Thanks, but No Thanks

The thank you email is the most neglected tool we have to help move our clients’ careers forward. Almost always the thank you email is little more than a proforma document with a “standard issue” expression of gratitude bolted on. It includes attempts by the author to “sell themselves”…again. One “expert” even suggested including small talk! It would surprise me if such a note was glanced at for more than two seconds. 

It doesn’t have to be that way for your clients.

Let me introduce the interview-generating email. It has never failed to provide just such opportunities for my clients in the 25 years I’ve used it. But first, a critical foundation.

The main purpose of the interview is for our clients to learn what the target organization’s biggest problems are. Regardless of the career field, regardless of the organization, regardless of the level of job responsibility, our clients will be hired as problem solvers. Jobs that don’t involve solving problems have two characteristics: they require the employee to ask if the customer wants fries with that and they don’t require résumé to apply.

Asking the interviewer what the company’s greatest problems are is an excellent way to evaluate the organization. Our clients expect an appropriate answer. If they don’t get one, Orlando’s First Law of Employment applies: “Everything you hear, everything you see, as you deal with a prospective employer is condoned or encouraged by the leadership—without exception.”

It’s very common for interviewers to confuse problems with symptoms. For example, falling sales is not a problem. It is a symptom. Your client should ask the interviewer what caused the symptom. For example, falling sales could reflect a new competitor entering the market, a fall in demand, an understaffed sales force…you get the idea.

It’s also possible for the interviewer to confuse tasks with problems. Problems require thought. Tasks, while important, usually don’t. If you were in my office, you’d notice two holders containing a fair number of files. If those files fell to the floor, there would be paper everywhere. Not having the files in order would slow me down. But it is not a problem.

Every piece of paper has a client’s name on it. Every folder has a client’s name on it. A smart five year old could put them back in order. No thought is required.

Problems always arise from a lack of resources. The ones that spring to mind are money, people, technology, and facilities. But problems can also be a lack of knowledge, access to the appropriate people and files, and decision making authority. 

Make sure your clients understand the information you’ve just read. Without that, they could easily misconstrue the answers interviewers give to their question.

I am not a big fan of “scripts,” but here are two ways your clients might ask the critical question:

“If there was only one thing I could do to help you the most now, what would that be?”

“Assume I’ve been on your team for a while and I have exceeded your expectations. What would I have to do for that to happen?”

As soon as the interview is over, suggest your client find a quiet place immediately. They should write down the company’s problem as best they can. Then they should assume they have been hired. What will they do to help the company fix their key problems right from the start?

Remind your clients no detailed solutions are possible. They haven’t met the people with whom they will work. They don’t know the culture. But they can certainly draw on their knowledge of their career field to outline some applicable concepts. They should write those down as well. Then they should email you the following: what problems does the company face that touch on your client’s career field and how they would help solve those problems. Clients should also include the interviewer’s name and title. If it was a panel interview, target the primary interviewer and copy the rest in their email.

You now have enough information to draft the interview generating email. Start by thanking the interviewer, outline what your client thinks the company’s problems are, suggest some concepts, and tell the interview your client will call to see if those ideas meet the company’s needs.

Here’s a genuine, fictionalized, example: 

To: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]  

Will these ideas work for the Center?

Dear Dr. Crenshaw,

I wanted to do more than just thank you, Dr. Wang, and Dr. Chatterjee for being so generous with your time last week. The more I learn about this opportunity, the more it appeals to me.

In fact, as soon as we finished our conversation, I began thinking about ways I might be most productive, right from the first day. And so, I’ve outlined an action plan in the next paragraph. I know I’ll revise my ideas once I learn more about the Center and the people I want to support. Nevertheless, I’d be interested in your reactions to what you are about to read.

I’ve already indicated my first priority: I want to meet and really listen to all our internal and external customers. Their concerns will guide my priorities. Perhaps my perspective as a newcomer could point toward new solutions.

For example, I’ve been thinking about the relationship between our ultramicrotome and the options available to acquire cryo-microtome capability. I’m already updating my knowledge of Reichert CFS equipment and how it compares to the Leica Ultracut UCT. My goal would be to refine return on investment numbers such a major expense would have to provide. That might be useful in any supplemental budget request for the upcoming FY.

Thinking about Dr. Chatterjee’s question, I’ve arranged training on the Veeco 3100 Atomic Force Microscope at the University of Memphis under the direction of Dr. Lewis Coons. I’ll start training tomorrow.

Because I want to be sure I serve you well, may I call in a few days to explore how my ideas might work for the Office of Scientific Exploration?

Sincerely,

Arthur T. Collins, Ph.D.

There is no rush to get the email to the interviewer. In fact, it would be best to wait a few days. After all, your client said he took time to think the problem through.

Once your client emails what you wrote to the interviewer, he should call and ask to speak with the interviewer’s secretary. Your client doesn’t want to surprise the interviewer with his call. With a time and date planned for the conversation, the interviewer will be much better prepared.

When the two talk, your client asks the key question: “Will my ideas work for you and your company?”

The next words from the interviewer’s mouth are—by definition—a second interview!

Charge for this product and service. How large an investment is a function of a typical salary for the job. Because I work exclusively with rising, senior, and very senior executives, I usually collect $250 for such an email. Results? About $6,000 in annual revenue.

Remind your clients of the exceptional value you’re providing: a second interview. You should mention how unlikely it is for any other job seeker to respond with the same persuasive power and precision and directly to the hiring decision maker. 

Of course, your brand will become stronger. You’re offering something extra most résumé writers don’t even think of, let alone provide.

The email you write does more than lock in a second interview. It often generates a job for your client and more revenue for you.