You should always send a thank you note after an interview that conveys your interest, once again, in the job, thanking the interviewee for their time, and reiterating what a pleasure it was to meet. A handwritten thank you card is best, but these days they are becoming less popular when up against a quick, efficient email. There are pro’s and con’s to both.
If you are confident of the mailing address, that it will go directly to the interviewee’s office and not to another part of the building where it could get lost, or the interviewee changes locations often and may not get the note where you mailed it to, consider an email. However a handwritten note shows more effort and is a sincere gesture opposed to the instant, effortless electronic message. Plain stationary is best. There is no need to buy a card and probably best not to because your note should be neutral, not personal or sending any message other than "thanks." If a simple card does the trick, by all means; otherwise, some basic stationary will do. There is no need to type a thank you note, in fact, if typing you might as well consider an email. Handwritten is what makes the gesture authentic.
If you decide to go with the email, send it promptly after your interview and make it as formal as possible to negate the lack of formality of the email. Address the interviewee by proper title (i.e. Dear Mr./Mrs. X), compose a simple message expressing thanks and interest, and end with an appropriate closer (i.e. Sincerely, Regards or Best). You need not expect a reply in response to your email, simply knowing it went through and was received is enough. However, if your interviewee uses the correspondence as further means to communicate, that’s great, too.
If you do not send a thank you note, you are sending an apathetic message to the employer. Although, it’s not always the kiss of death. Some will argue that sending a thank you note can "seal the deal;" while others firmly believe if they want you, a thank you note isn’t going to matter. Regardless of how you feel, a thank you note can rarely hurt your chances of landing a job, unless you write something entirely inappropriate in which case, you are sealing your own fate. But, if you stick to a straightforward format, a hopeful message and heartfelt gratitude for the interview opportunity, it will most likely work in your favor.
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