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The interview follow up letter can make or break your chances of becoming hired. For that reason it should become an essential part of your job hunting tool box, right in there with the other tools you use: resume, cover letter, thank you note, reference sheet and salary history.

Think of the letter as a second chance. Some people don't interview in person as well as they can write. Living up to the standards your resume set for you may be difficult. If that is the case, then the interview follow up letter will improve your appearance after the fact. Other people interview well in person, and are able to use this letter to reemphasize key points discussed with the hiring manager, and remind the hiring manager of the good points about the applicant. In either case the interview follow up letter is essential and if prepared properly will help the applicant get the job.

The following sample interview follow up letter gives an idea of what should be included.

The time I spent interviewing with you today gave me a clear picture of your organization's operation as well as your work environment. I want to thank you for the thorough picture you painted of your organizational needs.

I left our meeting feeling very enthusiastic about the scope of the position as well as its close match to my abilities. I believe the key strengths that I can offer you are:

' Experience in dealing with people of all types and backgrounds through my life experience, education and training.

' Proven ability to operate a business at a profit, supervise and train personnel, facilitate activities to improve morale and cash flow, and interact successfully with both staff and customers.

' Excellent communication skills'particularly the ability to gain feedback and summarize succinctly.

With my energetic work style, strong people skills and attention to detail, I believe that I am an excellent match for this position. I welcome a chance to meet with you further to elaborate on my background and possibilities of future association.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting with you soon.

Sincerely,

John Doe

You'll notice that it is written in a positive and upbeat style. In sales, many successful salesmen assume the close. This does essentially that. The applicant in writing this letter is controlling the conversation and steering it towards positive attributes that he or she possesses, which would make the applicant appear valuable to the company. In addition, by using an interview follow up letter an applicant is 'walking the walk as well as talking the talk' simply because most applicants fail to use an interview follow up letter after an interview. Using a letter like this shows that the applicant is conscientious, thoughtful, intelligent, and just the kind of person the company needs. Using an interview follow up letter will lead to more job offers and more jobs.