Is "Facebook friending" okay for Thank-You Letters?

Today I was asked whether it was appropriate to "Facebook friend" your interviewer after an interview and whether "IM speak" was okay in an email thank you note?

"A resounding 'no'," was my answer. Under no circumstances should a candidate ever "facebook friend" a thank-you letter or use IM-speak. Communication with a potential employer should still be done as formally as an email allows. In other words, proper grammar and punctuation need to be considered. Candidates will want to remember that all correspondence with a company indicates many things about candidates, including their writing abilities and style, as well as their ability to conduct themselves in a professional manner.

With that said, I would add that if the person is applying for a job at a very hip internet startup that requires them to be using facebook or IM as part of their responsibilities, then perhaps other forms of communication would be okay because techno-savvy skills would be required in that type of company.

Whether one is being hired to write or not, one must always remember that writing skills are always being evaluated because the ability to communicate with the team or other members of the company are important even if you work in a solitary type of position. There is almost always a boss or subordinate who need to be informed of status, problems, etc.

So a thank-you letter should take the following form: first, thank the people by name if possible for their time during the process and for their information. Then reiterate why you are qualified for the position based on information gained during the interview. For example, "I know that my background is a perfect fit for the software development position because of my technical skills, my ability to communicate with business partners and my ability to present to management."

And, when should a cover letter be sent? No more than 24 or 48 hours after an interview.

Feel free to send specific questions or comments to: JLitvin@MicroSearchSF.com or post a response here.