Q: I was taking a course last summer and we had an assignment which was to interview a person working in a business-to-business environment. My boss agreed to help me with the assignment. I interviewed him and got a pretty good mark. However, I never sent him a thank-you e-mail or card even though I have been meaning to do that. Is is too late to send him a thank-you card now?
A: Depending on who you ask, this question might get two different answers. The first — being that last summer was so long ago — just cut your losses and don’t send the thank-you e-mail. After all, you probably would have said the actual words “thank you” at the end of the interview. However, if I was in your situation, I would still send the e-mail or thank-you card. Many of us can appreciate that sometimes even our best and kindest of intentions can get lost in the hustle and bustle. Be honest, let him know you were very grateful and had all intentions to do so before, but that it slipped your mind.
In the future though, should you need a favour from your boss or any one else, be sure to remember the thank-you card and followup component. While sending a thank-you note is OK with this situation, had this been a job interview, for instance, you should have follow up with your thank-you note within 48 hours. Remember it’s those little personal touches that make the difference between one candidate and another.
Jill Andrew — CYW, BA, BA (Hons.), BEd. Please include your full name, address and telephone number when e-mailing. All letters are subject to publication.
| jill’s tip of the week |
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Before attending a job fair, remember to practice your one-minute sales pitch: Who you are; why you are here; and what you’ve got to offer (that’s different from anyone else). You don’t want to sound rehearsed, but you want to sound self-confident.
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