Yesterday I spent the day in Jersey (they flew me in) for final interviews with a company.

I am sending handwritten "Thank You" notes to the 7 people I met with yesterday, including the assistant I was working with the past two weeks.

Question - I was supposed to meet with the President of the company but he had to cancel at the last minute because his mom died.

Do I send him a note acknowledging that I regret missing the opportunity of meeting with him and offer my sympathies regarding the death of his mom?

--

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ronin1069,

Tough one. Could go either. I’d keep to business though.

I don't see any downside.

You don't know him or his mom and you never met him. I would leave it alone.

As to thank you notes in general, I don't see the point. They have already judged you on your merits and a decision is probably already made. You either got the job already or you didn't. No one in the history of interviewing has gotten a job, or lost one, based on a thank you note.

If you are just a thank you note type of person and would send one for non interview related interactions with strangers then have at it. If you are sending because you think you should as part of some interview protocol then skip them all together.

quote:

As to thank you notes in general, I don't see the point. They have already judged you on your merits and a decision is probably already made. You either got the job already or you didn't. No one in the history of interviewing has gotten a job, or lost one, based on a thank you note.

I disagree. A few years ago I was trying to decide between two candidates. They were completely equal on paper and in their interviews. One chose to follow up with a hand written thank you note, mentioning some of the things we had discussed.

It was that extra effort, and the fact that he was obviously paying attention to what we were talking about during the interview that swayed me in his direction.

It turned out to be a very good hire.

Thank you notes in general show that you are engaged in the process one step further than some others. They don't necessarily have to be hand written, an email would suffice these days. If you interviewed with an old coot like me, a follow up thank you is a nice touch. Younger bosses don't always have the same work culture but I don't think a thank you would hurt. Only send them to people you actually spoke with.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:

quote:

As to thank you notes in general, I don't see the point. They have already judged you on your merits and a decision is probably already made. You either got the job already or you didn't. No one in the history of interviewing has gotten a job, or lost one, based on a thank you note.

I disagree. A few years ago I was trying to decide between two candidates. They were completely equal on paper and in their interviews. One chose to follow up with a hand written thank you note, mentioning some of the things we had discussed.

It was that extra effort, and the fact that he was obviously paying attention to what we were talking about during the interview that swayed me in his direction.

It turned out to be a very good hire.

It sounds like a mixture of follow up and thank you, something I consider to be completely different. A solid follow up letter reinforcing strengths and addressing any questions that may be outstanding is something I would do immediately following the interview while the decision can be influenced. Snail mailing a "Thanks for the opportunity it was nice to meet you" note, not so much. And certainly not to 7 people.

I hope you get the job. Then you can swing by my place and donate all of your not jersey friendly toys into my safe.

Unless you’re coming from California. Then, enjoy your new found freedoms.

Yes.

The reason why -- (besides it's a thoughtful thing to do...) say you are neck-and-neck - absolutely tied with another candidate.

They send a thoughtful note. You do not.

They get the edge and the job IMO... because you could say they would be that way with a valued customer.

Sounds like you are doing great--


Good luck!

-----------------------------

Handwritten notes are worth gold (maybe now that I am older)

I would send the CEO a note expressing my regrets for not meeting them and also letting them know that you met with their staff and thought very highly of them.

heathtx

Yes, absolutely.

I shows you were listening to all of what was going on around you, and given your position as a high level exec, (gleaned from prior posts) it shows you have compassion for those you work with.

I see no downside, and considerable upside.

Good luck.

A

Yes I would send the note but keep it very succinct and definitely steer clear of any "I know how you feel" type of language.

If you send the note to the president, choose your words carefully. That is a delicate situation and you don't want to come off as a phony. Put yourself in the presidents shoes and think how you'd feel receiving such a note from a prospective job applicant. Maybe make the tone of the note more about condolence and less about the job you are trying to get.

quote:

Do I send him a note acknowledging that I regret missing the opportunity of meeting with him and offer my sympathies regarding the death of his mom?

Agree, little downside. In Jersey may not matter. Here you'd get a few bonus points. The fact that you even thought of it shows something about your character - if that's not a positive to them/him, well.....

I'd work in words to the affect of being more than happy to arrange another trip at his convenience to meet with him if he'd like.

I don't see any down side.

I think a note to the ones you met with would be warranted.

OTOH, unless you’ve spoken to the big boss directly already, I wouldn’t send him anything. If I was a big boss dealing with my mother’s death, a letter from an applicant I’d never met that knew my mom had died would probably piss me off.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I think a note to the ones you met with would be warranted.

OTOH, unless you’ve spoken to the big boss directly already, I wouldn’t send him anything. If I was a big boss dealing with my mother’s death, a letter from an applicant I’d never met that knew my mom had died would probably piss me off.

This.

Stick to the folks that you've already met and interacted with.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I think a note to the ones you met with would be warranted.

OTOH, unless you’ve spoken to the big boss directly already, I wouldn’t send him anything. If I was a big boss dealing with my mother’s death, a letter from an applicant I’d never met that knew my mom had died would probably piss me off.

This.

Stick to the folks that you've already met and interacted with.

That’s kinda what I’m thinking. Sure, he might think it’s nice, but he might also think that it’s not apppropriate because he’s never even met you before.

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I think a note to the ones you met with would be warranted.

OTOH, unless you’ve spoken to the big boss directly already, I wouldn’t send him anything. If I was a big boss dealing with my mother’s death, a letter from an applicant I’d never met that knew my mom had died would probably piss me off.

This.

Stick to the folks that you've already met and interacted with.

That’s kinda what I’m thinking. Sure, he might think it’s nice, but he might also think that it’s not apppropriate because he’s never even met you before.

Agree. That's a very personal, private matter to be trying to talk to a complete stranger about. I would follow up with the people you met and keep out of the owner's personal business for now. I could be completely wrong, but I feel that's not the way you want to introduce yourself to the big boss.

There's always the chance that it really rubs them the wrong way if you do it and literally zero chance of it bothering them that you, a stranger, and a hire candidate didn't offer your consolation on their recent loss of a parent.

I'm with the send him a short note side. I don't see any downside unless you're going to be effusive or say something like she's in a better place now which I don't think you will.