If our blog, Interview Thank You Note Musts, and the Slideshare, 8 Interview Thank You Note No-no’s, weren’t enough to convince you to write a thank you note after every interview, then here is some feedback directly from our clients and candidates about the impact of NOT sending a thank you note.
Burning Bridges
A pharmaceutical sales rep candidate recently went on an onsite interview for a Fortune 500 biotechnology firm. During the interview she decided the role and the company weren’t a fit for her. Since that is what interviews are for, no problem. Then she said, “It wasn’t for me, so you know what, I didn’t even write a thank you note.” Ugh, that is a mistake. When you are making a career out of sales, or really any particular niche, you should know that maintaining relationships pays off for the long term. This position may not be right now, but down the road the people you interviewed with or this firm might have a position you do want.
The TOP Candidate
Our candidate was #1 in the nation for a particular therapeutic area of pharmaceutical sales. She was employed at our client’s direct competitor. She had a flawless interview but our client became upset and confused as to why the candidate didn’t send a thank you note. He perceived this omission as a lack of interest in his company and his position. He decided that even though she was the top candidate for the role, and her interview was flawless, he was no longer interested in her candidacy because she didn’t express her interest to him. Guess what? The candidate really wanted to pursue this position but the simple lack of a thank you note lost the opportunity for her. Almost unbelievable, but true.
A White Lie
Our candidate had a phone interview with our biotech client. Both parties were very interested in taking additional steps to move the process forward. The candidate did not send the client a thank you note. When we spoke with the candidate and asked her if she sent a thank you note, she said she did. Uh oh. Not only did she not send a thank you note, but the client viewed saying she had when she hadn’t as further compounding the red flag of not sending a thank you note in the first place. She was passed on for the role.
