Most applicants don’t send a thank you letter after a job interview, so this is an easy way BizJetJobs.com members can really improve the impression they make on a potential employer Even if you think a pilot job offer is in the bag, you can always improve your chances of getting the job if you send a thank-you letter after your interview. Your letter should reiterate your core strengths and emphasize the value you offer. You also have this one last opportunity to squelch any concerns the employer raised about your qualifications and add important information you didn’t get to discuss in the interview.
A thank-you letter can really help you seal the deal after your pilot job interview. The sample thank you letter below shows how you can craft a great message after an interview to boost your candidacy.
The Email After Interview Thank You Note
You should definitely send a thank-you letter by mail after every in-person interview, but you don't have to send one after a phone interview. For those you can send a simple thank-you email message within 12 hours of the phone interview, like this:
Dear Tom, Thanks for chatting with me on Tuesday about the Chief Pilot job at XYZ Company. I was especially interested in your explanation of the current safety climate and initiatives. I'm looking forward to lending my expertise in this area. Thanks again for your time, Joe Pilot
The reason Joe expressed interest in the scheduling challenges at XYZ Aviation is not just that he wants to be polite. He also mentioned this to bring himself back into Tom's mind. Tom is a busy recruiter. Who knows how many candidates he may have talked to this week? Joe always asks questions on his phone interviews, and he had asked Tom on the phone, "Is there an initiative underway at XYZ Company that makes this Chief Pilot hire especially urgent?" Since Tom was kind enough to dive into an explanation of the why, Joe wants to make sure that when Tom gets his thank-you email message, Tom recalls their conversation - and why Joe is the perfect fit for the job. Many aviation job-seekers don't realize that one of their biggest enemies on the job-search trail is a recruiter's or hiring manager's overloaded brain. Many smart and talented people miss out on good jobs only because the recruiter or the hiring manager forgets all about them, hours or days after their interview.
The Written Post Interview Thank You Letter
Your best bet after a face-to-face interview is a written thank-you letter. We recommend that you thank your hiring manager twice, once in a quick written thank-you note card and again in a longer, more substantive email message. If you think that two follow-ups is too many, keep in mind that managers are information-overloaded at all times, so they may not even notice one or the other. Your quick mailed note card thank-you shows that you know how to write and how to be polite. Your more substantive email follow-up should get into the areas you and the interviewer spoke about in more depth. Here is an example of each: Hand-Written Note Card (Mailed One Or Two Days Post-Interview):
Dear James, Thanks for talking with me on Monday about the Chief Pilot job. I appreciate your explanation of the current safety climate and initiatives at XYZ Company. As I mentioned, I've dealt with similar initiatives. I'm look forward to continuing the conversation. Thanks again, Joe Pilot
Email Follow-Up (Sent Three Or Four Days After Your Interview):
Dear James, Thanks again for meeting with me on Monday to discuss your Chief Pilot job. I've been thinking about your safety initiatives and have several new ideas for you when we speak again. When I created a similar safety program at ABC Aviation, I was responsible for integrating two companies' safety programs as well as launching new initiatives unique to ABC. We got it done, trained the combined team and chose a third party to provide manuals and new safety certifications for the team. I would enjoy bringing my experience about the ups and downs of this process to XYZ Company. All the best, Joe Pilot
As NCAA coach and motivational speaker Eric Thomas famously said, don't neglect to take advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity. If you've just met with your dream employer, follow this guide to writing your post-interview thank you letter and email. Capitalize on the opportunity you had when meeting with your potential employer face-to-face or by phone.
