Are you one of those lucky recruiters who get thank-you letters following an interview? Do these ten courteous lines make a difference to you? Accountemps, the Robert Half temporary staffing firm, investigated the matter by polling 100 Canadian executives in October, echoing a survey done in 2002.
In five years, the opinion of recruiters has practically not budged—the thank-you letter is truly appreciated. In 2002, 79% of respondents thought that this small courtesy definitely played in a candidate’s favour, while 76%, this year, supported such initiatives. A thank-you letter is easy to write and could sway the balance in some cases.
Despite this fact, however, only one candidate in five takes the time to thank the person who interviewed him or her. Candidates seem to be ignoring this sound advice, since between 2002 and 2007, the number of thank-you letters received by recruiters fell by 3%.
And should candidates hesitate on the form of thank-you to give, the survey also sheds light on how recruiters prefer to be acknowledged. Because it is easier to handle, 62% of recruiters prefer thanks via e-mail. Handwritten letters, while more personal, are also more of a bother than e-mail, and only appeal to 22% of recruiters. Conversely, the more indolent approach of telephoning to convey thanks risks flopping, with only 4% of recruiters liking this method. Finally, 12% of recruiters have very high standards and would like candidates to both call and write after an interview.
Let’s hope that this survey does not again fall on deaf ears and that future candidates take into account recruiters’ sound advice.