To thank you note or not to thank you note, that is the question.
TL:DR Send a thank you
I grew up in a very traditional household. After each birthday and every Christmas, my parents sat me down and we wrote down what every friend and family member gave us. Then, we wrote thank you notes and mailed them out. At the time, I honestly hated this ritual. I didn’t really see any of my friends or cousins doing it so I wondered, why do we have to do this?
Flash forward to my first job as a CCLS in the hospital. It was Christmas time and, as usual, the donations were coming in fast! It was our job to divide and conquer the thank you notes to our donors. Some of my co-workers were really struggling to get these notes done! But, I was ready to knock them out quickly. I realized that the routine of writing a personal thank you note was something that I didn’t even really need to think about, it just came naturally to me.
While a handwritten note is always a nice touch (who doesn’t like to receive a handwritten note in the mail!?) it’s not always the most feasible considering the mail system and the inner-hospital mail system, a terrible combo.
After you’ve done an interview whether it be on zoom or in-person, I feel that it is professional and responsible to send a thank you, even if it is an email.
What should a thank you email include?
- Address them by their names (take note during the interview when they introduce themselves),
- Thank them for their time and the opportunity,
- Then highlight something unique about their hospital, their team, or your learning goals.
- Reiterate why, based on this interview, you feel you would be a good fit for the position. It doesn’t have to be a novel, but just 3-4 sentences as a closing to the interview experience.
What if the site doesn’t want a thank you letter?
I’ve personally never known someone to say “ugh, they sent a THANK YOU email, we probably won’t have them move on to the next round….”
Just sayin’.
If you find someone with this philosophy, please send them my way because I’d like to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, and I look forward to connecting with you in the future! You can follow me @yourchildifecoach to learn more about me and my work with students. Have a great day!
Lauren
