By Yvonne LaRose

"So how'd the interview go?"

It's the typical question one asks the job hunter who's been on the trail for more than a week. Many times the response is something on the order of, "Great!" or "I think I cinched it!"

Under the current economic conditions, however, it's just as likely that the inquirer will hear something on the order of, "I didn't get an offer" or "They hired someone else." But how many times do you hear them follow up the negative report with, "Boy, am I glad I sent that thank you note, though," is rare. Chances are if you do hear it, it's only once or twice out of a hundred.

There are those job seekers out there who will write off the entire development of the meeting and the meeting itself by not doing any follow up. "Oh, it's just a waste of time. They'll never call me back," is just one bowl of sour grapes one is likely to hear as the former candidate moves along their dead-end path. Another comment from this type of person is, "If I send them anything more, it's a waste of my time. It'll just be that much more paper on their desk that gets lost or thrown out."

Maybe. Maybe not.

Any thought of doing a thank you note to acknowledge the investment of time to meet is lost opportunity. Any thought of how that contact can be developed is dropped. And any likelihood that a further connection or reminder can be established -- or more importantly, enhancing the chances of being referred to a similar situation or employer -- are very remote.

It's important to think of the interview as not just a time when you want to expect a job offer. Each and every encounter with another person is a networking opportunity as well as a time to market yourself. Just because that particular opportunity did not work doesn't mean that the recruiter or hiring manager will never have another opportunity in the future. And just because that one situation didn't go in your favor doesn't mean that your profile stops there.

It doesn't take a lot. In fact, there are some excellent examples of thank you notes that were quite effective that are provided by CareerLab. As you see, it doesn't take a lot of verbiage. Engraved stationary isn't necessary. Just good, personal correspondence sized parchment or white stationary with matching envelope is all that's necessary. Also notice, the note is handwritten. Just enough content to acknowledge highlights of the conversation and leave a positive impression.

Then there's that sumo excuse for not doing a thank you note, "Well, it was too long ago. They won't even remember me now." All the more reason to get that note off if you didn't write it as you were leaving the building and drop it into the lobby mail slot. It's never too late to say "thank you." And when it comes to marketing yourself, it's a good idea to keep yourself positioned in a positive way so that the person you spoke to remembers the good things about your meeting.

Here's another thought. Sometimes you interview for an in-house position. You already work there and people already see you every day. Write that thank you note to your interviewer anyway. We've been talking about leaving a positive impression, keeping your name in front of your new contact, developing relationships and building a larger network. A thank you note to the in-house interviewer is not only appropriate but necessary for keeping that professional image.

All in all, saying "thank you" is good.