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Before you shake hands and say goodbye to each person you interviewed with, make sure you have their business card. Within 24 hours after your job interview, you should send a thank-you letter to each person you met with, and having their business card will ensure their name and job title are correct. When composing your thank-you letter, you want to apply many of the same principles you used when developing your cover letter. Keep the document short and concise and be sure to hit your key selling points. You should develop two to three short paragraphs that reinforce your interest in the position and employer and highlight your skills and qualifications that meet their requirements. Your goal should be to emphasize your enthusiasm, clearly express how you’re the perfect fit for their organization, and build off the rapport you developed with each person you met with. If you’re able to underscore a personal connection with each person you interviewed with, that interviewer will be more apt to remember you. For example, if you share an interest, an acquaintance, or expert skill with someone, be sure to mention that in your letter.

You might be surprised to learn that the majority of job interviewers don’t send thank-you notes. This is a key element of the interview process that you should use to your advantage. By forcing yourself to send a thank-you note, you’ll ensure that your strengths stand out above the other candidates. In your closing paragraph, reiterate your appreciation for the time and consideration they’ve shown you and let them know you hope to see them again soon. Finally, make sure you proofread your letter as carefully as you would your résumé and cover letter. Double-check the spelling of each interviewer’s name and job title and re-read your paragraphs to ensure your sentences flow smoothly. Whether you send a hand-written note or an e-mail is up to you; just make sure you send something. Although first impressions are critical, a final impression could “seal the deal”.

The iHireJobNetwork provides a variety of services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Nonagricultural wage and salary employment, which accounts for more than 9 in 10 jobs in the economy, is projected to expand to 150.2 million by 2020, up from 130.4 million in 2010.

The health care and social assistance sector is projected to gain the most jobs (5.6 million), followed by professional and business services (3.8 million), and construction (1.8 million). Despite rapid growth in the construction sector, employment in 2020 is not expected to reach its pre-recessionary annual average peak of 7.7 million in 2006.

About 5.0 million new jobs—25 percent of all new jobs—are expected in the three detailed industries projected to add the most jobs: construction, retail trade, and offices of health practitioners. Of the 20 industries gaining the most jobs, 7 are in the health care and social assistance sector, and 5 are in the professional and business services sector.

The federal government sector is projected to lose the most jobs (−372,000), followed by manufacturing (−73,100), and utilities (−35,100).

The 20 detailed industries projected to lose the largest numbers of jobs are primarily in the manufacturing sector (11 industries) and the federal government (3 industries). The largest job losses are projected for the Postal Service (−182,000), federal non-defense government (−122,000), and apparel knitting mills (−92,000).

These projections are from the ’ Employment Projections program. To learn more, see “Employment Projections — 2010–20”.

Source: US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics