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I just had a callback and am unsure if it's standard/expected to send out thank-you e-mails to my interviewers. Verdict?

i would

Our CSO said yes.

If it's a big primary-market firm, they don't care. They submit your evals as soon as the interview is over and forget about you.

Cavalier wrote:If it's a big primary-market firm, they don't care. They submit your evals as soon as the interview is over and forget about you.

Small office of a largeish firm in a primary-market. I was told they'd be getting back to us early next week, so it's probably not something they'll have time to take into account. There's no potential downside either though, right?

Anonymous User wrote:

Cavalier wrote:If it's a big primary-market firm, they don't care. They submit your evals as soon as the interview is over and forget about you.

Small office of a largeish firm in a primary-market. I was told they'd be getting back to us early next week, so it's probably not something they'll have time to take into account. There's no potential downside either though, right?

A typo could mean a rejection, so you have to be extremely careful. And you can't just send the same statement to all five or six people.

Are you a 1L? No offense, but it would behoove you to utilize the search function. This topic has been explored to death.

Cavalier's advice is credited, though. I received offers from firms to which I did/didn't send thank-yous. Evals are usually done right after your interview, but some firms follow different procedures and don't submit evals until later that day/week. Do what you want, just don't make typos or else the hiring committee will likely say "lol gtfo."

Big Shrimpin wrote:Are you a 1L? No offense, but it would behoove you to utilize the search function. This topic has been explored to death.

Cavalier's advice is credited, though. I received offers from firms to which I did/didn't send thank-yous. Evals are usually done right after your interview, but some firms follow different procedures and don't submit evals until later that day/week. Do what you want, just don't make typos or else the hiring committee will likely say "lol gtfo."

No. I'm aware of the search function, but I wanted my own thread so I'd get individualized feedback. I understand the sentiment though.

I have no idea what the procedure is at this particular firm, but I do know that they planned for a quick turn-around, so it seems likely that evals were either immediately after the interview or very shortly afterwards. Maybe it's better not to send them.

I don't think there is any credited response here. The debate always comes up and the answers are always different.

Cav' seems to suggest that it is necessary to send thank you cards in a secondary market or when you interview with smaller firms. I personally interviewed primarily in secondary Southern markets and with smaller firms, and didn't send one thank you card after callbacks. I got far more offers than rejections.

I think it's something that has far more potential to hurt you than it does to help you, so I just don't do it.

Aqualibrium wrote:Cav' seems to suggest that it is necessary to send thank you cards in a secondary market or when you interview with smaller firms. I personally interviewed primarily in secondary Southern markets and with smaller firms, and didn't send one thank you card after callbacks.

I didn't mean to imply that. At a firm that moves more slowly, a thank-you note might have a positive impact, but it's still not necessary.

Anonymous User wrote:

Big Shrimpin wrote:Are you a 1L? No offense, but it would behoove you to utilize the search function. This topic has been explored to death.

Cavalier's advice is credited, though. I received offers from firms to which I did/didn't send thank-yous. Evals are usually done right after your interview, but some firms follow different procedures and don't submit evals until later that day/week. Do what you want, just don't make typos or else the hiring committee will likely say "lol gtfo."

No. I'm aware of the search function, but I wanted my own thread so I'd get individualized feedback. I understand the sentiment though.

I have no idea what the procedure is at this particular firm, but I do know that they planned for a quick turn-around, so it seems likely that evals were either immediately after the interview or very shortly afterwards. Maybe it's better not to send them.

Yea, I'd refrain. Usually, when you're sitting in the attorney's office, they'll literally have your eval up on their computer screen. As soon as you leave/they shepherd you to the next office, they go back and fill it out/send it at some point that day. In most cases (from what I've been told), even if you sent an email thank-you that night, you probably post-date the eval anyways. Moreover, as Aqua said, risk > reward.

GL dude!

rad law wrote:Our CSO said yes.

You will come to learn that that place is just a cesspool of know-nothing do-nothings. You shouldn't feel the need to unless it's like a Southern firm or something, in which case it's better to send handwritten notes. Plus, there's always the risk of typos, which FUCK you.

Our CSO said no.

BunkMoreland wrote:

rad law wrote:Our CSO said yes.

You will come to learn that that place is just a cesspool of know-nothing do-nothings. You shouldn't feel the need to unless it's like a Southern firm or something, in which case it's better to send handwritten notes. Plus, there's always the risk of typos, which FUCK you.

One typo in an e-mail FUCKs you?

BunkMoreland wrote:

rad law wrote:Our CSO said yes.

You will come to learn that that place is just a cesspool of know-nothing do-nothings. You shouldn't feel the need to unless it's like a Southern firm or something, in which case it's better to send handwritten notes. Plus, there's always the risk of typos, which FUCK you.

Haha I sent some handwritten notes to the "good 'ol boy" firm in town.

Depends on market.
NYC - don't care
DC - might care
South - do care
TX - might care
Midwest - prob don't care
CA - prob don't care

Cavalier wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Cavalier wrote:If it's a big primary-market firm, they don't care. They submit your evals as soon as the interview is over and forget about you.

Small office of a largeish firm in a primary-market. I was told they'd be getting back to us early next week, so it's probably not something they'll have time to take into account. There's no potential downside either though, right?

A typo could mean a rejection, so you have to be extremely careful. And you can't just send the same statement to all five or six people.

I had a typo. I am now waiting for the rejection lol. Seriously, I was so out of it that night already, it would have been better to not write a thank you email haha.

Anonymous User wrote:Depends on market.
NYC - don't care
DC - might care
South - do care
TX - might care
Midwest - prob don't care
CA - prob don't care

I personally interviewed primarily in secondary Southern markets and with smaller firms, and didn't send one thank you card after callbacks. I got far more offers than rejections.

It's all a matter of how you feel I suppose...A thank you card is NEVER necessary. Write em if you want to, but hey can hurt you far more than they can help.

Aqualibrium wrote: It's all a matter of how you feel I suppose...A thank you card is NEVER necessary. Write em if you want to, but hey can hurt you far more than they can help.

a reluctant +1...i may have to learn this the hard way lol

i had typos in some - got offers
i didn't send thank you emails/cards to some - got offers
i did send thank you emails/cards to some (with no typos) - didn't get offers

conclusion: I don't think it matters, but I'll still do it especially if I clicked well with the person. Even if it doesn't help me, I like to do the courteous thing.

One thing, if you do write/email these thank yous, don't put the person's first name. Keep it formal as Mr./Ms. I usually address people on a first name basis in person, but I have to remind myself that writing needs to be more formal.

forza wrote:

BunkMoreland wrote:

rad law wrote:Our CSO said yes.

You will come to learn that that place is just a cesspool of know-nothing do-nothings. You shouldn't feel the need to unless it's like a Southern firm or something, in which case it's better to send handwritten notes. Plus, there's always the risk of typos, which FUCK you.

One typo in an e-mail FUCKs you?

Yeah. Sending emails and letters is a huge part of the job.

legends159 wrote:i had typos in some - got offers
i didn't send thank you emails/cards to some - got offers
i did send thank you emails/cards to some (with no typos) - didn't get offers

conclusion: I don't think it matters, but I'll still do it especially if I clicked well with the person. Even if it doesn't help me, I like to do the courteous thing.

One thing, if you do write/email these thank yous, don't put the person's first name. Keep it formal as Mr./Ms. I usually address people on a first name basis in person, but I have to remind myself that writing needs to be more formal.

This.

I am now personally of the opinion that if you are going to write a thank you note, hand write it and send it in the mail. Even if you email, it is not going to get there early enough to make a difference, so you might as well go all out. At this point, the thank you note is more about how you are perceived professionally than about getting the job.

That said, I still wouldn't advise always sending out thank you notes, unless you have time to do each one right.

OP here. Did not get the job. I blame bad advice from TLS.

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. Did not get the job. I blame bad advice from TLS.

legends159 wrote:i had typos in some - got offers
i didn't send thank you emails/cards to some - got offers
i did send thank you emails/cards to some (with no typos) - didn't get offers

conclusion: I don't think it matters, but I'll still do it especially if I clicked well with the person. Even if it doesn't help me, I like to do the courteous thing.

One thing, if you do write/email these thank yous, don't put the person's first name. Keep it formal as Mr./Ms. I usually address people on a first name basis in person, but I have to remind myself that writing needs to be more formal.

I've sent them after every call-back. One firm I hand-wrote. The rest I emailed.

I would do it because it's the courteous thing, and because I disagree that risk > reward... There are a few simple rules: (1) don't send the same exact note to every interviewer; (2) do some basic proofreading before you send.

The reward is not just limited to whether you get the summer job. If you do get a summer offer, the thank yous after the call-back could help your reputation heading into the summer and possibly getting the permanent offer. Obviously some firms care more than others, etc., but everybody appreciates a thank you note.