Majority of executives OK e-mail f ollow-ups after interviews

According to a recent survey developed by Accountemps, it is acceptable to send post-interview thank-you notes to hiring managers via e-mail.

In the survey, which was conducted by an independent research firm and included responses from 150 executives with the nation's largest companies, 78 percent of the respondents considered e-mailed thank-you messages appropriate.

However, 22 percent indicated that e-mail notes following a job interview are inappropriate.

"Sending an e-mail immediately following a job interview demonstrates initiative, but candidates should follow up with a traditional, more formal letter," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps.

"Sending a personal, handwritten note offers applicants a chance to express their enthusiasm for the position and reinforce the reasons they feel they're a good match," he added.

Thank-you notes and messages may also give job seekers a leg up on the competition, according to a related survey question to which 86 percent of executives polled answered that they consider post-interview thank-yous helpful when evaluating candidates.

According to the executives polled, though, only 39 percent of job applicants actually follow through with that courtesy.

Messmer noted that thank-you e-mails should be no more than one paragraph and he added that handwritten letters need not be long, either, as two or three paragraphs are acceptable.

Both handwritten and e-mail thank-you notes should express gratitude, reinforce the candidate's interest in the job and recap his or her strongest selling points, Messmer said.

Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals, has more than 325 offices throughout North America, Europe and Australia.