Happy Hour // thank you notes

This is the second installment of Happy Hour: the pursuit of a perfect mix of work & play – for life.

Today we will talk about thank you notes. There are certainly grey lines here, but as always this is a forum for suggestion and discussion. First off, make sure you don't leave the interview with out getting their card. It should have all of their contact info. so that you don't have to guess.

Time Frame: In general it's good to hand write a thank you note after an interview and get it in the mail with in the next day or so. If you are like me, after you leave the interview you come up with all of the questions you should have asked while you were there. In this case, I like to email the interviewer as soon as I get home with a gracious, "It was great to meet you, I have a few questions...thank you for your time."

What to say: You should always tailor the note to match the specific job or company. No one likes a canned thank you card, it's a shame when something that should be personal suddenly feels computer generated. So rather than saying:

Ms. Pollard,

Thank you for meeting with me yesterday. I really enjoyed talking to you and hope that you keep me in mind for the job.

Have a good day!
Lindsey

it would be more appropriate to say:

Ms. Pollard,

Thank you for inviting me to your office and introducing me to the Creative Services team. I enjoyed discussing design with you & I appreciate your suggestions for my portfolio.

After meeting with you I am even more interested in the position that you have available because I love print design and working in a small environment. I know that you said that you will be interviewing for a few more weeks but I hope that you keep me in mind.

Have a great week!
Lindsey

This may also be a good place for you to include something about yourself that you haven't had a chance to mention yet. ie: "I 5 years experience in x". Or something as simple as, "I have a passion for helping families in need which is why I have taken an interest in Non-profit XYZ."

Stationery: Think about what kind of company you interviewed with, but also the person you are sending it to. If it's super cooperate, big business, you may want to go with a simple stationery or one with your name or monogram printed on it. If it's a boutique design studio with a fresh aesthetic and funky vibe, you may want to find a card with a lot of personality so they won't want to throw it away. If it's at an animal shelter, maybe find something with a kitty on it – this may sound silly, but that's what they love, & you want to show them that you love kitties too!

Card by a personal favorite, Greenwich Letterpress via their etsy shop.
By Mr. Boddington's Studio.
By Sesame Letterpress.

More articles on the post-interview thank you card here, here, and here.

Happy hunting!