What to Do After a Job Interview: Follow Up
Should you mention the person's first name in a letter of gratitude because I typically do so in interviews if you want to say "Thank you for the interview"?
This is a great professional etiquette query that depends as much on the age and status gap between the interviewer and the applicant as it does on how the interviewer prefers to be addressed. Reviewing the key component of an interview address will help you apply it to a thank-you or follow-up email.
Assuming nothing to the contrary, address interviewers as Mr. or Ms. In a job interview, you should never discuss your personal preferences. It may momentarily make you feel more equal to choose to address an interviewer by their first name without being instructed to do so, but it won't improve your chances of getting the job.
Take into account the following guidelines when conducting interviews:
If there is a significant age gap, use Mr. or Ms. unless otherwise instructed.
If necessary, only use your first name.
Ask if you're uncertain.
It does not follow that you should use a personal form of address just because other employees do.
In private conversations with a senior person, using their first name is acceptable; however, once more people are present, you should use the more formal Mr. or Ms.
In addition to demonstrating your respect for a potential employer, using a more professional address shows that you are familiar with and sensitive to the needs of the company's customers.
Thank you letters as follow-ups
The guidelines for thank-you and follow-up letters for interviews might not always be applicable. The likelihood that you will be encouraged to use first names during the interview increases with your proximity to the interviewer in terms of age, experience, and status; however, this does not always imply that you should do so in the follow-up letter. Returning to the professional and polite address can actually increase your points.
In a thank you or follow-up email, address the recipient as Mr. or Ms. Using your last name just serves as a cue that you are courteous in business settings. It will always be regarded as a testament to your moral integrity and business decorum, two qualities that a savvy applicant will want to portray.