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Job seeker didn't know to send thank you note after interview, people came to the rescue

"I hate etiquette. It's the most impossible thing for me to learn without someone directly telling me."

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Should you send a thank you note after an interview? People say yes.

Culture and etiquette can change from country to country, state to state and even household to household. There's no hard rule one what's acceptable and what isn't outside of universal niceties that are likely to be appreciated by anyone, such as holding the door open for a stranger when their hands are full. But still, there are a few things that are fairly common areas of etiquette that can trip up someone who has never heard of that information.

One of those areas are going the extra mile to make yourself stand out during the job interview process by sending a note after the interview. Before email became popular, people would drop a prewritten note in the mail on their way to or from the interview. But this practice is something that is taught by someone close to you or even a job coach.

While this thoughtful gesture may seem like a common practice to some, not everyone does it and others simply aren't aware that it's an option. One person took to the internet to yell into the void about not knowing that writing a note could help them secure a job.

"OH MY GOD whyyyy did no one tell me you’re supposed to send thank-yous after interviews?? Why would I do that???

'Thank you for this incredibly stressful 30 minutes that I have had to re-structure my entire day around and which will give me anxiety poos for the next 24 hours.'

I HATE ETIQUETTE IT’S THE MOST IMPOSSIBLE THING FOR ME TO LEARN WITHOUT SOMEONE DIRECTLY TELLING ME THIS SH*T," the person shares on a since deleted Tumblr post.

nicksplat job search GIFGiphy

The old post has recently resurfaced after screenshots of the thread were shared on Facebook by Happy Crispy. On the original post commenters jumped in to rescue the poster, not only sharing their experience with writing notes after job interviews, but one person even created a template for the frustrated job seeker.

The template reads:

"Dear ______: Thank you so much for the opportunity to sit down with you (&________) to discuss the [insert job position]. I am grateful to be considered for the position. I think I will be a great fit at [company name], especially given my experience in __________. [insert possible reference to something you talked about, something that excited you.] I look forward to hearing from you [and if you are feeling super confident: and working together in the future]. Sincerely, @mellivorinae."

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One person shares how their brother was able to get a paid internship after sending in a quick thank you note after the interview. It turns out the note was the deciding factor according to the commenter. Another advises to send the email within a couple of hours of the interview and not to rely on snail mail. This technique allows the interviewee to still be on the minds of the interviewers when they receive the email.

"As a former professional recruiter and recruiting manager, I can confirm, especially for entry level positions, where you're competing with oodles of people. This little thing can make a difference," someone chimes in with their professional experience.

Someone suggests going further than just sending the note via email by also publicly thanking the company on LinkedIn, being sure to tag them so it piques the interest of Human Resources, ending their comment with, "flattery will get you everywhere...and public flattery might make its way back to their manager, doubly so."

While people were very kind and helpful, some couldn't help but to show frustration at the process around getting a job, with someone writing, "The amount of effort required to get a job that barely pays the bills is friggin ridiculous." Though everyone didn't agree with the idea of needing a thank you note to stand out during your job hunt, others took the time to explain why it can be the deciding factor.

Cat Reaction GIFGiphy

"Yes its a thing. And those who don't agree can easily lose a great opportunity to an average candidate who does this. My father was an executive recruiter for 35 years. He would often say that interviews are only offered to candidates who they already know can do the job. The interview is all about seeing if you are a decent person to work with, or if you're a jerk. Little niceties like thank you notes never hurt and can be the deciding factor between 2 equally qualified candidates," someone writes.

Sending a thank you note after an interview is totally personal, but it's common enough that many people see the benefit of doing so. There's no follow up on if the original poster got the job they were seeking, but the amount of positive energy being put forward in the comments to help them out is beyond wholesome. Maybe all the advice given will help out other job seekers who may not know about this little courtesy.

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Pop Culture

Gen Zer's teary video after going around town with a stack of resumes gets wave of support

Gen Z often gets a bad rap in the workforce. But job hunting is difficult right now, regardless of your age.

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People couldn't help but feel for a young woman who broke down in tears after going around town with a stack of resumes.

It can be easy to write-off younger generations as entitled, lazy and unwilling to work hard, without taking into account the very real challenges being faced.

Just like their “whiny millennial” predecessors, Gen Zers often find themselves in this predicament—unable to land a job, much less one that reflects their personal values, all while being labeled as“difficult” for wanting something better.

But the truth is, even hard-working people are struggling right now. That goes for people who are employed (many of whom are living paycheck-to-paycheck, despite having well-paying jobs) and those looking for employment.

Job hunting is particularly grueling, as looming fears of recession have caused companies to make candidates go through more obstacles than a contestant on “American Ninja Warrior” just to get one interview. Followed by six more interviews. Followed by crickets.

With these types of barriers set in place, how is an age group, likely just out of college, with virtually no workplace experience, supposed to stand a chance? And furthermore, how can they not be distraught when their survival is on the line?

This is why a video shared by 26-year-old Lohanny Santos has struck a chord with so many.

In the clip, tears stream down Santos’ face after going around the city with a “stack” of resumes and being rejected by every potential employer she reached out to.

The college grad explained how she had two degrees—one in communications and one in acting—and spoke three languages. Not even this was enough to get her an interview.

“It’s honestly a little bit embarrassing because I’m literally applying for, like, minimum-wage jobs,” she says. “And some of them are being like, ‘We’re not hiring’ and it’s like, ‘What?’ This is not what I expected.”

Far from being entitled, Santos concluded the video by wiping her eyes and saying “ … I'm just going to keep trying."
@lohannysant I got tear stains on my resume 😔😔😔 #nyc #unemployed ♬ original sound - Lohanny

Luckily, this is where the story turns around. After her video went viral, with over 23.4 million views on TikTok, Santos received a wave of support from viewers.

“Never feel embarrassed. You should feel proud that you’re pushing your pride to the side and being realistic,” one person wrote, commenting on the fact that Santos had begun her job search after her aspirations for being a TikTok creator weren’t paying the bills.

“This is precisely how you apply for jobs before the internet. nothing to be embarrassed about as this gives you real world sales experience,” another added.

Some even provided some tips. One person suggested: “Don’t ask if they’re hiring. Just say you want to apply & speak to a hiring manager. Be assertive.”

“GIRL APPLY TO BE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT!!! BARELY AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED AND WITH THREE LANGUAGES THEY WILL WANT YOUU,” another exclaimed.

Not only that, But Santos revealed with Business Insider that her following skyrocketed overnight, that she was being offered opportunities not previously available. In a follow-up video, she even shared that she scored a brand deal.

A brand deal which…..may or may not have taken her out to London? Not a bad gig. And it certainly seems like those TikTok dreams aren’t so unattainable after all.

@lohannysant I woke up like this for real. Brb let me wake up. #nyc #london #travelday ♬ original sound - Lohanny

Most people want to be contributing members of society. But times are tough for a lot of folks out there, regardless of age, background and education. A little compassion, as we see here, does in fact go a long way.

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Education

Expert breaks down brilliant way for answering the 'hardest interview question'

Career advisor Erin McGoff has some helpful info for navigating what she called one of the 'trickiest' parts of a job interview.

@advicewitherin/Instagram, used with permission

This part of the interview almost always comes up, and it's almost always uncomfortable.

Job hunting literally can feel like you’re out in the Sahara scavenging for your next meal…all the while knowing that there are dozens of other hunters just as starving as you are, and that there doesn’t seem to be enough morsels to go around. It all makes one anxiety-laden psychic landmine, forgive the mix of metaphors.

Even after you’ve used all the tips and tricks to make your resume stand out in a sea of other applications, using every viable SEO keyword you can scrounge up, and you do finally get the coveted interview, the stress is far from over. Certain questions feel more like traps than anything else.

But just like everything in life, a little prep, along with some expert advice, goes a long way.

But just like everything in life, a little prep, along with some expert advice, goes a long way.

Erin McGoff, aka “your internet big sister,” has all kinds of strategies for building a fulfilling career, not least of which being acing interviews.

In her mind, salary expectations are one of the “trickiest” parts of the interview to navigate.

While it might be tempting to try to give a direct number, McGoff explains how that might not be the best route to go, since that puts you at risk of being “low balled” by the company, or being written off as too expensive.

In addition, McGoff advises against:

  • Telling them what you currently make
  • Saying you “hope” or “wish” for
  • Being unprepared
  • Saying you’ll take whatever

Instead, McGoff offers a few other polite, professional scripts to use that invite more “negotiation power.”

When potential employers bring the subject up, respond with “Thank you so much for bringing that up. I would love to know the approved salary range for the position."

If the response to that is something to the effect of “there isn't a set range” or “it depends on the candidate” you can say: "Got it. Well, my salary range is flexible but I'd like to learn more about the specifics of the role before giving out a solid number."

You can also give the price range of other companies you’re applying to, McGoff says. And perhaps most importantly, she recommends reiterating that you’re “flexible on salary depending on other elements of the compensation package."

This all comes with the caveat that employers “should” be listing the salary range upfront in the job description.

This mentality is seconded by Joyel Crawford, a career coach and host of the podcast Career View Mirror, who told The Muse that giving a finite number “limits your ability to make something work with the company.”

In the same interview, Crawford mentions that it’s also worth noting that compensation can be given in other ways, depending on your values. Perhaps you can be flexible in salary to a job with a high amount of paid time off, year end bonuses, childcare benefits, etc.

Bottom line: job interviews are tough, but that’s why having some strategies in place to bring your best, even when nerves are triggered, is so important.

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