Like any other language, English is filled with words and expressions that we use on a day-to-day basis, plenty of which have just become more about etiquette than actually having a conversation.
For example, when you see a colleague at work and ask them, “how are you doing?”, you’re not really expecting a long-winded answer where they tell you every little detail about their domestic life.
You’re just being polite, and the question was more of a salutation than a genuine interest in their affairs.e
Obviously, this need for etiquette is more pronounced in the professional world than it is in the personal one.
This is why the business setting is filled with expressions that might seem pointless or stuffy yet are repeated time and again. One prime example of this is the expression “thank you for your consideration.”
What does “thank you for your consideration” mean?
Simply put, “thank you for your consideration” is a way of thanking someone for considering you for a particular job or post. You use it at the end of cover letters, job applications, letters of intent, business proposals, or other emails of the sort. The expression is basically saying that you are aware that the recruiter or job owner is considering several candidates and that you are thankful that you are one of them.
So, in essence, when you say or write “thank you for your consideration,” you are saying “thank you for taking the time to consider my application from among all the other applications that have been presented to you.”
Is it necessary to use this phrase?
The short answer is yes. It’s proper etiquette, and, in some respects, the recruiter or job owner is expecting to see it. After all, almost every other job applicant will be using it, so do you want to be the only one who seems to deviate and comes across as unprofessional?
How to use it?
“Thank you for your consideration” comes at the end of whatever document you are sending. Here are a few examples.
Let’s say you just had an interview with the company of your dreams, and you now want to send a thank-you note to the recruiter as a way of standing out from the crowd. Here is what your thank you note might look like.
(Recruiter), I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to sit and talk to me. It was a pleasure meeting both you and (name of interviewer #2). You both gave me a clear idea of what it would be like to work at (name of company) and highlighted the qualities needed to succeed in the position. With this in mind, I am confident that I am the right person for the job: My job history and my certifications qualify me to excel in the position. Ergo, I am all the more enthusiastic about working with you as I clearly see how the job can help me develop my leadership skills and help establish me as an expert in options trading. I look forward to speaking to you again, and if you have any further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me. Again, thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, John Hancock
Even though the above example might seem long, I wanted to take this opportunity to show you the reader how a simple thank you note could be written.
As you have probably noticed, the above document contains three main parts.
You start by thanking the interviewers, naming each one of them; you go on to recap the events of the interview, focusing on how the interview just furthered your enthusiasm for the job; and, you end by thanking them again, using our phrase “thank you for your consideration.” This is called the “thank you” sandwich.
Here is another, shorter example where “thank you for your consideration” is used as part of a business proposal.
The above example is simple, straightforward, and to the point.
Alternatives to “thank you for your consideration”
For many, “thank you for your consideration” comes across as stilted and boring. As a result, they prefer using an alternative that delivers the same meaning while avoiding sounding generic.
”Thank you for the opportunity to earn your business”
Obviously, this opportunity is more suited to the end of a business proposal or a letter of intent rather than at the end of a job application. However, it does come across as more personal and earnest.
Example
Kindly find attached all the required documents.
If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for the opportunity to earn your business.
…
From the above example, you can probably tell that there are a few elements that make this alternative work.
For instance, the use of the word “earn” makes the prospect’s business seem like something valuable worth fighting for. What other elements do you feel work here?
” I appreciate your time and consideration”
One of the hallmarks of professional writing is creating distance between the writer and the reader. This is achieved through several methods, including using the passive voice, omitting the personal pronouns “I” and “you,” and nominalizing everything.
(If you’re wondering what the hell nominalizing is, it simply means to turn something into a noun. So, instead of saying “thank you for considering me,” you say “thank you for your consideration.” Turning “considering” into “consideration” is called nominalization.)
So, if you want to thank someone while adding a personal touch, you can say “I appreciate your time and consideration.”
If you want to be more formal, you would say “Your time and consideration are appreciated.” Alternatively, if you want to make your thank you more personal, you can say “I appreciate you giving me your time and considering me for the post.”
With all this said, I prefer “I appreciate your time and consideration.” It strikes a healthy balance between both extremes.
Example
It was a pleasure meeting you today, and I look forward to staying in touch.
I appreciate your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
…
”Hoping you’ll consider us for your business”
This is another phrase that comes in handy in business proposals and letters of intent.
Obviously, it is informal to a degree. There is no nominalization, the active voice is used, and the sentence isn’t even grammatically correct.
“Hoping you’ll consider us” is a sentence fragment, and the full sentence should be “We are hoping that you’ll consider us.” However, when writing informally, you can use sentence fragments to end your letters.
So, which do you use “We are hoping…” or “Hoping …”?
It depends on the context, and you are gonna have to judge the situation.
If you want to play it safe and feel that using a sentence fragment can come across as too unprofessional, then you can say either “we are hoping that you consider us for your business” or “we hope that you consider us for your business.”
On the other hand, if you know the prospect well enough that you can get away with a sentence fragment, then go ahead and use it.
Example #1
Please let us know if you need anything else. We hope you’ll consider us for your business. Sincerely,
…
Example #2
I believe that there is room for both our companies to cooperate, so I’ve sent you all the requested documents. Hoping you’ll consider us for your business. Sincerely, Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.
…
