The Thank You Note As A Recruiting Tool!?!
Guest post by Carla D. Bass, Colonel, USAF (Ret) on recruiter.com
Want to entice a candidate to accept your job offer over the competition? Use the thank you note as a
recruiting tool!
How can your company beat the competition to hire talented, in-demand employees? Companies often view job perks as the key to an applicant’s heart. After all, who doesn’t want a fine salary, flexible hours, the ability to work from home, or generous paid time off? While benefits might induce people to interview, they might not result in a signed contract. Why? Other companies offer similar, competitive packages.
What more can you do? The answer is simple and involves paper, an envelope, and a stamp. Turning a concept on its head, those conducting the interview should send a thank you note to candidates immediately following the interview. This is especially applicable when pursuing individuals most likely assessing options with other companies. Thus, the thank you note can be an excellent recruiting tool!
I advise job applicants, “You have one last opportunity to gain a competitive edge – the thank you note. It offers another platform to showcase your skills; demonstrate business etiquette; and stand out from candidates who don’t write one.”
This also applies to interviewers! The thank you note serves three purposes from this perspective: 1) It demonstrates yours is a company that proactively cares for its people, 2) It helps retain the individual’s interest in your company, and 3) It completes the interview process on a positive note, which will reverberate with the interviewee.
Moreover, the applicant is likely to share news with friends and colleagues that a company took the initiative and sent him or her a thank you note. In other words, this generates great visibility and word-on-the-street about you!
Invest time in composing this document, following these steps to strategize the message and maximize its impact.
1) Set the stage. Open with a salutation and thank the individual for participating in the interview, citing the date and title of the job.
Dear Ms. Jones,
Thank you for interviewing with Cybersecurity Inc. on November 18 for the position, IT Program Manager.
2) Determine the core message. Hint: It is not “thank you.” Recount the most salient points discussed in the interview, such as key elements of the job and the individual’s related skills. Emphasize how the applicant can benefit by joining your company, e.g., opportunities for critical thinking, leadership, initiative, teamwork, or perhaps advanced education in or travel related to that particular field.
Our selection process for this position is still underway. Meanwhile, we want to express our appreciation for your interest in our company. We value your talent in [specify the area of expertise] as exemplified by your many accomplishments [identify one or two pertinent to the position]. As discussed, our company is a leader in [briefly specify] and offers many opportunities such as [name a few].
Did the applicant relate anything personal during the interview, e.g., shared interests or a similar educational background? If so, reference this in the thank you note to help individual remember you and your company.
On a personal note, I enjoyed discussing our mutual interest in teaching at community colleges to help posture the next generation to succeed.
3) End on a strong note. Conclude by leaving the door open for future employment opportunities should another candidate be selected. Be sure to provide your contact information.
Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate, we hope you will apply for other openings with Cybersecurity Inc. We value your skill and experience and hope you will join our team. My contact information is listed below should you have any questions.
Best regards,
[Name]
[Email address]
[Phone number]
Once you’ve determined the message, hone the draft to make each word count and every second of the reader’s time play to your advantage. Apply these Word Sculpting Tools to achieve a product that is focused, concise, and compelling.
- Words that Hog Space. Combine multiple words into one and avoid the passive voice.
BEFORE: In the event that this employment opportunity is offered to another candidate,
AFTER: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate,
- Verbs Are Your Friends – Rely on Them. Eliminate unnecessarily words that often surround verbs, replace multiple words with one.
BEFORE: Should we decide to make an employment offer to another candidate
AFTER: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate,
- Redundancy – Once Will Suffice. Redundancies surreptitiously sneak unnoticed into your writing. Did you find the redundancy in the previous sentence? Redundant here is the word “deserving.” Since one does not employ an “undeserving” candidate, stating “deserving” is presumed and therefore redundant.
BEFORE: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another deserving candidate
AFTER: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate,
- Useless Words. Identify and purge words that lend no meaning to the message.
BEFORE: Should we offer this opportunity for employment to another candidate,
AFTER: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate,
- Revise, Edit, and Proofread. Mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation indicate a lack of attention to detail and impale your company’s credibility. Hint: Don’t rely on automated spell checkers, “They will let ewe down.”
BEFORE: Should we offer this employment oportunity to another candidate,
AFTER: Should we offer this employment opportunity to another candidate,
A thank you note can take one of three forms: 1) email, 2) a handwritten note, or 3) a mailed letter (as opposed to a scanned document attached to an email). Think Goldilocks … too hot; too cold; ahhh, perfect! An email is just that … more electrons in the queue. A handwritten note is too informal for this purpose. A letter (typed on good quality paper) delivers your message with professional finesse that demonstrates effort beyond that associated with an email. To lend that extra, personal touch, add a handwritten thought on the bottom of the page.
The thank you note is your final opportunity to engage the candidate. Strive to Write to Influence!
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Recommended Resources:
Revise, Edit, and Proofread. https://e76cc1.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Article-for-Ginger-Blog_Revise_Edit_Proofread.pdf
Write to Influence! https://e76cc1.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Article-on-Ginger-Blog.pdf
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QUIZ
- Useless Words and Verbs — When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? His presentation is tomorrow, and that is where his focus needs to be.
- 7
- 6
- 8
- 10
Answer: B. (He should focus on tomorrow’s presentation.)
- Useless Words — When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? The writing was so poor, it lost the reader, making it difficult for the reader to grasp the key message intended by the author.
- 13
- 20
- 15
- 11
Answer: D. (The document was so poorly written, the reader couldn’t understand it.)
- Verbs and Words that Hog Space– When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? Managers should make certain that personnel under their purview understand company policies.
- 7
- 8
- 10
- 11
Answer: A. (Managers should ensure employees understand company policies.)
- Useless Words and Redundancy — When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? I want to express my appreciation for your contribution, which contributed in large measure to the success of our charity drive.
- 20
- 13
- 14
- 18
Answer: C. (Thank you for donating to our charity drive; you contributed greatly to its success.)
- Redundancy — When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? She has in her possession an exquisite museum-quality painting
- 9
- 8
- 6
- 5
Answer: D. (She has a museum-quality painting.)
- Useless Words — When revised, how many words should this sentence contain? The reason that I’m writing this sentence is to provide you with an exercise in which it is possible for you to identify and throw out each and every word that is useless.
- 12
- 8
- 15
- 18
Answer: B. (This sentence demonstrates how to discard useless words.)