Executives Endorse E-Mailed Thank Yous

Compiled ByTonya Vinas Executives appreciate and approve of post-job-interview thank-you notes. This according to a recent survey by Accountemps, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing service for accounting, finance and bookkeeping. The survey queried 150 executives and found that 78% consider e-mailed thank-you notes appropriate. Of the entire group, 26% consider them "very appropriate"; 52% say "somewhat appropriate"; 14% say "somewhat inappropriate"; and 8% say "very inappropriate." Still, executives do value written thank-you notes. "Sending an e-mail immediately following a job interview demonstrates initiative, but candidates should follow up with a traditional, more formal letter," advises Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies (2000, Hungry Minds Inc.). "Sending a personal, handwritten note offers applicants a chance to express their enthusiasm for the position and reinforce the reasons they feel they're a good match."