Thank you letter after interview?

filigree_2

This is just my personal approach, honed by working in public sector HR for many years:

• Unsolicited CVs - no thankyou, here is an application form please fill it in.
• Wacky and individual CVs - see above
• Wacky and individual CV stapled to the front of a blank form - No!
• Thank you letter - too late mate, the panel made the decision within hours
• Turning up IN MY OFFICE and giving me the scary stare because you didn't get the job - please meet the security staff

I'm not disagreeing with people's advice because it's all relevant, depending on the employer. Please remember that each employer has a different recruitment philosophy and that there is no "one size fits all" solution. One employer might welcome zany individuals who write their CVs in iambic pentameter, but the greyer reaches of the Civil Service would probably prefer you to fill in the dreary forms. Instead of clinging to one method and using it across the board, please try to tailor your approach to each individual employer.

Bit off topic but some people can be so rude. Not since my days in retail have I met so many people who have no manners. I think there should be lessons at school in how to word a polite email. I once got an email simply saying "looking for job" which wins the prize for the shortest enquiry ever. They didn't even put their name to it. How lazy is that? Trouble is, they're probably still out there whining that they contacted thousands of employers and never got any replies.

Tigger36

As a qualified Careers Adviser, I must stress the following...PLEASE, PLEASE if you're sending a spec letter to a company, do your research and get a name. Ring and ask who to send the letter to - they may have a Personnel department, they may not. Many, many people send spec letters and around 90% just send it to Sir/Madam. It doesn't show any thought and it certainly doesn't show that you've done any research.

filigree_2

Ooh Tigger, can I ask you something? We get lots of enquiries from confused individuals who really need the advice of a proper careers counsellor. Can you suggest a resource I can point them to, like an address or website, so they can contact someone who is trained to help them? That way I can get them out of my hair in a kind and helpful manner

Bossyboots

filigree wrote:

Bit off topic but some people can be so rude. Not since my days in retail have I met so many people who have no manners. I think there should be lessons at school in how to word a polite email. I once got an email simply saying "looking for job" which wins the prize for the shortest enquiry ever. They didn't even put their name to it. How lazy is that? Trouble is, they're probably still out there whining that they contacted thousands of employers and never got any replies.

How about this one that I received, replicated exactly as I received it.

"i wrote you this a.m. with my cv and i ain't heard from you. Reply by return. Thanks"

Perhaps I should just be grateful he said thanks. I did reply by return but I don't think it would have been what he was expecting:D

skylight

Text talk! I have CVs by email, and the covering letter was along the lines "i wud lk 2 aply 4 te jb". The text talk also appeared in the actual CV a few times!

And I love catching people out in interviews. (Sad, I know - but I can't abide liars!)
Like the woman who loved to travel - had been to Benidorm just the once. Another was an avid Horror novel reader - and could not name a single Horror writer, she didn't even know who Stephen King was!
Another lied about her employment - which meant that she was 10 years older than her actual age and proved she couldn't add up!
The best was the PA/secretary role. Turned out she couldn't actually type. At all. Not even 2 fingered!

bristol_pilot

Sadly, I do tend to agree that speculative CVs will not work in the public sector - those organisations would rather spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers money going through a bureaucratic 'procedure' than hire a suitable candidate who has just offered themselves on a plate. Remember, this is OUR money they are wasting. Private Companies are running a business risk every day that goes by with a vacancy unfilled so they will tend to cut to the chase. However, the local council or whatever may at least inform you of vacancies that you can apply for.

Don't invite yourself for interview ! "Here is my CV and I will call your secretary on Tuesday to arrange a meeting..." - I have seen that idea promoted in some American books, but it doesn't fit with UK culture.

Of course most speculative applications go in the bin anyway, but a jobseeker only has to be lucky once. You definitely won't get the job if you don't put yourself forward. Ideally, you will also phone round personal contacts and get your network going so that you actually get others to do some of your jobseeking for you. People are generally glad to help. There are some organisations that pay employees a bounty if they manage to recruit someone to their Company.

Tigger36

Hi filigree,
I'm contracted to different organisations - one of them is nextstep. http://www.nextstep.org.uk/
nextstep is national so you should have advisers near you. Every part of the country has different funding packages so you would need to contact your local one to see who they would be able to give advice to. I'm in a great position - I can advise anyone and everyone but I know that some only deal with people who have entry-level qualifications and therefore can't see Graduates etc.
Obviously, the service depends on the Adviser who provides it.
As for generic websites etc, it really depends on the type of guidance a person needs. I certainly wouldn't reccommend anything other than a proper guidance interview. A lot of websites claim to give advice but it's certainly not tailored to the individual and can have dire consequences.

immoral_angeluk

I always put 'Thank you for taking the time to read my CV and I look forward to hearing from you soon.' At the bottom of my CV. I feel this is less stalkerish but shows common courtesy.