In a world of 140 character tweets and text messages, communications are more casual than ever before. When it comes to the interview follow up, is email the new normal?
Today, casual communications are commonplace with emails that look like a poorly written version of work by E.E. Cummings, complete with the bonus of emojis. But are these new technologies and styles of communication seen as less than professional when applied in the workplace? What about in the recruiting process?
To answer that question, let’s explore an incredibly impactful, yet sometimes forgotten communication during the job search process: the thank you note. More simply put, when it comes to the interview follow up, is email the new normal?
Communication Methods Evolve
Chances are your coworkers are messaging on everything from Snapchat or SMS. And if you’re a millennial, then chances are the last time you “called in” sick to work you were using your fingers not your voice. The fact is that communication styles continue to evolve as they always have. After all, we’re not still sending telegrams anymore. Formal invitations have led the way for e-vite and paperless post.
Where a decade ago most recruiting and interview scheduling was coordinated by telephone, now email leads the charge as the most efficient means of communication during the job search. Recruiting communications have changed with email paving the way for text messaging as a quickly growing recruitment tool. As these methods increase in use, they gain mainstream acceptance by recruiters and job seekers alike.
Know Your Audience
Did your recruiter reach out by email? Has he or she followed up with you by text message? As with any good relationship, understand the communication style of the person with whom you are corresponding. If the hiring manager you’ve been interviewing with is following up primarily by text message, he or she is indicating that’s their preferred method of communication. Calling you by phone and leaving a phone number, you’ve gotten a clear clue that he or she is expecting a call back, not an emailed response. So, take your cues from your interviewer. If he or she is communicating with you via more formal methods, chances are they will appreciate a traditional thank you note and the time investment that goes with it.
Consider The Goal
Thank you notes aren’t just another item to check off on the old to-do list. Whether by email or by long-hand, craft your thank you note with a purpose.
- Timing: If you’ve asked the right questions at the end of your interview, you hopefully have some idea of next steps or timing. If final interviews will be scheduled in the next 2-3 days, your recruiter will outpace your mail unless you’re planning a personal delivery, in which case an immediate, thoughtfully written email might be best. If first-round interviews will continue for another week or longer, then consider cranking out your thank you later that day and dropping it in the mail ASAP.
- Stand Out: Whether by email or post, a generic “thank you” will have limited impact. Take the time to show your interviewer that you valued the time spent and be specific to your conversation, the company or the role. A highly personalized note or a creative card can be the final push to separate you from your competition.
- Get the Job: Regardless of how well you think your interview went, be sure to finish strong. Use your thank you note as another opportunity to be memorable for all the right reasons. Show your interviewer why you’re the right candidate for the company and the role. Express your interest and excitement about the position and how you can contribute to the organizational or team goals.
Whether the company culture is jeans and flip flops with text messaging as primary communication, or buttoned up with full suit attire and formal memos, bottom line: know how to be professional. A true professional knows how to finish the job completely and successfully. So before you dance your victory lap after a great interview, be sure to end like the professional you are and thank the employer for their time. After all, you want them to appreciate yours too.