Post Law Firm Interview: Don't Forget Your Thank You Notes!

So, you spent the afternoon interviewing for a position as a possible lateral associate position. It's 8 p.m. and you're just settling in for a date with your DVR and the latest episode of your favorite sitcom, when you start to get the nagging sense that you have forgotten something--something related to the utterly exhausting afternoon you spent interviewing. From the recesses of your fatigued brain comes the memory of sending thank you notes after your interviews in law school. But could it still be true? Do you still have to send thank you notes after interviews? After all, you've been practicing for a while now. Is a thank you letter after an interview really necessary? Do you still have to resort to these measures to get the job? You may ask yourself, “Should I write a thank you letter after an interview?” The answer is an unequivocal 'YES!'

But let's explore why you should send a thank you note for each interview. Undoubtedly, there are associates who interview and get the job with nary an interview thank you card sent. But ask yourself this, "Is not sending a thank you note after your interview the classy thing to do? Is it a sincere and kind act? And, could sending a thank you note for my interview help my chances in getting this job?"

Will sending thank you notes after your interview help your chances in securing the position? According to CareerBuilder, "Nearly 15% of hiring managers say they would not hire someone who failed to send a thank-you letter after the interview. Thirty-two percent say they would still consider the candidate, but would think less of him or her." Think of interview thank you notes as part of your "campaign" to get the job. A failure to send them could actually hurt your chances!

A thank you note for your interview can set you apart from other candidates. Let's say you're the head of the corporate practice group at a large law firm and you just interviewed two really stellar candidates. Both had simply terrific interviews, but you only have one offer to give. The next day you receive a sincere handwritten job interview thank you note written on beautiful stationery from one of the candidates. This candidate, in her note, in essence has asked for the job and expressed her extreme interest in the position. In this partner's experience, highly interested candidates end up working very hard and doing tremendous work. At this point, the partner begins to lean toward this candidate and gives her the offer.

A thank you note can remind the firm of your candidacy. If you are one of ten candidates who interviews for a position, then it will become difficult for the interviewers to clearly remember you and the answers you gave during the interview. Sending a thank you note is a good opportunity to remind the firm of your candidacy and to make a stronger impression in their minds.

• See Top Ten Interview Questions for more information

• See Interviewing Tips for more information

1. Do not send the same note to every person. Vary it. I have heard many attorneys say that they compare notes with their colleagues to see if the candidate wrote the same one to every person.
   
2. Try to send your interview thank you notes as soon as possible.
   
3. Thank the recruiting coordinator. A lot of attorneys forget this and a good recruiting coordinator can have a lot of power in hiring decisions. This is very important to remember when writing a thank you note after an interview.
   
4. If you are only going to send one thank you note, then thank the hiring partner or the partner with whom you spent the most time.
   
5. Don't say you're a "perfect fit" after a screening interview. You don't have enough information at this point and you will look foolish or naïve.
   
6. Be formal, but keep it brief.
   
7. If sending a handwritten note, use good paper. If you don't have good monogrammed paper at this point in your career, then add this purchase to your to do list. Style points can go a long way when interviewing.
   
8. Spell check. Spell check. Spell check. If you are handwriting your notes, then you need to be doubly sure that you aren't misspelling something. Consider typing out what you want to say in Microsoft Word before transcribing to your note. If you don't show attention to detail in your thank you notes, then how might your work product look?
   
9. Focus on content and avoid too many adjectives. Tell the reader what you gained from the interview instead and what appeals to you about their practice.
   
10. Write up some thank you notes after interview samples to keep on file, always remembering to switch them up and make them meaningful and personalized for each interview.

• Top 23 Law Firm Interview Tips: How to Excel in Law Firm Interviews
• 21 Major Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
• The Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and Interviews
• How to Talk About Other Interviews in Your Interviews
• How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question
• How to Answer the Do You Have Any Questions for Me Interview Question
• Had a Great Interview But Have Got No Response to My Thank-You Emails
• What Does It Mean if I Haven't Heard Anything Back from an Application/Interview in a Couple Weeks?
• What to Wear to a Lunch Interview?
• How to Effectively Interview Lateral Candidates: Pointers for Law Firms
• The Secret to Effectively Sharing Concerns about Your Current Employer without Committing the Most Common Interview Blunder
• How to Conduct Yourself During a Lunch Interview

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