Many anthropologists on the job market interviewed at the AAA meetings last week. This is a reminder to all that you should write thank you notes to the people you talked to. Tuesday's Wall Street Journal (2005.12.6 page B10) had some tips that you can borrow:
- Proofread beyond spelling and grammar
- Reiterate your best qualities
- Show off your listening skills
- Tap into the employer's culture - but keep it professional
- Write to every executive you meet
Back to anthropology, I believe e-mail is perfectly fine for the thank you notes, since we're in a digital age -- unless the person who interviewed you doesn't have an e-mail address listed. Spell-check and keep your language formal. Don't use internet slang (BTW, IMHO, etc.) and address each e-mail message individually to the faculty member, using formal titles. Group e-mails are a definite turn-off.
If the interviewers asked you about your teaching credentials, be sure to follow up with offers to provide syllabi, teaching evaluations, or teaching awards. If they asked about your research, suggest a journal article or particularly good section of your dissertation. Don't send attachments without permission, only send material if requested.
Remember, this is your last chance to make an appeal to the search committee before the first cut!
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