Don't sit by the phone waiting for the offer after the interview! There is one step you can take to make a lasting impression after your interview and greatly increase your odds of success.

• Immediately write the interviewer a short note, thanking him/her for his/her time and reemphasizing your interest in the position. You may also want to add additional information which was not discussed in the interview.
• Then do your best to send it to him/her as quickly as possible by email or direct mail. But ensure he/she has it before the end of the following day. The quicker your letter arrives, the greater the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Doesn't everyone follow up like this? Hardly. Virtually no one calls after an interview and few take the time to write a thank you letter. The simple gestures of a phone call and thank you letter can make a big difference in separating you from your competition.

And if you interviewed with multiple individuals, make sure each thank you letter is unique.

• Common language is acceptable, but do not simply change the name at the top of the letter. Your cover letter, resume, and other materials will likely be stored in a single file, usually in the possession of the person guiding you through the hiring process.
• Your thank you letters will eventually find their way back to the central file. And what seemed to be a unique and original note can actually work against you if there are two or three duplicates collected together in your file. It has taken a great deal of effort to get this far. Take the extra time to make this final impression a positive one.

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