Thank You Notes, Dos and Donts
Anyone reading about a week back knows about my hiring fiasco that is thankfully now over, however a side effect was a slew of thank you notes. As you can imagine some people didn’t bother to send them, some people sent notes that were generic, some thoughtful, and others just plain stupid and funny. So below, some dos and don’ts of thank you note writing for the business world.
DO:
- Be specific enough so that I know you didn’t just copy and paste the same thing to every interviewer. Mentioning the time and day is helpful, along with the position and my own name, spelled correctly help.
- Thank me for my time and don’t sound sarcastic when you do it.
- Of course, spell check your letter and leave the exclamation points out of it (okay, one might be OK)
DON’T (because these are more fun)
- Be sarcastic, if you didn’t enjoy meeting with me, thought the interview sucked, maybe you should skip the thank you note?
“ Ms. First Year, Thank you sooo much for the “time” you spent interviewing me, I am sure it could have been better spent, as was obviously your opinion.”
Doesn’t endear me to you. Do you think I will see that, have an epiphany about my general rudeness to you and displeasure at interviewing someone so haughty and snotty and then decide I must have such an arrogant ass working for me? Doubtful.
- Swear. Yes, I swear all the time too but hardly ever in a work setting and never in a business correspondence to someone I don’t know.
“Getting to your office was a bitch, but I appreciate your patience with my shitty MapQuest directions”.
Wow, you managed to swear twice during one sentence. On the other hand, I can sympathize MapQuest really does give shitty directions.
- Tell me the job/company/office/brand sucks. If it sucks, why did you come in to interview? Do you think telling me this will somehow make me see the light and quit my job?
“While I appreciate your time and attention during the interview process, I am afraid I could not work for **** resorts, the hotels are inferior to **** and I only like to work for the best. Thank you.”
Ouch. But thanks anyhow. Just so you know most companies suck in one way or another anyhow.
- Insult me, the fact that I have the position, the company policies.
“Ms. First Year, thank you meeting with me on xx, xx regarding the accounting assistant position, however I do not find it acceptable to work for someone that is two decades my junior. Please remove me from consideration in this position.”
Don’t worry, you weren’t being considered for the position at all. You allowed your snotty attitude to our age difference show through in everything you said to me in your interview. You even asked me how old I was; clearly it seems that you would have a problem with the power dynamic. But thanks for the note!
So in conclusion, if you write a note: Be polite, spell correctly, don’t insult the person, be specific, don’t curse, and generally reread what you write before you send. Thanks :)
First Year-
DO:
- Be specific enough so that I know you didn’t just copy and paste the same thing to every interviewer. Mentioning the time and day is helpful, along with the position and my own name, spelled correctly help.
- Thank me for my time and don’t sound sarcastic when you do it.
- Of course, spell check your letter and leave the exclamation points out of it (okay, one might be OK)
DON’T (because these are more fun)
- Be sarcastic, if you didn’t enjoy meeting with me, thought the interview sucked, maybe you should skip the thank you note?
“ Ms. First Year, Thank you sooo much for the “time” you spent interviewing me, I am sure it could have been better spent, as was obviously your opinion.”
Doesn’t endear me to you. Do you think I will see that, have an epiphany about my general rudeness to you and displeasure at interviewing someone so haughty and snotty and then decide I must have such an arrogant ass working for me? Doubtful.
- Swear. Yes, I swear all the time too but hardly ever in a work setting and never in a business correspondence to someone I don’t know.
“Getting to your office was a bitch, but I appreciate your patience with my shitty MapQuest directions”.
Wow, you managed to swear twice during one sentence. On the other hand, I can sympathize MapQuest really does give shitty directions.
- Tell me the job/company/office/brand sucks. If it sucks, why did you come in to interview? Do you think telling me this will somehow make me see the light and quit my job?
“While I appreciate your time and attention during the interview process, I am afraid I could not work for **** resorts, the hotels are inferior to **** and I only like to work for the best. Thank you.”
Ouch. But thanks anyhow. Just so you know most companies suck in one way or another anyhow.
- Insult me, the fact that I have the position, the company policies.
“Ms. First Year, thank you meeting with me on xx, xx regarding the accounting assistant position, however I do not find it acceptable to work for someone that is two decades my junior. Please remove me from consideration in this position.”
Don’t worry, you weren’t being considered for the position at all. You allowed your snotty attitude to our age difference show through in everything you said to me in your interview. You even asked me how old I was; clearly it seems that you would have a problem with the power dynamic. But thanks for the note!
So in conclusion, if you write a note: Be polite, spell correctly, don’t insult the person, be specific, don’t curse, and generally reread what you write before you send. Thanks :)
First Year-
posted by First Year at 10:01 AM
2 Comments:
I'm not laughing at you, just near you. :)
Too funny!
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