

Several musicians and I went out to dinner after a successful concert in New York City. I was already a world-traveling musician and the others were beginning their professional journey. I decided to pay the dinner bill for our party.

3 days later, I received a nice duo for viola and piano dedicated to me by one of our musicians who was a composer. It was a wonderful thank you!

Interview for Dream Job:

Jay just got interviewed for his dream job. He thought the interview went well! When he called a week later, they said the position was taken. I was in shock!

He asked the corporation secretary “what did the winning candidate do differently from the other candidates?” She replied, “The winning candidate sent a handwritten follow-up note immediately after the interview.” Jay learned a valuable lesson that day!

Stand out from the competition

Amy Segelin, president and co-owner of Chaloner, a national executive search firm, says, “The message is simple regarding thank you notes after a job interview: no follow-up, no work.”

“We reached out to more than 50 people from different industries who had hired at least three communications professionals in the last year (including some who hired many more).”

“We were surprised to learn that more than 75% of the people surveyed did not receive any kind of thank you note from most of the candidates they interviewed, and For 30% of those surveyed, the lack of follow-up meant that the candidate should not continue taking steps. “

One hiring manager said, “Follow-up is the linchpin for me. If the interview goes well and I feel invigorated and excited for someone, I wait to see what kind of follow-up efforts they put forth. “

New York fashion publicist Cristiano Magni says: “It is very important, in a digital world, to have the dignity to sit down and write something in your own hand.”

Getting an interview is a great demonstration of what you can say. A simple thank you note shows that you are capable of moving on.

Do I need to write a long and involved thank you note?

No. Even something as simple as “It was a great meeting with you and your team. I appreciate your time and hope to see you again soon” will get the job done.

If you want to integrate a more detailed follow-up, Ted Chaloner, founder of Chaloner commented: “Good follow-up communicates interest, confidence and enthusiasm. Thank the interviewer for their time and state that you believe in their ability to do work. Follow up or close the circle on a topic or event that came up in your interview, sixteen this opportunity to do so. “

Amy Segelin says: “With so many factors beyond your control in your job search, take the easy opportunity of a thank you note to show humility, confidence and passion.”

Tim Ventura, digital marketing executive, says, with many candidates to consider for a job and “with a pile of resumes and notes, a thank you follow-up will tend to put a little more weight on your resume, because it puts them back on track. your radar A thank you note shows genuine interest, genuine enthusiasm, an ‘entrepreneurial’ attitude, and self-motivation. “

Ventura also says, “I’ve written a lot of thank you letters myself and usually try to start the letter with a sentence that describes what went well in the interview (obviously, don’t mention the things that don’t go well). of touching on some of the key points discussed in the interview and offering brief reminders why my skills fit those requirements well. Then, I end with a line of “looking forward to contributing to your team” and of course your contact information. at the bottom. The ‘thank you’ part is more important than the summary in my opinion – keep it short, don’t write a book. But it’s good to remind you why you’re a great candidate. “

“Hey, you’re not done yet! Set yourself a reminder to follow up with them in a week, two weeks, and then if they haven’t made a decision yet, space the follow-ups a little longer. So it doesn’t seem desperate.”

Don’t let the commitment stop with a single thank you. Sharing an article you found on LinkedIn with a simple, “Read this and think of yourself … All the best!” It reinforces that you are interested and invested in the relationship, not just the transaction.

“Notes of encouragement” from Dr. John Maxwell: Dr. John Maxwell, the world’s # 1 leadership coach, thought writing thank you notes was so important that he recently started “The John Maxwell Stationary Series – Boxed Encouragement Notes.”

Be grateful in everything:

Rev. Matthew Henry, his wallet was stolen one night. Rather than regret his ordeal, he wrote the following in his journal that night:

Let me be grateful-first, because they never robbed me before the second, because although they took my wallet they did not take my life third, because although they took everything from me, it was not much and fourth, because it was me who was robbed, not me who robbed. “

Sure, Fire Way write a thank you immediately after:

Says Amy Segelin: “I met a candidate who carries stationery with her at all times and disciplines herself to write the note right after leaving a meeting so she can mail it right away. Consider this strategy if you are having a hard time. in tracking practice. And don’t worry too much about the format; the gesture itself is what people remember. “

Most memorable thank you note from composer Joseph Haydn:

John Bland, an English music publisher, was visiting composer Joseph Haydn at his home in Vienna, Austria. His goal was to convince Haydn to go to London in 1787 to take part in a concert and publish Haydn’s music.

When Bland arrived at Haydn’s house, he found the composer struggling to shave with a blunt razor. The world-famous composer’s face and neck were covered in nicks and cuts and he complained of the headache of shaving with a razor that was not sharp.

Haydn said, “I’d give my best quartet for a good razor.”

Bland hurried back to his room, grabbed his new British razors, and ran back to present them to Haydn.

True to his word, Bland received the manuscript of the Quartet, op. 55 No. 2, the Razor Quartet. It was a great thank you gift!

Building strong relationships:

That day was the beginning of a strong connection and friendship between the two men. John Bland became Hayden’s music editor and when Haydn arrived in England he stayed at John Bland’s home.

What if:

What if the thank you card or a simple thank you note were seen as a seed that was essential to making a relationship flourish? Would you take the next step?

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