Ask HR: How long should I wait to send the thank you email after an interview?

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Dear HR,

I never know if emailing that day is too soon, or if I should wait a few days which perhaps puts me in the front of their mind once again? Is one more effective than another? And if I don’t get an email back, should I follow up with a phone call a few days later or are they not writing back because they weren’t interested?

Thank you, Apprehensive Applicant

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Dear Apprehensive Applicant,

I don’t really have a preference as to whether a candidate sends me a thank you letter or not. However, almost all of my HR colleagues expect to receive one from a candidate and believe it reflects poorly on a candidate if they do not send one .Given that, I think you should send one but I would recommend you use the following guidelines:

Send a hand written note, a personal touch is often better and shows you went out of your way.

Do not send an email thank you note on the same day of the interview (it seems insincere) and you couldn’t have really reflected on the conversation that quickly.

Do not be disappointed or read into anything if you do not get a response, according to etiquette standards a thank you note does not require a reply.

It is appropriate to make a follow up call a week or so after the interview, but I would recommend that during your interview, you inquire about next steps/timeframes and use that answer as a guideline as to when you  should make a follow up call.

Lots of luck in your search!

-Kelley Anglin, Director of Talent/Human Resources

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