From the Great Resignation to “quiet quitting,” the past year has been a renegotiation of corporate expectations.
One standby of career recruiting is on its way out the door, according to human resources consultant Dan (@dan_from_hr.)
The thank-you note, sent immediately after every interview round and doubling down on a candidate’s interest in the position, is becoming outdated, he says. His video on the topic has sparked debate and racked up nearly 90,000 views.
“This is one of the stupidest elements of recruiting,” says Dan in the video. “Next to cover letters.”
@dan_from_hr #greenscreen no more thank you notes as part of the recruitment process #jobsearch #linkedin #jobsearchhelp #getpaid #hireme #openroles #gethiredjobsearchtips #jobsearchtiktok #jobhunt #jobtips #career #careeradvice #resume #linkedin #linkedintips #resumetips #gethired #getpaid #salarynegotiation #danfromhr #danfromhrtiktok ♬ original sound – Daniel Space | HR 🧙♂️
‘Thank you’ notes have been unofficially required — or at least strongly recommended — in the interview process for decades. The short email or hand-written note supposedly shows a candidate’s professionalism and gratitude.
But Business Insider reports a growing chorus of professionals saying thank-you notes are “exhausting” and potentially contribute to hiring bias if candidates don’t already know about the performative practice.
In his video, Dan highlights a conversation on LinkedIn he saw about thank-you notes. A manager posted that she was shocked by the lack of thank-you notes from younger candidates, but thousands of commenters said the practice needs to die out.
According to Dan, if you happen to have a powerful or inspiring conversation, you may feel compelled to send an organic note of appreciation—it would be permissible then. But in otherwise normal interviews, he finds them to be largely empty gestures.
For some, the old-school thank-you note remains necessary. The older generations that are still in charge, they argue, continue to see it as a requirement.
“I still send them for the jobs I really want because you never [know] who’s old school and expects it, plus it can’t hurt,” a user wrote.
“The last CEO I worked for would always ask if I got a thank you note after an interview. if it was someone I liked I just lied so we’d hire them,” another viewer added.
But many are joining the no-note bandwagon. They see the thank-you note as an outdated corporate tradition.
“I’m a hiring manager and don’t care one bit about a thank you note. Completely unnecessary and almost never genuine…no more cover letters either,” a user commented.
“If anything they should be sending us thank you notes. Ma’am you were paid for our conversation I wasn’t lol,” another user wrote.
Dan told the Daily Dot that the thank-you note is a “narrative that needs to change.” Most hiring managers are done with thank-you notes, he says, but candidates still cater to the “small pocket” that expects them. Until managers vocally express there is no need for a thank-you note, things won’t change. He explains how the purpose of the meeting is a business meeting and there doesn’t need to be any special protocol.
“I think both sides can show gratitude at the end of the conversation,” he said via Instagram message. “No need to save it for an email.”
