Please forgive my candor, however, I wonder how in this age of spreadsheets, mail merges, and document templates, one cannot send responses to their applicants, many of whom spent as much or more time on their individual application as you will sending a response to all applicants.

I will admit my naivety - I have not yet been in the position to hire someone and therefore cannot speak with any certainty about the complexities of the subject. However, I know how relatively little amount of time it takes to set up a simple "We have received your application" document template, create a spread sheet with applicants names and addresses, press the "Mail Merge" button on my word processor and feed a ream of paper and envelopes into the laser printer. Why then do we fuss about the amount of time needed to give applicants a clue about their status? As discussed on Museum-L a few months ago (reference my post on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 and others with the subject "A reflection on employers and job seekers") letting your applicants hang in the balance sours them on your institution and you as a professional. Remember, applicants are your future visitors, contributors, volunteers, employees, employers, grant funders, and most importantly colleagues.

To borrow the current pop culture phrase: Cost of sending thank you letters, a few hours. An applicants' relief over knowing their status, priceless.