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| Wednesday, 16 September 2009 00:23 | |||||
During my University days, I started a part-time job as voice director and instructor at one of the music schools here in Winnipeg. I had a fair number of students and enjoyed every minute I spent with each and every one of them. Apart from the experience I gained, I also had the opportunity to build rapport with my students. Although this was several years ago, the lines of communication somehow remained open either through e-mail or online networking. In fact, one day, to my surprise, I opened my e-mail and found a message from one of my former students. In the message, she was quite thankful for having had me as her instructor. She said she realized that the tools I provided her, as well as the knowledge she gained, have been very useful to her since she has been quite involved with musical productions in school. She said she sent me the e-mail to simply say thanks. I remember I once had a colleague who had applied for job. She was just in the process of a career change at that time. Shortly after her interview for one of the jobs she applied for, she sent a thank you card. From then on, her new manager remembered her for that extra step she had taken during the selection process. Some of you are probably thinking why and what purpose does thanking somebody serve. We often do not realize that a simple thank you note after a job interview carries significant weight and influence on the job application process. It shows courtesy and respect It’s unfortunate that expressing gratitude is often overlooked. Sending a thank you note shows the interviewer that you appreciate the time and courtesy they he or she extended toward you. After all, the interviewer gave up part of his or her day to learn more about you and what you have to offer. It is only fair to extend the same courtesy and appreciation toward the interviewer. Stand out with a simple thank you It’s quite surprising but majority of job applicants forget to send thank you notes after their interview. Believe it or not, successful job candidates can land positions by making the effort of sending a thank you note. Reiterate your skills or mention any points you forgot to mention at the interview A thank you note can be used not only to express thanks but also to stress on your skills or add any information you might have missed during the interview. There are several ways to you can thank someone. You can write on a thank you card, write a formal thank you letter or simply fire off an e-mail message to the interviewer. My personal preference is a thank you card because not a lot of people send thank you’s the traditional way. Apart from the fact that it’s more personal, it would most certainly make the job candidate stand out from the competition. Believe it or not, an easy thing to forget in the midst of our busy lives is the simple act of saying, “thank you.” Do you remember the last time you were thanked for shopping at a store? How about when you stayed at a hotel, did the front desk thank you for your stay? How about after you filled up your car at a gas station? Did the clerk say thanks? And, would you honestly go back to the store if you weren’t acknowledged? The thank you note I received from my former student was so simple yet holds considerable impact. And, it’s an act of courtesy that will always be remembered. Writing a simple thank you note is not that hard. It only takes a few minutes to do and it’s a great way to make you stand out from the rest of the candidates. Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbours build their philosophy of life. – A. J. Cronin Michele Majul is an HR Professional with Canada Post Corporation in Prairie Region. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Human Resource Management.
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