Thank you letter post interview

[Jenni811]

Had an interview a while ago. I'm a nurse now on a cardiac step down but interviewed for a CCU position in the same hospital. I wrote a thank you letter after my interview (3 weeks ago). I was going through my Junk mail today and deleting them. I had realized that i got the email back (it went to my junk email) saying that the email was unable to be sent.

Will sending one three weeks later hurt my chances? Or the fact that they didnt get a thank you letter from me at all?

I'm really worried about this and can't stop thinking about it.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I disagree that a "thank you" email is tacky. It's the 21st century. Jobs are now posted on Craigslist rather than in newspaper classified ads, resumes are requested to be sent via email as an attachment, cover letters are via email or an online form, and first interviews are often done on the phone. I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with a thank you via email.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

You put your laundry out here for us to comment on and call me rude. You asked and it's not personal...

Your response very much sounds like YOU are taking it personally...

The world doesn't care about the way you see it. Yours might be of the new generation that likes to cut corners on etiquette and decency but why not be the exception not the rule? Whatever you do please continue with the status quo. Be ordinary... Don't dare attempt to make an impression. Don't stand out. Send those flavorless emails that will ultimately get overlooked, deleted or lost in cyber-space. WTH, it's EASIER, right?

I understand that what is perceived as etiquette now might not seem like proper etiquette to you. An email might seem like cutting corners when you grew up with hand written thank you notes for everything. However, DIFFERENT is not synonymous with WORSE. In fact, your opinion seems to be the exception to the rule, not the OP. It used to be etiquette for nurses to stand every time a physician entered the room also... Suggesting that the OP sending an email thank you makes her lazy, devoid of etiquette, or indecent is rude and rather arrogant.

Look around at the multiple posts about how I can't find a job, I can't get hired, No work anywhere... There is a common theme there time and time again. They're not getting noticed. It's not the GPA, it's not your affiliation to clubs and professional organizations, it's lack of effective communication. Make the extra effort...send the card...see what positive things are generated by not being the one that took the easier route.

But what do I know? I've never been without a job.

So you really think that hundreds of nurses are out of work because they failed to send a hand written thank you note? Please be reasonable. Don't you know that the vast majority of job applications are online? That applicants are asked NOT to call HR to check on their application? That nurses can apply for dozens of positions without even getting an opportunity to send a post-interview thank you card? But no, I'm sure hundreds of jobs would open up for new graduates if they weren't so lazy and spent that 44 cents for a stamp.

Oh you've never been without a job? Congratulations. I'm sure it's due to the fact that you always sent a hand written note and not the fact that you entered nursing 17 years ago, when the economic situation was quite different.

It's attitude similar to yours (the "This is the way we have always done it, it's the best way, and if you don't like it-tough." attitude) that contribute to horizontal violence among nurses.

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

I'm always amazed at the people that get all bent out of shape by a comment from someone you do not know, that has no influence in your life, that is possibly hundreds of miles away.

How can you be amazed at this when you did exactly this? You called her note tacky, she called your comment rude, and you responded with a multiparagraph diatribe. Did you amaze yourself as well, because you responded in a far more bent out of shape way than the OP did? Wow.

I stand by my statement that email thank yous are fine. It's knowing that the person was professional enough to know that a thank you should be sent that means more than the method of communication. Unless you sent it in a bag of dog **** that you set on fire after ringing the doorbell. That would be, I'd guess, an unwelcome communication method.

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

jeez lady.

I wasn't looking for people to call my choices "Tacky." That is completely different than what i was asking. My question wasn't if i should have written a letter through mail or one through email. I know i had the choice to do either. But really...it's the 21st century. No one communicates by mail anymore. yea i could have been the one to "stand out" your right on that. But just because i chose not to do that through a letter does not mean an email was "tacky." let's say she would would have gotten the email... i'm positive she wouldn't have sat at her desk thinking "Jeez i can't believe this girl wrote an email how tacky is that."

Yea, it really sucks it did get lost in cyberspace as you would call it, but it could have happened in the regular mail too....it happens. At least with an email i know about it getting lost.

clearly this a generational gap.

I beg to differ regarding the comment that no one communicates by mail anymore. Two years ago I interviewed for a position that I ultimately did not get. However, I sent a thank you card on a nice monogrammed note card thanking the interviewers for taking time out of their busy day to talk with me. Three months later, I was surprised by an offer of a job for a completely different position from this same facility. No need for an interview whatsoever, just we have this position and think you would be perfect....the reason? They remembered me because I was the only one to send a "real" thank you note.

[Jenni811, RN]

I beg to differ regarding the comment that no one communicates by mail anymore. Two years ago I interviewed for a position that I ultimately did not get. However, I sent a thank you card on a nice monogrammed note card thanking the interviewers for taking time out of their busy day to talk with me. Three months later, I was surprised by an offer of a job for a completely different position from this same facility. No need for an interview whatsoever, just we have this position and think you would be perfect....the reason? They remembered me because I was the only one to send a "real" thank you note.

Well someone thinks there poo don't stink....

Yea i'm pretty sure that isn't the only reason you got the job. If you had a sucky interview i highly doubt they would offer you the position just because you wrote a real letter.

ROUND OF A APPLAUSE TO YOU!!! :yeah: :yeah:

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Well someone thinks there poo don't stink....

Jenni- I did not get this impression at all from tvccrn's post. She was simply providing feedback. I did not take that as a personal attack whatsoever.

At any rate, I wish you all the best. Please stop beating yourself up over the thank you note. You are young, and have your whole life in front of you. I'm sure good things will come your way.

all the best to you

Diane, RN

[Jenni811, RN]

I'm just annoyed with people not addressing the original question. I've made it clear that i'm not writing a letter, i am e-mailing one. We've learned in nursing school to "consider your audience" well my audience, the person receiving the letter, is a 28 year old (something like that) manager who is new to the position and contacts everyone by email.

Heck...she told me by email that i got an interview and that HR will be contacting me.

She has an ipad2 so i highly doubt an e-mail to her is considered "Tacky"

So end of discussion on me writing a letter vs e-mailing a letter because i e-mailed. Now back to the original question.....

[klone, MSN, RN]

Jenni- I did not get this impression at all from tvccrn's post. She was simply providing feedback. I did not take that as a personal attack whatsoever.

At any rate, I wish you all the best. Please stop beating yourself up over the thank you note. You are young, and have your whole life in front of you. I'm sure good things will come your way.

all the best to you

Diane, RN

I agree. I think everyone involved in the debate is being a little over-the-top and overly personal.

I also don't necessarily think it was rude to call a thank-you email "tacky." I see her POV, I just don't agree with it.

Jenni - I see you're relatively new to the boards. It's common and to be expected that threads will go off on tangents. Trying to redirect or stop a tangent is like herding cats. Best to just not even try.

[Jenni811, RN]

People just need to keep comments like that to themselves so that it doesnt happen. I think maybe 2 people actually addressed the real question and about 4 or 5 had an opinion about if i should do an email or not.

I've made a decision to write an email. and its not tacky.

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I've made a decision to write an email. and its not tacky.

I'm with you on this.

I was just accepted a FT Hospice RN position, and I sent the recruiter and email thank you. I had an interview with management the next day.

All the best!

Diane, RN

[klone, MSN, RN]

People just need to keep comments like that to themselves so that it doesnt happen.

well, they won't. So it's best to just nip that expectation in the bud.

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

Well someone thinks there poo don't stink....

Yea i'm pretty sure that isn't the only reason you got the job. If you had a sucky interview i highly doubt they would offer you the position just because you wrote a real letter.

ROUND OF A APPLAUSE TO YOU!!! :yeah: :yeah:

You need to get off your high horse, I was merely presenting a situation where a real note helped. If you can't handle a constructive comment you are in for a hard road.

I didn't get the original job because I only had an ADN and they wanted a BSN. However, I was more than qualified for the second job and yes, they told me they remembered me because of the letter.

I am so sick of the newer generation of nurses thinking they are so much better when most of them act like they are entitled to everything and your attitude to people here just underlines that.