Say The Magic Words:
Writing A Business Thank You Note

Contributed by Elaine Landau

Having young children has its advantages. For example, did you know that according to a very large purple dinosaur “please” and “thank you” are the magic words? When parenting, we instill in our children that being civil and polite is the right way to treat other people. But somehow, when some young adults try to enter the workforce, the basics of saying “please” when you request something and “thank you” when you receive it, seem to have faded from our fond memories of that big, purple dinosaur.

In this highly competitive job market, education, skills, and expertise are key to getting your resume moved to the top of the pile of hopeful applicants. But what will keep you on top? An excellent interview doesn’t hurt. Perhaps you should consider incorporating the magic words “Thank you” into your job search via thank-you notes.

Thank you, thank you very much.

Elvis knew that with those special words, he was acknowledging his audience and letting each fan know that he/she was appreciated. Not a bad message to be sending a prospective future employer. So, after a good interview, send a thank-you note.

Make it short, simple, and to the point. Flowery language is too much and gushing is certainly out of the question. A wise thing to do is recap a particularly good portion of your interview into your note of appreciation. Such as:

I appreciate the time you spent explaining your creative process. As a member of your team, I know I will benefit from your insights and dynamic management style.

In a few short sentences you a.) reminded the prospective employer about the content of your discussion. b.) helped him/her envision you as part of the team and c.) complimented his/her ideas or style without falling all over yourself. Of course, it only works if you really mean it.

A few more things to keep in mind when writing that all-important thank-you note.

1. A handwritten note shows that you took the time to express appreciation. It doesn’t give the person the idea that you write the same note to everyone and simply change each salutation. One note of caution. If your handwriting is chicken scratch, don’t do it. So many of us had fine penmanship prior to jotting down notes at lightning speed in college lecture halls. If this applies to you, don’t despair. Cards have been developed for your computer with fonts that will give your thank-you notes that up-close-and-personal feel. If you are not comfortable with the Internet, you would be wise to get some basic Internet training. It will not only help you with thank-you notes, but it is a valuable resource when job hunting.
2. Hearts, flowers, angels, and ribbons will not impress the thank-you note recipient, unless of course you are thanking them and inviting them to a baby shower. Your choice of paper should be professional. Card stock is always nice. Folded over, it feels substantial, possibly adding “weight” to your words.
3. Sincerity goes a long way. Your interview should have educated the potential employer to your honest interest in the position. Continue that tone in your thank-you note to reinforce your message.
4. If during the interview, the interviewer said something about your resume was lacking, don’t ignore the comment. For example, perhaps your computer skills are limited or outdated. Your thank-you note should go beyond thanking the employer for his/her time. Explain that you took his/her words to heart and are enhancing your basic computer education with advanced tutorials in Excel®, Photoshop®, and Word, and started taking online QuickBooks® courses – whatever programs are required for the job. That way, the prospective employer knows that you did not waste his/her time coming in for the interview; that you are willing to listen and learn; and that you are so interested in the position that you have taken personal time to improve yourself as a candidate.

Hopefully these thoughts have helped you. If you liked what you read, please feel free to look up my other articles at videoprofessor.com. I seem to have an opinion about everything. Thank you for taking the time to log on and read.

Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Photoshop is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the U.S. and other countries. QuickBooks is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc., or one of its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and other countries.

About the Author:
Elaine Landau is a freelance writer, publicist, web site editor, and produced television writer with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and publicity.

This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not provide legal or other professional advice. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Please read our disclaimer for additional terms and conditions governing access to and use of this article.