Thank You Letter--did they get it?

[rose45]

I had an interview yesterday and then went to work..as soon as i got home from work i began fixing up my thank you letters to the two people i met with. I finally sent it at 11pm. They informed me they are making a decision soon during the interview itself so i did not want to wait on the letter.

 

I sent it through my aol mail which is the email i use and i checked off receipt request so i receive notification that they did in fact receive it. I then thought later on that i think is only for those who have an aol account themselves for this function to work. Is that correct? Because i did not receive any notification and i am worried the letter went to their spam email at work and they never got it. Does that usually happen?

 

The original application was online through the website so i never had to email them. I hope they got it. I don't want to call and ask b/c i feel like that's a little weird and just not for me. Its already the end of the day anyway. I really really want this job

[lovefietsen]

I am sure they've received your thank you letter. If you keep worrying, you can use another account to send it again. Keep faith in yourself and open up to other opportunities too.

[hopelessincan]

I would not send it twice. Depending on what mail client they are using, they can have the option to not send a receipt. It can also be turned off on the server side.

It would annoy me personally if I got the same email twice. (but thats just me)

 

While I do agree that thank you letters are good practice, I dont think its the be all and end all. If they really want you, they are going to offer you the job regardless of whether you sent a follow up or not. I would wait a week and call up HR or the manager and ask the status of the position.

 

I went for two interviews at one company where I sent follow ups after each interview and was not offered the job.

And right now, I have interviewed multiple times at two different places, and didnt send a thank you after either. (I am now scheduled for interview number three at one of them). I did make a point at interview number three company that I was very interested, and thanked them for meeting with me....

 

Did they give you any indication on the next steps?

[rose45]

yea i dont think thank you letters will do the trick but i think if they are considering you it definitely helps when they see it.

 

Do you think they still received it though is what i am asking? it wouldn't go to a filer or spam mail or anything would it? I put alot of thought into those letters and i want them to get it.

[hopelessincan]

sure. It could have easily gotten quarantined in their spam filter. But most companies monitor this in one way or another.

 

I'd bet on the fact that they got it.

But I just think its worse to send it twice than not at all. My two cents. what type of position is it?

[rose45]

Basically i tested and did really well on one test and i know not as great on the second one for some reason; i just didn't know the functions from memory but i know basic stuff..they even asked how do i think i did and i was honest and said i think i did really well on this and i think i messed up a little on the other for some reason. They said you did really well on this one; its good i know my strengths and weaknesses and mentioned i know basically how to do the other right and said yes i use it at work and in general have no problems.

 

I had answers for each of their questions..i stumbled once on my words..i was speaking and couldn't figure out what i wanted to say next and then chose a different way to end it..so i hope that isn't points against me but i dont think that looked so well..it was noticeable for sure b/c i paused and was saying and i..

 

They asked my salary b/c on my application i placed negotiable. I gave my salary and i mentioned the reason i say its negotiable is because its the role and level of responsibilities that are more important to me. I guess i wanted to project that i see this as a great opportunity and don't want to be not taken into consideration if they think i am paid too much or something. I asked when do they think they will make a final decision and they said very soon and probably by next week b/c they need someone to start. They said they have a few more candidates to interview today and the next.

 

After about 15 minutes or so they said i am going to introduce you to the head of the department and they called to see if that person is available. We all sat in a meeting room to chat for a bit..i had answers for that person's questions as well and really enjoyed hearing them; they seemed sweet. Some of the talk seemed casual as well; i mentioned how i am not far from here at all. The main interviwer mentioned my previous commute must have been an hour or so? and i said no it didn't take long but its very congested and crowded (is that bad i disagreed? or it showed i can express my opinion) i said i really like this area here and that it's nice. Also the main interviewer mentioned the type of company i work for but it wasn't correct..they said marketing firm and i said its a financial company(and i work in the marketing department basically) in a nice tone and not to show i took it as an insult. They said oh sorry and i said no no its ok.

 

At the end the main interviewer said they will give me their contact info at the front; i said it was a pleasure meeting the director and shook their hand. The main interviwer said i may have to come back and i said ok, I'm available next week and they asked what about tomorrow? it took me by surprise and i paused for a second but i said that's fine as well and they said they would keep me posted. I am not sure why they would want me to come back immediately the next day because they said they had other candidates so i had a feeling in general that wouldn't happen. I just hope it's not bad news that i didn't hear anything yet.

 

I hope i left a good impression with the both of them. I researched the director and called to confirm the email and sent them both thank you letters.

 

Also i should add the main interview was speaking in "you" form. You would be handling this and this and this and that. I feel in my experience, usually if they haven't really decided at all about how they feel about me they will say we need someone to do this and someone who will do that and not use the word you. The director was saying stuff like that as well but also stopped herself and said well i shouldn't use the word you. I guess to be more formal? i hope i left a good impression..i was smiling, shaking my head, enthusiastic. The director was casual in a lot of ways so i didn't like when they said i shouldn't use the word "you"

 

I really want this job!

 

ps..with the email receipt..if i used aol then it probably only works for emails sent to aol members right?

[rose45]

also i dont know if this is bad or not but they asked about the company etc and why leave and i said well its a mid-sized firm but the turnover rate isn't high so its hard to do other things within the company..they said we have a low turnover rate here (but it seems you can do alot of different things in that office) which was mentioned earlier to me..and they said it says something about the place and i said definitely says something positive about the place.

 

i hope me mentioning growth doesn't make me them feel weird..i basically said earlier its been a few years and its prepared me to move forward and take on new challenges..and i said i take all my tasks seriously from something small to something alot more complex

[hopelessincan]

it sounds pretty positive to me...especially when they are introducing you to other people.

With regards to them wanting you back the next day, that is a good sign. I wouldnt sweat your reaction too much. Especially if you are currently working, they have to understand that it is very difficult to leave on such short notice.

Just last week, I went for an interview and was called the next day for my second interview ....This after being told they are interviewing a few candidates.....so goes to show you....

You mentioning growth is a good answer (my opinion again). Companies dont want to hire a lazy shmuck who just wants to collect a paycheque...

You should ask Avman his thoughts,,,,,,,,,,,,, he just gave me some pretty freaking awesome advice in a thread i posted !

 

if you dont hear from them, i would still probably call them early next week......

[abitbroken]

I think in the future research the company more. If you say that the company has low turnover and that's why you like it, it sounds like you haven't researched the company you interviewed at if they have low turn over. I would have focused on "growing with a company" rather than moving up immediately. You want them to hire you for the job you applied, not two job descriptions above your job. As interviewees, that tells the company what they can do for us, rather than what we can do for them.

 

In the future, I would never send a return receipt, because when someone receives it, a dialogue box pops up telling the person that a return receipt has been requested and will they accept. At least that's how it used to be. I would find that annoying or like someone is over eager. A thank you note is not a tax receipt or a check. Also, I would always send thank you notes by mail. Unless its an IT company or an internet company, emails can be impersonal. But that's just me.

[rose45]

I researched the company plenty..there was nothing on there about their department specifically. I wasn't mentioning moving up within their company from the role i applied for..i was saying about where i work its a low turnover rate not allowing me to do much else..some places have low turnover rates but you can still get involved in other areas which is what it seems would take place at this company. Was it bad i said that there is a low turnover rate; i didn't mean it in a negative way..i was just implying it doesn't allow me much room to get involved in other areas

 

The only reason i did return receipt was to take the iniative to make sure they received it. I don't think it worked anyway though. I personally don't prefer sending thank you letters by mail especially before a holiday weekend where it may not even arrive on time or before they make their decision.

 

I really want this job though..its the first one in a long time that i am actually VERY enthusiastic about the area, the company..ugh i hope i get it..i was a nervous wreck the whole week.

[abitbroken]

The best thing to do, then, is to just keep applying to other jobs, if they feel you are "desperate" it doesn't work well for you. Hope you can relax and enjoy the weekend.

[hopelessincan]

excellent advice! but so much easier said than done!

[rose45]

i guess you don't think i will get it huh? lol

 

it's like i want to know but i don't want to know..it gives me time to hope not knowing for a little while lol..sounds silly i know.

 

I feel like i really prepared for this interview..the bottom line is they could offer it someone who does great on BOTH tests and has more experience in the field.. and maybe even a lower salary which i was willing to take honestly..which is why i said my salary but mentioned its negotiable b/c its more about the role itself and the level of responsibility that is more important to me.

[rose45]

i am also a little nervous about the salary..i hate that i had to give an amount..she wanted to know what i was earning and i felt it would be rude to give a range and not answer her question. I then said it's negotiable after giving the salary. Do you think if they wanted to pay less would they still choose me and allow me time to think about it? i am willing to take a lower salary b/c i see this as an investment to my future.

[hopelessincan]

You're supposed to avoid giving an amount if you can. I personally have a hard time not answering that, but usually ask what the range is for the position. I always end up giving a range and state that it is based on the position/hours etc. But NOT recommended from what i read.

I have taken positions early on in my career that paid lower than I wanted/expected because I really wanted the experience.

You really have to weigh out what is important to you.

Saying negotiable may show weakness, and that you arent confident on your worth or what the position should pay....

Salary plays a role, but not all of it...if they want you, you may get a lower salary, but they may give you more perks/benefits in return...its all about negotiating

* if you've done your research, you should know what the salary is for the particular position and if you stand tough, they will respect you for it.

[rose45]

i dont think i was able to avoid it..they asked during the phone interview and i said it's negotiable..and then asked again during actual interview and i felt like i had to really answer it at this point..it caught me off guard a bit

 

i wanted to say negotiable not to show weakness but to tell them if its not in their range maybe they can still consider me because i am more enthusiastic about the job than the money.