I've been interviewing candidates to join my company.

Question for this bowl: is it normal for people NOT to send thank you memos as a follow-up after the interview? I thought it was basic interview etiquette. Am I old-fashioned?

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TBH, if you're weeding people out based on formalities, that's a little strange. You're looking for skills and personality, not adherence to custom (which changes from generation to generation and place to place).

Evaluate the skills. Keep people in the pipeline who can demonstrate the needed skills. Cut the ones who cannot (but email them to inform them they're no longer in the running).

likehelpful

This thread was literally just cloned from another one posted a week or two ago in the recruiting bowl.

TLDR:
- yes, you are old school but that’s okay if you are self aware of it.
- The expectation of candidates sending thank yous when many (but not all) interviewers still ghost after interviews feels like a throwback to a more imbalanced and tone-deaf time.
- Based on combo of personality and generation, it’s highly unlikely that sending a thank you note is at all an indication of social capability or ability to manage clients. The thread seemed to agree that there are far stronger signals to assess that
- most who support it seem to on the basis of “it’s what I had to do” or “it’s polite” (I call bullshit on both counts, but that’s what comes out of the thread
- finally: the camps are pretty polarised and the only thing both sides can agree on is that for both candidates and interviewers it’s a cultural tell on fit. For example: “I don’t want to work in a culture where I have to say thank you twice [in interview then later in writing], so I’m fine if it costs me the opportunity” (though I will say that was not universal sentiment, just prevailing)

Personally, I sit in the camp of “it’s dumb and a form of a power-trip.” If anything, the interviewers should be sending ME a thank you note for considering to bring my ass-kickery to their team.

likehelpfulsmartfunny

That's the spirit, my friend. I even shared my wife's perspective in one of my responses: she didn't take my side and she's from another field.

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thank you notes mean little to me, and it has no basis on my recommendation to hire/who i’ve hired in the past. i can tell if the candidate wants the job when i talk to them.

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Agreed ☝🏼

I really feel they still should

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Really? This is what we’re discussing?

I don’t care if they send a thank you. I’m paid for the time to interview them. Not vice versa.

I legit don’t care and don’t expect a thank you.

Are they qualified? Yes or no. End of story.

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I threw a curve ball at a candidate that completely stumped them. In the Thank You note, the candidate reflected upon the original question by researching (and citing correct info) and offering a different perspective. I liked it.

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As someone who just entered the market with my first job, I have been through a ton of interviews to get my first and every training, every mentor, anyone I asked for interview tips would ALWAYS say make sure to send a follow up thank you email! So it’s not out of fashion for sure because we are still taught that and reminded almost everywhere we go. So I’m honestly surprised myself that people don’t do that!

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Thank you notes are a weird power dynamic. I don't think that I should be any more thankful that someone took the time to interview me than they are thankful that I took the time to be interviewed. We're all adults here, let's get through the day without kowtowing

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IMO, there's an implied "power dynamic" only if you believe thanking someone is just reserved for people "above" you.

Food for thought: do you thank your waiters/waitress? But you are the paying customer, aren't you? So why isn't there a power dynamic there?

It's courtesy, not really an acknowledgement of a power differential.

I still believe in thank you notes. Sending one reinforces your interest

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REALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING?

I'm looking for people who can front and be personable with clients, so yes... I'm wondering if it is reasonable to expect a certain level of intentional follow-up. Especially in agency side... this IS part of the job.

"really is this what we are discussing?" When the title of the post is clear is you being unhelpful.

likefunny

The ability to follow up, establish relationship/rapport, meet expectations or potential expectations, etc. is absolutely part of the job and part of the interview evaluation.

Even for agencies that are handicapped by underexperienced staffing due to turnover/flight/titleflation, I'm actually still a bit surprised at how many don't/won't understand this.

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I will send a thank you note after all the ones that rejected my application have the courtesy to send me a rejection letter as well. 2-way street my friend.

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This isn't some 'old fashioned' expectation. I've seen clear differences in the types of candidates that do vs those that don't.

You get maybe 3 hours before you're stuck with this person 90+ days. Don't ignore red flags.

likehelpful

Morning update: wife just weighted in. She mentioned if they can do everything else, this shouldn't be held against them. It is an easy thing to coach for: giving explicit instructions to them as part of their performance review, coach them towards being extra courteous until it becomes a habit. This is what she does because her field requires licenses, and the candidate pool is very limited.

Not a bad idea too.

likehelpful

A thank you note was a must in the old days...because companies and HR professionals were not hiring or communicating on the fly with a massive number of candidates and with a very “faking it” friendly/casual face...as a result the etiquette “requirement” for the candidate to show his side of appreciation faded away...

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Ah I like this analytical explanation. You're attributing it to the growth of channels of communications and a much wider applicant pool that came as the result of stuff like emails and linked in.

Makes sense. Thank you.

I’ve always sent a follow up thank you email and I’ve never received a reply, even from agencies that hired me. Guess this courtesy thing is a one way street?

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One other thing a thank you note does is reinforce or introduce experience and insights you may not have shared in the interview. Also to build on whatever common points/connection you may have started.

As for recruiters and companies ghosting - it infuriates me. Even in a gutted market it sends a message of a company you and others you know would notvwant to be part of.

Courtesy goes both ways. I am concerned to see it dismissed

likehelpful

It is really simple. In a world of sameness, being thoughtful and kind can stand out. The whole point of job seeking is to stand out in a positive way.

And don’t think that an employer showing a bit of common courtesy and kindness won’t stand out to an sharp job seeker, with multiple offers looking to make a decision.

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Many today think about what they can get... not what they can give. A simple courtesy is withheld because "they didn't give me one too" is the common theme here, and complete blindness to other point of views.

To those, I hope to say: To change the world, first change yourself

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I worked with a recruiter before who didn’t provide me contact info for me to send a thank you note. I’d say you gotta be a bit more lenient nowadays. I used to send hand written thank you notes but that’s not really possible with everyone WFH

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Yep. I do understand that situation as well. Been there where everything was done through those scheduling apps (calendy) and no way of contacting.

Some intentionally request for their emails to be protected etc... big tech recruitment is especially careful about their employee emails.

It's not a primary judging criteria for me, that's for sure... it is one of those "tie-breaker" judging criteria.

Thank you notes are nice but it’s not expected anymore, especially in the agency world. Not sending one should not hurt your candidacy as the role does not revolve around etiquette but sending one also doesn’t give you more points or any upper hand for the role. I think thanking the interviewers at the end of the interview in place of an email will be more effective.

helpful

I don’t expect one or hold it against someone if they don’t send one, I understand we’re all busy. I’m always surprised or find it nice if someone does send me one. I just landed a new job and never sent thank you notes to that ceo or his teams. They are a younger company with a very progressive team and ceo in late 30s. However, at the same time I interviewed for a biotech firm and sent them thank you notes. Mainly because the staff were probably mid Gen X and up, and I felt they’d be more traditional.

helpful

I didn't reveal my age to keep things interesting... but I am in my early 30s :)

Which means I'm technically a millennial, btw.

I reached mid management when I was 25-30, and I have been asking myself this question ever since. When I started interviewing others, it was for more junior and back office work, so I told myself to not mind it too much... but now I'm looking for client-facing analysts or managers, hence me bringing it up again.

Follow-up question: If they do NOT send a thank-you email or a follow-up, should I take it as a sign that they are not interested in the position?

Aka a polite signal to me that they don't really want it?

It may not necessarily mean there not interested but at the same time it shows they didn’t put enough effort or care to follow up with you afterwards because for me that was always a must

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