You Are Sending Thank You Notes, Right?

You just had an informational interview, an actual job interview, or even just a chance encounter that was beneficial to your job search. Do you immediately send a hand-written thank you note?

Yes. The answer is always yes.

A new study confirms that you should break out the pen and nice stationary, and write a quick and earnest thank you note to the person.

Thank You Notes Make Everyone Happy

The study found that found that people routinely underestimate the value of expressing gratitude.

The vast majority of thank you note recipients rated themselves a five on the happiness scale (the highest possible level) and between an eight and nine on the surprise scale after reading the note.

Such a huge impact with such a small action.

Thank You Notes Get You the Job

Way back in 2004, I was dreaming of working in ICT4D while toiling away in accounting. By chance, I was able to meet with the VP of a company that ran Geekcorps – a Peace Corps for geeks.

After our meeting, I wrote him a quick thank you note. Nothing special – just that I enjoyed meeting him, expressed my support for the Geekcorps mission, and promised to apply as a volunteer.

A few months later, they posted a job ad, I applied, and I became the director of Geekcorps.

After I’d been working there a while, I asked him how I got the job. They certainly had many candidates to choose from, most with greater experience in development than me.

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out my thank you note, and said, “You were the only one who wrote a thank you note.”