[Anonymous]

After 8 interviews and at lest 20 thank you notes only one person has ever responded. Is this normal?

[KBinMN]

I don't think responding to thank you cards automatically leads a candidate on.

What really bothers me about the whole thing is that it is socially acceptable to send thank you cards. But then since employers tell people that it can make a difference in getting hired, then it really becomes expected. I mean you want to give yourself the best chance right?

And just how someone said responding to thank you cards is awkward and difficult, thank you cards themselves are the same. Just a standard thanks for your time obviously isn't enough to get you to stand out, so then you need to bring up something else. All around it is a waste of time, time of the person writing it and receiving it.

And isn't thanking the interviewer for their time at the end of the interview enough? How many frickin thank you's does there need to be?

[trish_1234]

LOL KBin, I totally agree.

AUD 69, 92 7/15 Gleim and Ninja test bank
FAR sometime in 10/15 Gleim
BEC not taken
REG not taken

[Lindsey_p87]

There are always going to be hoops to jump through in the interviewing/jobhunting world. This is just another one. Do I think it's silly that it's now expected? Yes. Am I going to do it b/c it's expected? Yes. Ultimately, despite being awkward, it's not really that difficult or time-consuming to do.

FAR - PASSED 11/14
AUD - TBD
BEC - TBD
REG - First take 2/16

[s2sylvir]

It was interesting — when I interviewed for PwC, the interviewer actually sent me a handwritten letter saying she couldn't wait to see me again and go shopping together XD

It didn't end up working out as I asked to transfer my application to another office, and then I bombed the interview at that office, because the interviewer was so freaking boring. We went through everything on my resume line by line. Okay, I get you want to ask some behavioral question, but can I really tell you how life changing every single event was? No. Stop asking.

I literally fell asleep in the interview. Sadly it was a senior partner hah.

BEC - PASS (79)
AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
REG - PASS (88)
FAR - PASS (58, 89)

Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

[Tripp11]

As a candidate, aren't you trying to set yourself apart from the sea of other candidates? Of course you are. You do this by trying to earn internships and have those listed on your resume. You do this by donating your time towards worthy causes and documenting these extracurricular activities on your resume. You do this by succeeding in your college courses and having an impressive GPA.

Researching the interviewing firm and knowing a little bit about perhaps a niche business we work in also helps.

If one more thing, like sending a thank you card, sets you apart from a few candidates who might have thought sending a thank you card was stupid or silly, why not do it?

As I've said, it's your choice. If you think it's dumb, stupid, silly, and a waste of time – so be it. Just know there's someone out there with just as good as credentials as you who took the 2 minutes to send the thank you card.

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[Son]

@Lilla – I would simply thank them and mention when they can expect the answer (or, that they will get an answer once the company makes the decision). Doesn’t have to be fancy, just to acknowledge the person’s email. You’re totally right that giving them false hope is the worst.

@Jilly Beans – all your points are valid, and I agree with them. I also think that answering with a simple “thank you for your email” is a great way to let the person know you’ve received their email and appreciate their time. Obviously if the company plans to respond in the next couple days with a final decision no answer would be expected. Lastly, hand-written cards, in my opinion, are a bit overboard:)

@mla, many people in this thread are assuming the candidate is unemployed and is actively seeking for a new job; but some of the best candidates are passive seekers who are employed and just wanted to explore what’s there in the market for them. Even if the candidate is actively seeking employment, your company might not be their only or best choice either. I’m judging from a position of a person who can allow himself to be picky, and as Jilly Beans has mentioned here, small things like a thank-you note (or, in this case a response to one) can swing the candidate one way or another.

As I said before, one of those candidates you’ve interviewed will end up being your employee or maybe even a friend. I simply think acknowledging each other’s time and efforts is a good way to start a work relationship.

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[mla1169]

Son I'm not assuming anything. So don't send thank you notes or better yet make sure to explain that your time is as valuable as theirs. I'm trying to explain the way things,actually work instead of entertaining some notion of the way things should be. I've been in the workforce longer than most here, and think reality is a better take than the whole “everybody gets a trophy” mentality.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Son]

Mla, I'm speaking from my personal, although limited, experience. I got hired by a Big 4 director who was not too busy to respond to my emails – including my thank you note – within a day or two of me sending them. And as you can easily imagine, the man is pretty busy.

That is the general approach of my group when it comes to hiring and retaining people. We're a small group, so every person matters and makes a difference. That's why we try to make sure from the start that every person feels included and valued. That is also why people stick around for 10, 15, 30 years and don't leave after 2-3 busy seasons. So, your perspective is valid – all I'm saying is that there's another.

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[Author]

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