Once again, we’ve come across data to show that the little things like handwriting really do stand out in today’s world. This study by DayTimer® demonstrates that even in the job search a little extra special touch makes a difference. A related field where Handwritten Results can generate leads, develop relationships, and start a conversation is recruiting, both in-house and recruiting firms. Using Handwritten Results, recruiters can reach out and touch thousands of potential clients, or even candidates. We’re interested in helping recruiters, so if you’re a recruiter let us know if you have any comments or suggestions.

Some of the highlights:

In a survey conducted by DayTimer® over 70% of respondents to their poll on communication said sending a handwritten note was friendlier, “demonstrating special effort to communicate”. These results have direct impact on job search. As the hiring managers mentioned above confirmed, follow-up or thank you notes had a definite impact on the success of the job search process for those candidates who went the extra step. With all this data that supports use of follow-up or thank you notes following an interview, why aren’t more job seekers making use of this easy yet powerful step in their job searches?

It’s also interesting to see why people don’t use handwritten notes as much. This is where Handwritten Results can really help the professional marketer.

Potentially, the issue of writing of something by hand may be a hurdle. First of all, it takes time to sit down and write a handwritten thank you note. Few of us are practiced at this lost art and generally have no idea how to phrase what we want to say without sounding trite or corny. Secondly, those of us who do most of our communicating via a keyboard these days, our handwriting really stinks. The muscles in our hands that control the formation of letters are out of practice and the result of pen stroke on paper is fairly pitiful. How many of you think occasionally “Gosh, I used to have decent handwriting when I was in college…” We are out of practice both mentally and physically when it comes to writing with a pen.

And lastly, women respond particularly well to a handwritten note.

The same study by DayTimer® also noted that women appreciated handwritten communications more than men. 54% of women had positive feelings about receiving a handwritten letter. A good percentage of men also appreciated it – 42%. That’s an interesting viewpoint about something most of us ignore these days – courtesy communications.