I've talked about the importance of the thank you letter in the past. It's so important that it needs repeating. Why? Because it's surprising how few people actually write them and it's still the best way to leave a lasting impression after the interview.

Emails. I don't care how witty you are with words. I think some of the warmth can be lost on a glowing electronic screen. If you think you can make up for it by sending some animated file, the recipient may not open the file. I practice safe text and never download anything from someone I don't know well. Plus, if they receive lots of emails, it may get lost. The only time I feel emails are okay (and I mean that marginally) is after a phone interview. If it's pretty informal, you can save the more formal thanks for the face-to-face interview.

The Thank You Letter. A great tangible thank you letter may sit on someone's desk long after they read it, reminding them of you. To guarantee it, be creative. It sounds like a no-brainer, but a thank you note never strikes anyone immediately as a creative task. You're in the business of creativity. So make that letter memorable.

Tips:

• Make it personable. Focus on areas where you really connected during the interview.

• Make it simple. Meaning, don't lose the message in a gimmick or make the reader work for it. Ex: Sending your thank you note in the form of a jigsaw puzzle — even if it's a puzzle company. (You don't think they've seen that one before?)

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