Tag Archives: Engineering Recruiters

Following Up With a Thank You Email After An Interview

If you leave an interview knowing in your heart that you want the job, and that you’re the right person for that job, your very next step must be to sit down and craft a thank you letter. When your future is on the line, you want to make sure you take every chance you can to make a positive impression on the hiring team. Once the field has been narrowed to the final few candidates, the team will look closely at the way each candidate performed throughout each step of the process. You won’t want to be the only person on the short list who didn’t send a thank you letter.

Thank You Letter Basics

Some career gurus will tell you to write a handwritten note, but there is nothing wrong with sending an email. Cards and letters can make an impression, but timing is also important when it comes to thanking your interviewers for meeting with you. When it comes to a thank you letter, the message is far more important than the medium.

Use your thank you letter as a way to reinforce the fact that your skills and experience are a great match for the position. You can also use your thank you letter to include something you may have forgotten to mention in the interview.

Send the letter as soon as possible, and try not to let more than 24 hours pass after the interview. Some candidates keep thank you notes in the car, and write them as soon as they leave the interview, while others make it a point to sit down and craft an email as soon as they get home. Whatever you do, remember that time is of the essence. If you wait too long, it shows a lack of interest in the position, and your letter will seem like an afterthought.

Sample Thank You Letter

Every thank you letter you send should be original, but if you’re looking for a starting point, here is a guide to get you started:

Your Name

Your Address

Your City, State, Zip Code

Your Phone Number

Your Email

Date

Interviewer’s Full Name

Title

Organization

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Use the first paragraph to sincerely thank the interviewer for his or her time. Reinforce your interest in the job and express your enthusiasm for the position and the organization.

The second paragraph should remind the interviewer of the unique qualifications that make you an ideal candidate. Be sure to list specific skills that are relevant to the position.

The third paragraph can be a good place to mention anything you may have forgotten to say in the interview. Keep it brief, however.

In your closing, thank the interviewer once again for their consideration and let them know you are looking forward to hearing from him or her.

Sincerely,

Your Name

If you a job seeker looking to take the next step in your career, the recruiting team at The Prevalent Group would love to talk to you. We are always seeking relationships with experienced professionals who have the skills and the ability to deliver results for our diverse group of client companies.  As a nationally recognized management and executive placement recruitment company, we place executives in sales, marketing, engineering, technology and more. If you are looking for new opportunities in these fields, visit our job board to scan our current openings, and then contact us to learn more. We look forward to connecting you with your next job.

4 Soft Skills to Remember in An Interview

During the course of a job interview, you’re probably focused on demonstrating your skills and experience. However, your skills and experience alone will not land you the job. Cultural fit is more important than ever before, as employers are starting to understand that they can retain candidates longer if their work style and personalities are a strong fit. While each company culture is unique, there are some universal soft skills that most every employer looks for throughout the hiring process. Therefore, it will be important to remember these soft skills in your next interview:

A Strong Work Ethic

As you answer questions, be sure to include examples of ways in which you go the extra mile to reach your goals and help your team succeed. Many hiring managers look at past performance as an indicator of future results. Be specific. Have stories on hand that showcase the ways you consistently go above and beyond, and be sure to explain your motivations for doing so.

A Positive Attitude

Showcase examples of times that you helped to boost team morale. Was a project in danger of coming in late or over budget? Was your team faced with a string of 12 hour days, extreme pressure, and poor results? What did you do to keep everyone on task and focused on improving the end result? It is also important to demonstrate a positive attitude at all times, even under pressure.  Be aware that if you are naturally laid-back, it might come across as disinterest in an interview. Try to be upbeat to show the hiring manager that even under pressure, you keep your spirits high.

Time Management

Ever since The Great Recession, employees have been asked to do more with less. There seems to always be too much to do, and not enough time to get it done. Be ready so show examples of the ways in which you prioritize tasks, delegate to others, and make sure that your most important projects are always completed on time.

Confidence and Self-Assuredness

Nowhere is confidence more important than an interview. If you can walk into a room of strangers and sell yourself without appearing nervous or stressed out, it shows that you handle yourself well under pressure. Be sure that your confidence doesn’t come off as arrogance, however.  You show confidence in the way you dress, your eye contact, what you do with your hands, how succinctly you answer questions, and whether or not you appear prepared for the interview. At the close of the interview, be sure to express your continued interest in the position, and ask the interviewer when you can expect to hear back from them.

If you are a professional in sales, marketing, engineering, IT or operations looking for new career opportunities, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team of executive recruiters can help match you with a position that aligns with your long-term career goals, and we can work with you to help perfect your interviewing skills to ensure that you are putting your best foot forward at all times.