Say Thanks (in writing)

The Lesson

Over the past few weeks I’ve been conducting interviews in hopes of finding a new assistant. So far, I’ve held face-to-face interviews with seven potential candidates. To date, two candidates have expressed their thanks via email, one candidate sent, what appeared to be, a computer generated thank you letter template in the mail, and one candidate sent a handwritten thank you card in the mail.

Of these, it was the handwritten thank you card that captured my attention. Why? Because even though typed post-interview thank you letters are the norm, handwritten post-interview thank you cards are not. Over the years I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews, and while I have received hundreds of post-interview thank you letters (most are of the Internet copy- and-paste template variety) only a handful have been handwritten sentiments.

So what would make a person take the extra time to pick out a card and pen a handwritten note? A few things come to mind: The candidate wanted to stand out from the crowd. The candidate has good manners. The candidate genuinely wanted to express gratitude. The candidate has class.

Over the years I’ve read and heard some great stories about thank you cards and how a small gesture eventually made a significant impact on someone’s life. For instance, you can click here to read author Harley Hahn share his story about how a simple thank you card helped him get in the “in” circle of IBM consultants. Hahn’s article also shares additional stories and information related to thank you notes which is worth the read if you have the time.

As someone who also relies on handwritten thank you notes, I know the how valuable they can be, and this past weekend I found myself wondering why thank you cards are becoming such a lost art. I started thinking about text messaging, email, and Facebook and how quick and easy it is to send our “thanks” using these communication tools. But, think about it: Does a message in your inbox mean as much as a message in your mailbox? Does the wall post on Facebook beat opening an envelope? Doubt it.

If you’ve ever received a thank you note (especially one that had nothing to do with a wedding or graduation gift, or an interview, since those are expected) you know what I’m talking about. It likely made you feel good and put a smile on your face. You probably even had positive thoughts about the person who sent it. In fact, chances are you still have that card tucked away somewhere for safekeeping. I know I have several.

The Challenge

GB Stern once said, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” I agree, and this week’s challenge is to express gratitude in the form of a handwritten thank you note. Consider sending one thank you note each day to someone who has made an impact on your life. It could be the waiter who went out of his way to better serve you, the friend who unexpectedly stopped by to visit, the coworker who covered for you so that you could have a day off, or the spouse who took on additional hours at work to help make ends meet. Just ensure you are authentic and sincere.

If you need a quick lesson on how to properly write a thank you letter, this video can get you up to speed in less than two minutes:

The Reflection

1.    What did you learn about yourself this week as a result of sending handwritten thank you notes?
2.    What did you choose to be thankful for?
3.    How do you think the people receiving the notes felt?
4.    Did anyone reach out to thank you in return?
5.    How would continual practice of writing thank you notes change your life?

Thank you,

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor