Move Fast and Thank People: How a Thank You Note Can Actually Get You Hired!

The Lost Art of Saying 'Thanks' (and Getting Paid)

Alright team listen up. I know we're all about disrupting industries and moving fast but sometimes the old ways are the best ways. Apparently sending a thank you note after a job interview isn't just polite—it can actually get you hired! Who would have thought? This woman Ashley Graef sent a thank you note to a CEO and landed a gig ghostwriting his Medium blog. Turns out 'nobody ever does this anymore.' Maybe we should add 'gratitude training' to our onboarding process? Just kidding... mostly.

From Internship to Ghostwriting Empire

Graef's story is pretty cool. She went from interviewing people for a fashion publication to writing blog posts for a tech CEO all thanks to a simple thank you note. Talk about a return on investment! She was making $150 to $200 per post which let's be honest isn't quite metaverse level money but it's a solid side hustle for a college student. Maybe I should start sending thank you notes to people who use Facebook? 'Thanks for the data!'... Too soon?

The Anatomy of a Perfect Thank You Note (It's Simpler Than Coding)

So what makes a good thank you note? According to the experts it should: 1. Thank the interviewer for their time. 2. Reiterate your interest in the role. 3. Mention something you learned about them. 4. Remind them why you're the right candidate. Basically it's like writing a short personalized ad for yourself. And Graef says personalize it! It's like adding a custom profile picture but for your career. Ironic isn't it?

Handwritten vs. Digital: The Ultimate Showdown

Graef prefers handwritten notes which is like choosing vinyl over streaming in the career world. It's a nice touch but let's be real speed matters. If you're short on time send an email but follow up with a physical card. It's like sending a push notification followed by a carrier pigeon. Get the message across people!

From Layoff to Freelance Queen

Even after getting laid off from Macy's (who knew they still existed?) Graef didn't give up. She went full freelance and started building her own business. It's like pivoting from the News Feed to the Metaverse – you gotta stay adaptable! She's even revisiting her CEO ghostwriting gig. Looks like expressing gratitude pays long term dividend

So Should You Start Writing Thank You Notes?

Look I'm not saying a thank you note is going to solve all your problems. But in a world of endless emails and LinkedIn connections a little gratitude can go a long way. Plus it's a nice change of pace from building AI models and trying to figure out the Metaverse. Maybe I'll write a thank you note to the internet for not canceling me... yet.