Microsoft's JobsBlog

Dear JobsBlog: What advice do you have for sending a thank you note after an interview? The conventional wisdom is that a handwritten note is best and e-mail can come across as too casual. Is an e-mail thank you note considered acceptable in Microsoft’s e-mail heavy culture or would it send the wrong message? Any tips on what to say in the thank you note?

This is an interesting question! In my everyday, non-professional life I’m an old-fashioned kind of gal. I like to talk to my friends face-to-face, don’t IM people (unless it’s for work) and love receiving handwritten letters from my closest friends and family. I love postcards and think texting is lame.

But in my professional life I am quite the opposite. I would rather talk to someone over IM or email than get into lengthy conversations over the phone. As for regular mail, I know some people at Microsoft who only check their snail mail at work every few months.

When it comes to thank you notes, handwritten or email doesn’t matter. It's not even necessary to send a thank you note. It’s not expected and you will never be hired or not hired based on that.

However I think it’s a nice touch, and it may get people to do things faster for you, or to remind a recruiter or manager that you are still there. But it will never cause you to lose or gain a job (we legally cannot consider those things). Of course, if you really felt grateful it can only help your karma in life to send a thank you note. :-)

In things like this it’s the thought that counts, but here are some tips on format as well:

• Remind the interviewer who you are, what you interviewed for and when.
• Mention something you spoke about in the interview if you can (it’s a nice touch to say "I really appreciated when you walked me through your typical day and we talked about that project you are currently working on")
• Let them know that you are still interested in the position at hand.

Hope that helps!

- Janelle