Post-interview thank you notes - do you or don't you?

[klone, MSN, RN]

I was just reading an old thread here from about three years ago, when several people mentioned that they had never heard of sending post-interview thank you notes until they came here. Others are like "...wha? Of COURSE you send a thank you note!" I've always been in the "yes, always" camp, but my husband, also an RN, has never sent one (until this last job, when he was fretting about not hearing anything back yet, and I asked if you emailed the interviewer to thank him yet, and he said that was a GENIUS idea like he had never heard of it before).

For those of you who do send thank you notes, what format? In the past, I've always sent actual blank cards and just wrote a short note "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, I really enjoyed learning about the job" type of thing. But then someone else in that old thread compared that to a post-baby shower thank you card and thought it was unprofessional. The last couple jobs I've had, I've sent thank you emails to the interviewer.

Anyway, just wondering what others do.

[Texas86RN]

Yes, send a thank you note, it also makes you stand out from the rest

[dexm]

Definitely send a thank you note! Or at least a thank you email. I sent a thank you email after my interview and ended up getting the job. Whether or not that is what "sealed the deal," I don't think it would hurt to send one!

[amoLucia]

Regardless of what others may say, I've always known it to be expected that a thank you is expected as routine. Much like the 'THANK YOU' for any gift.

It won't hurt and as PP points out, you stand out from the rest.

Also, some head honchos are from the 'old school' and your failure to send a 'Thank You' could be negatively looked upon and tag you as one who fails to follow simple common courtesy/protocol standards.

Even if you have a horrid interview, send a simple note.

[nursel56]

Yes, I think the standard is to send a thank-you note now. Fifteen years ago I heard some hiring managers say they thought thank-you cards were creepy! LOL. Times change! I would definitely keep it short and to the point, though. I'm not sure about the etiquette of email vs paper, though. Maybe we'll get some feedback about a preference in that regard.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Well, I'm one of those who may or may not send a thank you note or email; I usually didn't send one and I still was offered a position I interviewed for.

At my most recent interview, I was offered a position, so the thank you was offered in person.

[Caffeine_IV]

Every job I sent a thank you note for I didn't get. The ones I didn't bother, I did get.

[GrumpyRN, NP]

I would not dream of sending a note, never heard of this idea and would be a bit perturbed by someone I interviewed sending me a note - would strike me as desperation and 'sucking up'.

Would certainly ask for/give post interview feedback but that is it. I wonder if this is an American thing?

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I would not dream of sending a note, never heard of this idea and would be a bit perturbed by someone I interviewed sending me a note - would strike me as desperation and 'sucking up'.

Would certainly ask for/give post interview feedback but that is it. I wonder if this is an American thing?

maybe it's a generation gap thing? I find the whole idea absurd.

Thank You notes are for wedding gifts or Bar Mitzvah gifts. Situations where you don't open the gifts in front of the person who gave them. If I open a gift in front of you and say "thank you" with my own mouth to your own ears, sending a note on top of that is just stupid and unnecessary.

And Thank You notes for job interviews? That's just flat out weird and creepy.

[VampyrSlayer, CNA]

I always do... Usually in email form

[VampyrSlayer, CNA]

And thank you notes for gifts you open in front of people is good etiquette

[OCNRN63, RN]

I've always sent thank you notes; I never had anyone look askance at me for doing so.