Exercise:
Thank-You Letters--Pedaling Towards Employment As your friends interview for jobs with investment banking firms and corporate giants, you decide on a different career path: retailing. You recently bought a Trek mountain bike at Zane`s Cycles, a high-volume bicycle retailer located near New Haven, Connecticut. You were impressed by the store`s huge selection, knowledgeable sales people, and customer service culture. Customers can have their bikes adjusted or repaired for free, and the prices they pay are guaranteed to be the lowest available. Zane`s also operates a highly successful business selling bikes to businesses that five the cycles away as rewards for sales performance and other achievements. This operation suggests that there are other opportunities beyond the retail side of the business. Another reason Zane`s seems so appealing is that the founder, Chris Zane, lets his staff run the day-to-day operation – which means that managers have the responsibility and authority to do their jobs as they see fit.
You sent an unsolicited job-application letter and resume to the store`s human resources director, asking about a management trainee position. After going through an initial interview with two human resource experts, you are called back for a second interview. This time, you meet directly with Chris Zane to hear his vision for the store and his expectations for new managers. As soon as you get home, you turn on your computer to write a brief but professional thank-you note. What should you say in this letter? Should you send a printed letter or an e-mail message? Should you communicate with the human resources director at this time, even though you didn`t see him during your second interview? Using your knowledge of employment communication, draft this thank-you note(making up appropriate details in needed).