Thank You Notes are a crucial part to the interview process that far too many people overlook. Writing a proper thank you note following the interview can provide a much needed boost in positioning you over another candidate for a position. Some of the most often asked questions that I receive include What do I say in a Thank You letter? and How do I send it?

Let’s start with what should you say.

1. For starters “Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the (fill in the blank) position on (fill in the date). Hiring managers are very busy people. When they are down a person or two they may be required to pick up the slack. Their time is extremely valuable.

2. Reiterate your understanding of the requirements of the position. This shows that you have a clear understanding of their expectations.

3. Show how you can meet their expectations while providing solid examples of how you have exhibited those particular skills and knowledge in real life situations; ideally professional situations. Career changers should list examples of how they have demonstrated these skills in other leadership scenarios.

4. Draw on a connection made during the interview. Whatever connection you were able to make during an interview, whether it was a mutual friend, a reoccuring technical problem related to the job, former employer, alma mater, interest in a sport/favorite team, social organization…whatever; just draw attention to that connection or common interest.

5. Indicate level of interest — Caution, be original. Don’t just say you are very interested in the position…indicate why you would be a strong fit for the position. Show your level of experience and interest in the position by giving valid reasons as to why you are a good fit citing company culture, business motto, work ethic, or other valid reasons for your enthusiasm.

6. Keep it Brief — there’s no clear written rule on this, but in my opinion, 8 sentences should suffice. They already should know all about you...you are simply showing gratitude for their interest in you as a candidate.

The next question I typically encounter is, How do I send it? With so many methods of communication available to us today, what form is the most acceptible means of communication?

1. Hand-written notes win the points with more experienced (i.e. the over 50 crowd) decision-makers. That’s not to say that managers under 50 don’t appreciate the hand-written note; I’m just saying, it’s a generational thing. The feeling is, people rarely actually take time to hand-write a note today because we have conditioned ourselves to using email for business purposes. However proper and more formal etiquette tout the hand-written note as always being best. *Note* Make sure the note arrives within 1-2 business days of the interview.

2. Email thank you notes are certainly faster. If you know the decision is being made within 24-48 hours my personal feeling is that time is of the essence. A well-written thank-you email is acceptible in any case, but if time is crucial, any kind of heart-felt thankyou is better than none arriving at all.

3. What about a faxed note? In my opinion, the fax could work, but it could look sloppy or not get delivered. I would say Email rather than fax, because at least with email, you can request a read receipt and in some cases, you might get a response back.

Hopefully, these nine suggestions for Post-interview Thank You Notes have provided some kind of clarification as to the process.