Cringe worthy follow up Note

Nurses Job Hunt

Published

I recently interviewed someone for a non-nursing clinical position.

At the end, he was told it would be two weeks before I made a decision. He didn't send a thank you note, but did send me a note this week telling me he was still interested. Unfortunately, his note was basically two run on sentences. The clincher was that the entire note was in lower case! My name, his name, first person reference...everything.

This is a college grad that I was on the fence about hiring after interviewing him. However, the literacy of his note was extremely poor. Why would anyone even send such a poorly written e-mail?

The point is, that follow up notes can be a plus, or a huge negative factor. So, remember that every contact or interaction creates an impression.

Make sure it's a good one.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

It doesn't tell you anything about how they will act once on the job - it is a one time incident, and until a pattern is established, I do not agree with the human desire to hastily pass judgement.

If I were the hiring manager (and this were a candidate I was impressed with before the email) , I would simply respond to the email and thank them for expressing interest, then ask some random follow up question that I didn't ask in the interview. If they responded professionally, I would assume the previous email was a fluke. If it the grammar was poor a second time, then obviously I would move on if grammar/spelling were a necessary component of the position.

Now, as humans so love to do, carry on berating me with your mob mentality for being a decent person unwilling to resort to snap judgements. Please, the more the merrier - the bandwagon effect is mildly entertaining.

Lol. This is entertaining. Baaah. I'm the black sheep.

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The world isn't nice, that's just how it is. If you can't even formulate a correct email then I don't feel bad if you get passed over for a job. Even on this forum or y*h*o answers I see posts like:

"hey guyz ineeda job bad coz my baby daddy left and the closest CNA program is 2000 dollas,,,,,craxyzeee. where can i get trainin fo free? and a plce where i can make $$$?!"

Seriously, grammar and proper punctuation mean a lot.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
It doesn't tell you anything about how they will act once on the job - it is a one time incident, and until a pattern is established, I do not agree with the human desire to hastily pass judgement.

If I were the hiring manager (and this were a candidate I was impressed with before the email) , I would simply respond to the email and thank them for expressing interest, then ask some random follow up question that I didn't ask in the interview. If they responded professionally, I would assume the previous email was a fluke. If it the grammar was poor a second time, then obviously I would move on if grammar/spelling were a necessary component of the position.

Now, as humans so love to do, carry on berating me with your mob mentality for being a decent person unwilling to resort to snap judgements. Please, the more the merrier - the bandwagon effect is mildly entertaining.

As a hiring manager I would view this as someone not very interested in obtaining a position as a professional to send a careless, ill conceived message.

Being literate and educated are essential to the higher educated professional I would be seeking as an employee.

As you gain more experience you too will realize that making that important first impression contact is imperative to obtaining that position.

I know that you are a recent graduate and enrolled, or are about to be enrolled, in a NP program.....I am sure that when you graduate with your NP you would not consider sending a less than articulate response when replying to a potential employer.

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No no no, my point in bringing up the power thing is just to give an example of the worst case scenario. Whether he is in dire straits or not is a moot point. I simply take issue with the way human beings, in general, behave. Humans are just very judgmental creatures, and I dislike the way they try so hard to make life as hard as possible for everyone else. Why do humans enjoy creating barriers and red tape for others? We all lambast the beauracracy of everyday life, yet when given the power to change it, we impose those very same restrictions on other. I find it deplorable.

If this guy doesn't seem capable, by all means, consider a different applicant. If, however, this was an isolated incident for someone who is otherwise capable, then simply give him the benefit of the doubt. Human beings are not perfect - we can not be expected to be perfect at all times, even when it comes to job interviews and random thank you emails.

Oh man.. that was beautiful! So much more eloquent than my post.

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Specializes in Pedi.
It doesn't tell you anything about how they will act once on the job - it is a one time incident, and until a pattern is established, I do not agree with the human desire to hastily pass judgement.

If I were the hiring manager (and this were a candidate I was impressed with before the email) , I would simply respond to the email and thank them for expressing interest, then ask some random follow up question that I didn't ask in the interview. If they responded professionally, I would assume the previous email was a fluke. If it the grammar was poor a second time, then obviously I would move on if grammar/spelling were a necessary component of the position.

Now, as humans so love to do, carry on berating me with your mob mentality for being a decent person unwilling to resort to snap judgements. Please, the more the merrier - the bandwagon effect is mildly entertaining.

You HAVE to judge people when you interview them. That's the whole point of having interviews- to judge who the best candidate for the job is. Not everyone deserves a chance for a job in healthcare- sorry, that's just the truth. I currently work for an employer that has an overabundance of uneducated non-clinical people doing basic tasks like answering the phone and filing faxes. The level of incompetence is unbelievable sometimes. Someone who's too lazy to use the shift key when sending an email won't be getting any job that I'm interviewing for. I toss nurses' resumes all the time because of horrible grammar or formatting.

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And that is why you had to correct another OP on a different thread for a misspelling of "likelihood"?

Wowwwwwww. Ultimate pot calling the kettle moment.

Much of this thread is amusing, but this is my favorite.

Although somebody suggesting that an interviewer should not be judgemental took a very close second.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

But he obviously is flawed in other ways since OP was already on the fence about hiring him.

Sure society expects us to "jump through hoops" but if we didn't, why bother interview anyone then? I find interviews with stuffy suits to be the biggest hoop. So lets just give jobs to the first person who applies. Oh, but then we aren't being equal because Sally Jo couldn't hit enter fast enough.

I know it seems like people are jumping through hoops, but honestly, I send a HAND WRITTEN thank you note and triple check my wording and capitalization before putting pen to card and mailing it. I truly take great care when I am writing to someone, because I want them to know their valuable time was appreciated.

Are you saying that my great care shouldn't matter? Saying that my preparation for interviews doesn't matter? Saying using spell check in an EMAIL doesn't matter? Saying that taking the time to brush up on computer skills doesn't matter? Saying that reading over your own email before hitting send doesn't matter?

If anything, this applicant is demonstrating a lack of motivation to do much of anything. OP says this is a non clinical job. What if part of that role requires email communications? Is this someone who shows great care when sending emails?

Everyone these days has a sob story. Believe me. I've got one too. The difference is, I don't EXPECT preferential treatment. I don't expect anyone to look past my flaws if they shine bright. I'm a new grad, so I work hard to do more to show my desire to learn. If you don't have motivation to sell yourself, what sets you apart from every other sob story about no food on the table, power and water shut off, no car that's out there?

Forget about what you can't do, focus on how you plan to improve yourself and set the plan into action!

For OP, if there is another candidate you are more interested in, then proceed with them.

If not, perhaps provide feedback to this applicant about professional correspondence, particularly if that would be in his/her job description!!!! Then proceed with hiring.

AGREED. :yes:

Wish I could LOVE this!!

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

You comment is so true SlyFoxRN I have worked with new hires who said and wrote the right things, but their work ethics were terrible. They just had too much practice with interviews. On the other hand, more qualified candidates without perfect interviewing skills may not get noticed. Years ago, we seldom wrote the thank you letter follow up. Does anyone really get employed based on a thank you letter?

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Specializes in Eventually Midwifery.

I am a firm believer in a hand written thank you. Yes, when it comes down to equally qualified candidates, a well thought out, grammatically correct thank you note can make all of the difference in the world. An e-mail is way too informal when job hunting. So the offense, in my opinion, was not the lower-case letters at all. The interviewee should have taken the time to write by hand a thank you not.

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Specializes in ED, trauma.

If this guy doesn't seem capable, by all means, consider a different applicant. If, however, this was an isolated incident for someone who is otherwise capable, then simply give him the benefit of the doubt. Human beings are not perfect - we can not be expected to be perfect at all times, even when it comes to job interviews and random thank you emails.

She already said she was on the fence, therefore she was questioning his abilities based on his performance in the interview.

I'm not saying its fair, but life isn't fair. No one is perfect, but we should all at the very least try to put effort into the things we do and put our best work forward.

I don't half @$$ anything I do. I make sure I am at least presenting the best image of me that I can while still being myself. I don't fake interviews. Being genuine and professional is important to me. I have solid work ethic and I take pride in what I do each and every day.

If this applicant already had OP on the fence, a well thought out note could have made the difference and the impression made could have been different.

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Specializes in ED, trauma.
albert einstien was nortorious for messy writing filled with poor syntax and spelling mistakes.

But I bet Albert Einstein wouldn't have had bedside manner!

Or even worse....someone would impose unrealistic expectations of wanting well groomed hair and clothing of him while he was caring for clients.

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Specializes in ED, trauma.
You comment is so true SlyFoxRN I have worked with new hires who said and wrote the right things but their work ethics were terrible. They just had too much practice with interviews. On the other hand, more qualified candidates without perfect interviewing skills may not get noticed. Years ago, we seldom wrote the thank you letter follow up. Does anyone really get employed based on a thank you letter?[/quote']

I've received offers based on my taking the time to follow up via email and mail a thank you card. They said I was the applicant they remembered most because they had more than just my résumé to look at when they were narrowing it down.

Years ago the market was in need of nurses and offering sign on bonuses. Now when every résumé looks the same and all the applicants run together, do something to set yourself apart - good or bad, BE DIFFERENT.

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