A lesson in thank-you letters

After a job interview, what is the first thing you should do? Write a thank-you note. It's a common courtesy and shows your interest in the position. You should send a thank-you letter as soon as possible (preferably within 24 hours, but no later than a week) after your interview.

The jury is out on e-mail versus handwritten thank-you notes, so use your discretion when deciding what to do. More formal organizations or people might prefer a handwritten thank-you note. But if you know a hiring decision is imminent, or the company communicates solely through e-mail, an e-mail thank you could be the way to go. You can always follow up an e-mail thank you with a handwritten note.

When writing your letter, thank the person with whom you met, and reinforce the fact that you want the job. You can also restate why you want the job or highlight a few of your qualifications once more. Feel free to address anything that wasn't discussed at the interview or something you want to answer more thoroughly than you did during the interview.

You may have been interviewed by a panel of people, or spent a few hours hopping from interviewer to interviewer. Should you send a letter addressed to the group, or individual ones to all parties? Make your decision based on the formality of the interviews and the company. When in doubt, it's best to send individual notes to everyone who interviewed you. You can write similar letters, but slightly vary a sentence or two to give personalization to the note.

Before you lick the envelope or hit send on your computer, double check for spelling and grammar errors as well as review the names and titles of your interviewers. It's worth putting in this extra effort to make sure you come across competent and polished.

CAPTION: Thank-you notes can help you land that dream job.