How to have an attitude of gratitude in a job interview

I could not resist the urge to have a holiday-themed blog post the week of Thanksgiving.  I have held off in the past, but for several reasons I decided to go with it this year.  I will focus primarily on job search tips instead of recipes or decoration ideas.  I am sure you have plenty of those already.

Today's picture is from our team going downtown to a local hospital to help prepare the children's craft table for an upcoming event.  We mostly cut and organized a mixture of items that children will be able to then take and create a holiday decoration to take home.  The organizers were incredibly grateful as our team of seven was able to knock out quite a bit in the short time we were there on a Friday afternoon.  It got me thinking about how candidates and employers alike can sometimes miss the boat on easy opportunities to show gratitude during a job search or interview process.

First of all, take time to thank everyone involved with the coordination of a job interview.  It is easy to thank the person across the table or desk who might be the hiring manager or someone in human resources.  But what about the administrative assistant who emailed you the address of the office location?  Or the receptionist that greeted you at the front door and knew you were there for a job interview and asked if you wanted a cup of coffee before things got started?  A lot of effort goes on behind the scenes to make an interview run smoothly, and it is always a good idea to acknowledge those efforts, no matter how big or small.

Secondly, be thankful at every turn.  My favorite candidate or employer contact is the one that thanks me EVERY time we talk, coordinate a detail, or de-brief after an interview.  Everyone's time is valuable, and it is a nice touch to remember that with the occasional "thank you" comment, call, email, or text.

Speaking of modes of communication, my next tip is to mix up HOW you thank people that are invested in the interview process.  The lost art of a handwritten thank you card is a valuable resource if you use it wisely.  Who doesn't like getting actual snail mail, even if the message is plain and simple?  I can count on one hand how many handwritten notes I have received in the past year.  So you can imagine how impactful and memorable they were to me.

Regardless of how little or how much you like text messaging, it can also be incredibly effective and efficient.  Those can be sent overnight when someone likely isn't available to talk in great length.  Or possibly over a weekend if you have an interview late in the week.  But can be another great way to have another opportunity to connect with your audience.

Lastly, be sincere and explain WHY you are thankful for something in the interview process.  Be specific.  Maybe it was the attention to detail in the agenda you were given ahead of the interview.  It could have been the array of beverages to choose from to keep you hydrated during a long conversation.  Or maybe it was a lunch that was catered.  I'm here to tell you that I have heard many, many stories of interviews that did NOT go well.  So telling someone how they did something well is certainly worth noting.

Regardless of the how, when, why, or what of the attitude of gratitude, simply try engaging in the process and share with others how it was received.  My bet is that it will always be welcome!