Send a thank you email. That should be more than enough.

So in other word, no card.

I would send a real, paper card. People don't notice email these days. There's too much of it.

my humble opinion is: if you don't want to be treated like just another applicant, make yourself stand out-most people do not use paper thank you notes these days. use email to follow up, paper card to thank post interview.

doesn't matter, as long as they know your intention. if they don't like you or think u're qualified, a card won't help you. if they do, an email won't disqualify you. why making such a big deal? it's a buyers market esp.when you don't have a lot of experience, but hey, they need your skills and labor to make profit, they need to thank you!

Thanks for all the input. I wonder if anyone has experiences from the other side of the table, the owner who is hiring. Is it matter you receive a thank you card or not? It is more professional to send one or email is more up to date fashion? Or an e-card? I sent it before, but now think it may not be proper.

Just send an email dude (or dudette).

A card can be pretty cheesy and pretty lame and architects are very quick to pick that kind of corniness up.

a card? please, no! you will just sound very desperate if you do that.

send a strip o gram. they're usually unforgettable!

Thanks for the input. That's a good point. I think it's a waste of time. But I just wonder if it is common courtesy in US. I sounds like not. I wonder the same thing, if they think I want the job that much it may be harder to negotiate benefit later. Even though my company is pretty slow now, I'm in a good position if they don't eventually close the door.

Architecture offices can often be as tough as a hockey game when it comes to professional interaction. Construction is the end product in architecture. Can you imagine how a pretty thank you card would be received at a construction site?

The point is not the card, or letter. (Letter is better, after a day or two.)

The point is making contact one more time, to establish a sequence of correspondence with this very busy person you're hoping will think of you and want to hire you.

It is a chance to get your name in front of the potential employer--who has lots of things (and other aspiring employees) clamoring for her/his attention--one more time.

A thank-you letter provides the opportunity to do this without you having to send a letter or email asking "did you make up your mind yet?"

Atom, I thought the difference between architects and contractor is architects are more refined and trying to maintain some style or art in the business world. But I guess now days, maybe a card is wasting of time and money. Or will it make some difference for an older architect, who is FAIA, may still like old tradition?

Citizen, great point! Personaly I didn't experienced the difference, since I only sent once and didn't got hired, vs. I got hired before wihtout doing it. I think most likely if they need you they will hire you, if they don't a card won't change it. I wish we could get more feed back from our interviews, why or why not it works or not work.

You're right, Reason, that the most important factors are 1) need and 2) fit. But there are usually other, smaller aspects in the background that may affect the decision.

What you're trying to do is--in this example and a dozen other small ways--maximize your chances of success by trying to stand out (in a positive way) in the mind of the employer.

I was taught by career counselors to send a thank-you letter after the interview that thanks the interviewer, restates your interest in the position. It also lets you address anything that came up in the interview. I've always done this and I get offered 85-90% of the jobs I go after. Employers sometimes interpret a candidate's lack of follow-up after an interview as a lack of interest in the job. You should follow-up if you really want the job.

More and more, manners, grooming, personality and personal style become the deciding factor when there are several otherwise qualified candidates available for a vacant position.

It's hard to imagine how sending a thank you note could ever have a negative effect -- it's easy to imagine how NOT sending such a note could be harmful to your candidacy.

You do the math.

I have to agree with those that suggest sending a thank you note. On several occasions, I have actually had potential employers say they appreciated receiving such a note. It's just common etiquette.

But, just to clarify, don't send some Hallmark thank you card you bought at the drug store - a legible, hand-written note on a blank card can do wonders for conveying your interest in a position.

over the years, I've done a lot of interviewing on behalf of our firm. probably 5% (or less) of the candidates I interview send a follow-up thank-you card - many more will send an e-mail inquiry.

i do appreciate the time it takes to prepare and mail the card - it tells me the candidate knows the social niceties and is prepared to participate in the process that way.

however, the only thank-you cards that really get my attention are the ones where the candidate either a) provides some additional information not made available during the interview, or b) sends along an image or other information that directly addresses / reinforces something meaningful discussed during the interview.

i'm not suggesting that candidates should send gratuitous follow-up notes with meaningless supplemental information. but, when the follow-up note actually is used to advance the qualifications of the candidate, it's a worthwhile exercise.