thanking interviewers

[sisyphus22]

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what is the consensus regarding how to thank interviewers? typed letters? handwritten thank you cards? emails? how soon after the interview should we send these? does anyone know if all of these thank yous are likely to become part of our file (in which case, i suppose i shouldn't say the exact same thing to each interviewer at a program)?

 

[Sight6505]

and what's too late, 1 week? 2 weeks? 3 weeks?

 

[sisyphus22]

just read iserson on this topic, and he writes that we should send a typed letter to the PD, and photocopies of this letter to each of the other interviewers with an individualized handwritten note at the bottom of each letter. he recommends doing this within 24 hours (if that's really the norm, i'm already super late). what do people think of this?

 

[Olddog1]

just read iserson on this topic, and he writes that we should send a typed letter to the PD, and photocopies of this letter to each of the other interviewers with an individualized handwritten note at the bottom of each letter. he recommends doing this within 24 hours (if that's really the norm, i'm already super late). what do people think of this?

As an interviewer I think it is a complete waste of time for you to write a thank you note. I have been involved with 2 interview committees and we never looked to see if there was a thank you note, and this never played in the ranking decision. I have had applicants write a letter to every interviewer they see (sometimes 6-8 people). However, that is only 2 programs. When I interviewed I also sent a letter to everyone. I would recommend a hand written note to the PD and say thanks to you and all of the faculty, blah, blah, blah. The above suggestion isn't bad, but I think hand written to the PD would be the minimun and sufficient. Of course 60% of you will read this and still write one to everyone you see, and the only thing you lose is some time. Good luck.

 

[Wolverine98]

As an interviewer I think it is a complete waste of time for you to write a thank you note. I have been involved with 2 interview committees and we never looked to see if there was a thank you note, and this never played in the ranking decision. I have had applicants write a letter to every interviewer they see (sometimes 6-8 people). However, that is only 2 programs. When I interviewed I also sent a letter to everyone.

I agree. I wrote an individual typed letter to everyone who interviewed me (except at programs where they specifically said not to). In retrospect, seeing it from the interviewer side, it was a waste of time, energy, and paper. Just like with Olddog, I've never seen it a factor when the rank lists are being made (and we meet at the end of each day to rank people for that day, so it really can't affect you then).

How late is too late depends on how you're doing it. If you are sending letters, try to send them within a week of the interview. If you're sending e-mail, I'd do it within a day.

Dave

 

[xaelia]

Most PDs I talk to say you can only hurt your application with a thank you letter by making it generic or misaddressing it. They won't knock you down a slot if you don't send them a thank you.

 

[eyefly]

Most PDs I talk to say you can only hurt your application with a thank you letter by making it generic or misaddressing it. They won't knock you down a slot if you don't send them a thank you.

i agree with xaelia, our chairman told us the same thing. i think i am going to write a personalized letter to the PD only. any chance we could all do this? there is safety in numbers!🙂

 

[4424]

i agree with xaelia, our chairman told us the same thing. i think i am going to write a personalized letter to the PD only. any chance we could all do this? there is safety in numbers!🙂

i was planning on a letter to the PD only as well. i do'nt feel comfortable not writing one at all, but i also don't think i would have enough to say differently to 5 different people at the same institution. i haven't decided on handwritten or typed yet though.

 

[Olddog1]

I've never seen it a factor when the rank lists are being made (and we meet at the end of each day to rank people for that day, so it really can't affect you then).

How late is too late depends on how you're doing it. If you are sending letters, try to send them within a week of the interview. If you're sending e-mail, I'd do it within a day.

Dave

I agree completely. We don't rank the same day, but the day or so after the last interview. So if your interview is late in the year, you may be wasting paper, time etc...

 

[rubensan]

i agree with this post. in the grand scheme of things, it probably won't help you. but if you do not write one, many of you will be wondering "what if i had?" in contrast to xaelia's post, i believe a thank-you note will not hurt you. you have nothing to loose as long as it is thoughtful and sincere. but don't say things like "i am going to rank you #1." the advice that i got was to type one letter addressed to the PD or dept chair (whoever you interacted with the most) of programs that you are REALLY interested in.

As an interviewer I think it is a complete waste of time for you to write a thank you note. I have been involved with 2 interview committees and we never looked to see if there was a thank you note, and this never played in the ranking decision. I have had applicants write a letter to every interviewer they see (sometimes 6-8 people). However, that is only 2 programs. When I interviewed I also sent a letter to everyone. I would recommend a hand written note to the PD and say thanks to you and all of the faculty, blah, blah, blah. The above suggestion isn't bad, but I think hand written to the PD would be the minimun and sufficient. Of course 60% of you will read this and still write one to everyone you see, and the only thing you lose is some time. Good luck.

 

[azzarah]

I'm not going to send thank you notes. I already thanked them profusely in person, and I think if I were an interviewer or an administrative secretary having to put these in people's charts they would kinda get on my nerves.
It's like going on a date...you already thanked the guy, no need to call and thank him again and again...😀

 

[fatman41]

Also like on a date, you don't want to go home knowing you screwed yourself.

 

[EyeRes]

I would strongly disagree with anyone that says it is not important to send thank-you notes after your interview. Personally, I sent hand written notes to each of the people that I interviewed with and tried to send one to the secretary/program coordinator that assisted in organizing the interview day. If I felt like one or two of the residents took a particular interest in trying to be available or helpful I sent one to him/her. Make it personal, don't kiss up, and it can be as simple as thanking them for taking the time to interview you and introducing you to the program.

Did it matter? Yes. My interviews resulted in about 150 hand written thank-you notes, but what I can say is that I also matched at my first choice for ophtho residency and for transitional year (both pretty competitive). Before I left my transitional year, we were allowed to look at our file. They still had my thank you notes in the file for the program director as well as the coordinator, and on my interview data sheet there were "extra points" for having sent the notes. When I interviewed incoming 4th years for that transitional program, it was noted whether they had sent at least one note or if you did not send a note. I can guarantee it hurt several people that did not send any notes and it helped those that sent notes to the residents. For my ophtho residency, I sent notes to all of the interviewers, the secretary and two residents. Once I started residency, I found out that the resident I sent a thank-you letter to went to the program director and let him know. He made it known that he thought I would fit well in the program, and I think it probably helped.

Common courtesy goes a long way these days. Remember, some of the people that you will interview with are from your parents generation and it is expected. I know several young faculty that feel the same way. Don't think that not sending a letter can't hurt you. Yes, it takes time to hand write 5-10 letters each night after an interveiw, but it will be worth it. Programs are looking for residents that are willing to go the extra mile. Even if it does not help you rank higher, it will start you out on the right foot at the program you eventually match with.

 

[4424]

I would strongly disagree with anyone that says it is not important to send thank-you notes after your interview. Personally, I sent hand written notes to each of the people that I interviewed with and tried to send one to the secretary/program coordinator that assisted in organizing the interview day. If I felt like one or two of the residents took a particular interest in trying to be available or helpful I sent one to him/her. Make it personal, don't kiss up, and it can be as simple as thanking them for taking the time to interview you and introducing you to the program.

Did it matter? Yes. My interviews resulted in about 150 hand written thank-you notes, but what I can say is that I also matched at my first choice for ophtho residency and for transitional year (both pretty competitive). Before I left my transitional year, we were allowed to look at our file. They still had my thank you notes in the file for the program director as well as the coordinator, and on my interview data sheet there were "extra points" for having sent the notes. When I interviewed incoming 4th years for that transitional program, it was noted whether they had sent at least one note or if you did not send a note. I can guarantee it hurt several people that did not send any notes and it helped those that sent notes to the residents. For my ophtho residency, I sent notes to all of the interviewers, the secretary and two residents. Once I started residency, I found out that the resident I sent a thank-you letter to went to the program director and let him know. He made it known that he thought I would fit well in the program, and I think it probably helped.

Common courtesy goes a long way these days. Remember, some of the people that you will interview with are from your parents generation and it is expected. I know several young faculty that feel the same way. Don't think that not sending a letter can't hurt you. Yes, it takes time to hand write 5-10 letters each night after an interveiw, but it will be worth it. Programs are looking for residents that are willing to go the extra mile. Even if it does not help you rank higher, it will start you out on the right foot at the program you eventually match with.

so you recommend hand written over typed?

 

[Wolverine98]

so you recommend hand written over typed?

That depends on your handwriting (no, I'm not joking). If your handwriting is horrible, then I definitely would not do it.

That said, this is the only place I've heard of that actually factors them into the ranklist (edit: oops, looking back I see that it was the TY program you're talking about, not the ophtho).
Many programs (my own included), evaluate as soon as the interview day is done, and then have a big rank session at the end. That way the applicants are fresh in your mind when you discuss them; after getting through 60 or 70 people, you start to forget which applicant was which, so it's nice to be able to look at what you thought on the day they interviewed. Also, some programs will tell you not to send a thank you letter, or to send just one generic one to the department.

Dave

 

[EyeRes]

I agree, if your hand writing is poor then type. Otherwise opt for hand written letters.

I agreee also that most programs do their "preliminary" rank list the day of the interviews, but rarely are they submitted that day/week. There are often "adjustments" made after the initial rank list by program directors/chairs. I would err on the side of caution and send them. That being said, if they tell you not to send one, or they tell you to send one generic one to the department then do just that.

Best of luck

 

[azzarah]

IMHO, common courtesy is thanking them profusely in person for giving you the opportunity to interview. Sending thank you notes is saying thanks twice, which is absolutely fine, but I would not say that not sending thank you notes is equivalent to being rude.