The Job-Hunting Teacher Series: Thank You Notes

Hello again friends!

Welcome back to the Job-Hunting Teacher Series. Today's post is about writing "Thank You" notes after your interview. This is a crucial step in the interviewing process! Some employer's actually think less of those interviewees who do not send a prompt "thank you." To make sure you don't end up on the Black List, follow these tips for writing and sending the perfect "Thank You."

Preparing Your Thank You

• Make sure to have the name(s) of the person(s) who interviewed you.
• Make every effort to write to each interviewer. If it was a large panel interview, it is appropriate to write a note to each of the mangers of the departments that were present.
• If you grabbed business cards at the interview, this is an easy way to make sure you have everyone's name and correct spelling.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help! When I interviewed for a teaching position a few years ago, I knew a fellow teacher already on staff. When I went to write my thank yous, I realized I didn't remember one of the interviews. I Facebooked (yes this is a word) my (future) colleague to ask her for her name, as I knew what her position was. Easy as that!
• Alternatively, you can make use of the internet for this as well. If you don't have the spelling of the Assistant Principal, take a look on the school's website.

Writing Your Thank You

•  You want it to be personable, but not too chummy. Make sure to include a formal salutation, but do not spell out titles such as Mr., Ms., or Dr. Err on the side of caution when choosing to write Mrs. This assumes more than you know. Stick with Ms.
• Use a colon after the salutation line. This is more formal, for business purposes. Save the commas for your letter to Grandma.
• Click the image below for a PDF to help format your thank you letter. 

Sending Your Thank You

• Send your thank you letters within 24 hours of the interview, if possible.
• If time is a factor, a thank you email or phone call can also be appropriate. You may still choose to send the traditional thank you note as well.

Handwritten vs. Typed:

• Some people believe handwritten notes are dated. Others think typed and signed letters are too stuffy. Still others find e-mail too informal and inappropriate. So which is best?
• The answer is not that simple. It depends on the company's climate (in many of our cases, the school's climate), your personality (particularly in regards to how you interview), the job you have interviewed for, and how much time the employer has before offers are made. For example, a handwritten note may indeed seem very irrelevant if you are interviewing for a high-end tech firm. Likewise, in a small community school, an email thank you may come across as cold and ingenuine. Know your audience, your field, and yourself to make the decision. But if time is a factor (such as school starts in 2 days and they need to hire a teacher), it is generally viewed as acceptable to send an email thank you as an initial follow-up.

For most posts in the series, click the image below.

Do  you usually write thank you notes after your interviews? Which method do you use? I want to hear your thoughts!