Waiting on the call back after an interview....

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whats the proper procedure for the post interview wait? send a thank you email to the person who interviewed you or just wait and hope everyone else that is interviewed is mentally retarded

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Thought it was the etiquette to send an actual letter, too.

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Send an email. Thank them for the opportunity to interview. Restate in one sentence why you like the company/position and would be a great fit. Mention that you hope to hear from them soon. Sincerely, Your Name.

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Pretty much what I do, it has been 50/50 whether I hear back or not from that person but I have not been declined yet so it seems to be working! Also I like the idea of an actual letter but I feel like that is a rather outdated approach.

I sent a hand written letter to the last interview I had. I had it overnighted and it was going to an office in the same city, so it was timely. I didn't get the job, but the hiring person did make a point to make a comment about the letter. If you can get it there within a day, I think its worthwhile. Does it make a difference in the end? Maybe not, but what if it did? IMO its worth it to go another foot if you want the job that badly. If it doesn't help you, you lost 5 minutes writing a letter. eta: I also think its dependent upon where you're looking. Sending it to the HR lady and Joe Manager at a giant like Exxon? Yeah they prob don't care. In my case this was the person that was going to be my one and only boss, so the job and the interview is by nature much more personal.

I would say that a thank you note or email can make a difference, especially if you are on the fence as a candidate.

Sometimes it is hard to read if a candidate is a good fit for the job or if the specific position is really something that they want to be doing. If not, hiring a person like that can be a drag on the organization before either they or the company realize that it is time for them to pursue something they are truly passionate about. It can be tough to read with a resume and a 45 minute interview, so I would say a targeted and interested thank you note can alleviate those questions.

When I interviewed for my current position, I sent a thank you email as described previously to both my prospective supervisor and his boss (both of whom had been part of the interview process), telling them why I was excited about the company and would be a great fit. I received an offer in writing (PDF version) that afternoon. Later I found out that there were some similar concerns about me, but I think the email helped alleviate those concerns and push the process forward.

Just my two cents...

More than just trying to kiss arse, writing a letter or sending an email is just something you should do out of courtesy. If you really want a job, offer to work for 2 weeks for a trial period with no pay. This has never failed me because it shows your dedication to getting the job and not to mention they've never took me up on the offer... I'm not sure they could justify the free labor in their minds.

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whats the proper procedure for the post interview wait? send a thank you email to the person who interviewed you or just wait and hope everyone else that is interviewed is mentally retarded

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For the job I just accepted, I sent a thank you email right after the interview. After two weeks I sent a follow up email to see how the selection process was going and if there was anything I else they needed from me to help the process move along. My boss told me this past week that second email is what got me the job.

So I say don't wait too long. You have to let them know you're very interested in the position.

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Someone may be "more qualified" but if they sit around and do not show the initiative they will not get hired.

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Thats bullshite, sending a letter doesn't show initiative.

Sending a letter doesn't show anything other than the fact you are trying to kiss arse to get the job. I'll take the guy with the better resume and interview. You can have the guy who sends letters.

It's not gonna make/break the decision to hire you but you should always send a hand written letter immediately after the interview. If nothing else it reminds them about you. Emails will almost always get immediately deleted.