How to Write a Thank-You Note After a Job Interview

Interview Thank-You Notes: Smart Strategy

Always, ALWAYS (if you’re serious about your career) send a thank-you note after interviewing. Write and send the note while the details of the meeting are fresh in your eager little mind. Promptly (within 2 business days) write and send an after-interview thank-you note. I know that was redundant, but I’m emphasizing the importance of this follow-up letter and its many happy returns you’ll enjoy.

The purpose of this letter is to:

• Establish yourself as a high-performer and an asset to anyone you represent.

• Show appreciation for the employer’s interest in you.

• Reiterate your interest in the position and in the organization.

• Review or remind the employer about your qualifications for the position. If you thought of something you forgot to mention in the interview, mention it in your follow-up / thank-you letter.

• Demonstrate that you have good manners and know when and how to write a thank-you letter. This also shows that you will reflect a positive image to clients once hired by the company.

• Follow up with any information the employer may have asked you to provide after the interview.

Should You Follow-up With an Email?

If you send a handwritten thank-you note (to each interviewer, separately), there is no need to follow-up in an e-mail as well. If you don’t handwrite a thank-you note, then yes, by all means follow up with an email within a day or two of your interview.

What to Do If You Don’t Hear From the Employer Post-Interview

•  Before your interview ended, your interviewer should have informed you of the organization’s follow-up procedures — from whom, by what means, and when you would hear again from the organization. If the interviewer did not tell you, and you did not ask, use your follow-up / thank-you letter to ask.

•  If more than a week has passed beyond the date when you were told you would hear something from the employer, call or email to politely inquire about the status of the organization’s decision-making process. Someone (or something) or an unexpected circumstance may be holding up the process.

•  A polite inquiry shows that you are still interested in the organization and this may prompt the employer to get on schedule with a response. Or, if you were not the first choice and someone else has declined the position, this puts you back in the running.

In your phone inquiry, mention the following:

Name of the person who interviewed you,

Time and place of the interview,

Position for which you are applying
(if known), and

Ask the status of your application.

In your email, write something like:

Dear Frank,
I hope you’re doing well this week. I wanted to follow up regarding the Project Management role we spoke about; do let me know if there’s any further information I can provide to assist you.
I enjoyed meeting you and the team last week, and I’m very interested
in the opportunity.
Thanks,
Jack

Samples and Examples to Help you Construct a Post-Interview Thank-You Note

Thank-you for initial interview:

Thank You For the On-Site Interview:

Follow-up After Not Getting the Job (a rare but useful letter to add to your repertoire):

There is no secret sauce to writing the perfect thank you – as there are many ways to write an effective note of appreciation. But there are a few key guidelines to keep in mind:

• Keep it short
• The tone should be positive, friendly, professional and not overly formal or familiar
• Express appreciation for the person’s time in meeting/speaking with you
• 1 or 2 sentences about what you enjoyed about your conversation
• Reiterate interest (if interviewing for a job)
• No typos!
• Fonts:  Should not be too big or too small, Black color preferably, Conservative/Common font style
• Refrain from emojis, smiley faces, winks and too many exclamation points (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
• No ALL CAPS
• Send within 24-48 hours of your interaction
• Email is the standard form today, but if you’d like to opt for handwritten, go for it

A few more thank-you note examples [source:  lawyer-specific thank you notes]:

1. “Dear Bob, Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to meet with me about the General Counsel opportunity with Company V. It was great to learn about your company’s plans for growth and how a legal partner would help advance the company’s goals. I believe my industry experience as well as my broad background as a General Counsel would add great value to this new role. I would welcome the opportunity to meet your colleagues and look forward to hearing from you soon. Best Regards, Joan”
2. “Elena, It was such a pleasure meeting you today. I appreciated getting to know you and learning more about your background as a corporate lawyer. I’m just starting my search for summer internships and your advice will be invaluable as I interview with law firms. Many thanks again. I look forward to staying in touch. Best, Chris”
3. “Hi Mary, thanks for your time to speak with me about the real estate associate position with your firm. The firm’s developer practice is the best I’ve seen and I feel is well aligned with my background working with similar clients. I appreciate that you would like an associate who can hit the ground running and my six years of real estate experience would enable me to easily do so. I am very interested in the opportunity to work with you and your group.”
4. “Tim, it was great catching up today over lunch. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my new business idea. I value your opinion and I found your suggestions to be very helpful. I’ll keep you posted on my progress! Thanks again, Tony”
5. “Julie, thank you for meeting with me today about my job search. I appreciated your insights about the market and the best strategy for maximizing my options. I look forward to implementing your suggestions and will keep you posted on my progress. In the interim, please keep me in mind as interesting opportunities arise. All the best, Ava”

Related articles:

• Should You Send a Handwritten Thank-You Note After Your Job Interview?
• Business Mentor Thank-You Letter

Job Interview Follow-Up Letter Examples

Thank-you letters are critical to your job search success, but (the hopefully few and far between) job interviews are not the only occasions to send thank you notes for interviews.

If you want the work/life opportunity, then show that you value it.

If you’ve ever experienced helping or doing something for someone, and not receiving a thank-you, you understand how neglecting this courtesy would affect a job seeker’s reputation in the eyes of a potential employer.

How you act, is and reflects, your character and who you are.

When to Write Thank You Notes for Interviews:

Set yourself apart from the others by being the one candidate to make a refreshingly respectful impression. A thank-you letter should be written after:

• An interview

• A contact is helpful to you in a telephone conversation or e-mail;

• Someone provides / sends information to you at your request;

• A contact was particularly helpful to you at a career fair;

• You visit a contact at their work site; and

• Any other contact for which you want to express thanks and develop a good relationship.

Hard copy, handwritten or e-mail:

Thank-you letters may be hard-copy typed, handwritten or e-mailed.

• Hard copy are most formal and are always appropriate after an interview.

• Handwritten are more personal, and can be appropriate for brief notes to a variety of individuals you may have met during on on-site interview or who may have helped
you in other ways.

• E-mail is appropriate when that has been your means of contact with the person you want to thank, or if your contact has expressed a preference for e-mail, or if you want to send a quick thank-you to be followed up by hard copy.

Thank You Notes for Interviews Samples

Follow-up to a telephone call, example:

Follow-up letter to information-seeking meeting

Follow-up to personal contact

Business Thank-You Letter / Follow-up Letter (for Advice)

This is an effective follow-up email to send to a mentor or business colleague for their investment of time and energy in you. They will be pleased to know how much you value their time and suggestions, and they will know you DO value their time, because you have taken action on their suggestions.

SUBJECT: Thank You for January Coffee Meeting

Ms. Robbins, thank you for giving me so much of your limited time last Monday afternoon and for your actionable suggestions for my career advancement.

I did follow up on both of your suggestions. Grant Billows has asked me to come to work on his new start-up project; I’ll be assuming those new responsibilities after the first of the month. Also, I notified Training of my interest in the upcoming programming course — and, due to a last-minute cancellation, I am enrolled to attend next week. The ball is rolling!

Please know how much I appreciate your interest in my studies and career advancement.

How to Write a Thank-You Letter After a Job Offer

If you’re lucky enough to receive a job offer, don’t forget to send a thank-you letter for the opportunity! Not only is it a courteous gesture, but it can also help solidify your position as a professional and enthusiastic new hire.

When writing your thank-you letter, be sure to:

• Express your gratitude for the job offer and excitement to join the team
• Reiterate your understanding of the position and any next steps
• End with a statement of appreciation and enthusiasm for the opportunity

Why Should You Say “Thank You for Giving Me This Opportunity?”

In an interview, it’s important to express your appreciation for the opportunity to speak with the hiring manager and learn more about the company. Saying “thank you” can help create a positive impression and demonstrate your professionalism and gratitude.

But don’t stop there! Once you’ve secured the job, continue to show your appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity. Whether you’re working as an intern, starting a new job, or attending a meeting, expressing your gratitude can help you build positive relationships and pave the way for future success.

Related Pages

Write a Follow-up Thank-You Note After a Job Interview? Heck Yes!

Handwritten Notes Increasingly Valued in the Workplace

Thanks for Your Order (Thanks Notes for Customers)

Thank-You Email Examples for After a Meeting

Billie

I like to climb mountains, read Nietzsche, and explore the West Coast. I have a BA from York University (2003) in Toronto, Canada, and yet on this site I sometimes spell like an American (know your audience). Thank you. Thank you very much.

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