Your 'Thank-you-for -the-interview'

1. Boost your chances by sending a follow-up thank-you note
2. Tips on how to write a Thank-You note

1. Boost your chances by sending a follow-up thank-you note

You’ve written a great CV and survived the crucial interview. So what do you do now? Just sit back and wait until the company contacts you? Wrong. Give a boost to your ACCA job application by following up with a thank-you note. Since less than 10% of interviewees ever follow-up with a thank-you note, by doing so you can be sure that you will rise that much higher through the list of candidates. A thank-you note always leaves a favourable impression with a prospective employer. It shows that you are an interested, committed and considerate person. The thank-you note is something that should not be overlooked in today's competitive job market, and it is to your advantage that many other applicants tend to ignore this small but significant gesture.

2. Tips on how to write a Thank-You note

The following are some tips to bear in mind when writing a thank-you note.

A mailed hard copy note.
You should plan to send a thank-you note within a day or so of your interview. While some professions such as those in the technology industry would accept e-mailed thank-you notes as norm behaviour, it is likely that employers in the finance profession would prefer a mailed hard copy. If you want to be ‘first’, e-mail a thank-you note and follow-up with hard-copy. Type your thank-you letter in a standard business format, although a hand-written note adds the nice touch (providing, that is, your hand-writing is good). Avoid using “Thank You” stationery (cards, etc.) or business letterhead when writing your thank you. Just use standard plain paper – preferably the same paper you used when printing out your CV.

Personalize it.
You will probably be one of numerous interviewees most of whom will also have the ACCA qualification, so you need to set yourself apart from the other applicants in a way that your prospective employer will remember you after the interview. In your thank-you note, emphasise a key point from your interview that you think the interviewer will recall, and therefore know who thethank-you note is coming from. Mention the day of the interview and job title,this will also aid recall.

Additionally, if you are interviewed by more than one person, perhaps a panel of
interviewers, consider sending them all thank-you notes, each one slightly different. This is not only polite, but you may not know exactly who in the group will be making the recruitment decision, and so it will be ‘good politics’as well. Try to get a business card from each interviewer as this will help you with names and titles when you write your thank-yous.

Keep your note brief and courteous.
Keep the thank-you note brief and courteous. It should be no more than one page. Show courtesy by expressing your gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the prospective employer, and thank him/her for taking the time to talk with you.

Express your enthusiasm for the job.
Express your interest in and enthusiasm for the company, department and the job-position for which you interviewed. Try to be precise about why you are interested and how you are so right for the job. Resist the urge to sell yourself, the interview is the time you should have done that.

Address unresolved issues.
Address any points or questions that arose during the interview that you feel you did not fully answer or give jstice to. This thank-you note may be your last chance to resolve doubts in the mind of your interviewer and leave him/her with a positive impression.

Reiterate your strengths and highlight your successes
For instance that you have passed through the robust ACCA exam programme. If the
interviewer stressed particular issues, needs or challenges, use your thank-you
note to explain how you can meet those requirements. Similarly, if the interviewer spoke about the ideal qualifications and personal qualities required for the position, use your thank-you note to highlight how you meet or surpass those qualities.

Proof-read, and then proof-read again.
Now is not the time to make spelling or grammatical mistakes Make sure your thank-you note conveys a professional image by ensuring it is error free.

Keep a copy.
Keep a copy for your records, especially if you've used your thank-you note to restate, elaborate, or clarify points raised on the interview. Also,keep copies of any replies, so that you have an entire history of your employment application.

For template examples suitable for ACCA applicants of 'Thank-You' notes refer to the free-of-charge tonysurridge.co.uk/job-search/ ‘Thank-You-For-The-Interview' template examples.