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How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview

• Christopher Littlefield

Advice on what to say — and what not to — along with sample email templates.

You’ve updated your resume, written your cover letter, and prepared for your interview. Now it’s time for your thank you note to seal the deal. In this piece, the author outlines what to say — and not to say — in your thank you email to interviewers and answers common questions like: How much detail should you include? When should you send it? And why is it important to do? He also includes three sample emails to use as a guide.

You’ve just finished an interview for a job opportunity you’re really excited about. You know you should send a thank you note to your interviewers, but you’re not sure what to write. How much detail should you include? Should you send an email to every person you interviewed with? And what’s really the best way to follow up ?

• Christopher Littlefield is an International/TEDx speaker specializing in employee appreciation and the founder of  Beyond Thank You . He has trained thousands of leaders across six continents to create cultures where people feel valued every day. He is the author of 75+ Team Building Activities for Remote Teams—Simple Ways to Build Trust, Strengthen Communication, and Laugh Together from Afar . You can follow his work through his weekly mailing  The Nudge .

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Best Sample Thank You Emails After an Interview (4 Examples)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 1, 2023

After Your Interview

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

If you’re looking for how to write a professional thank you email or note after your interview, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to share exactly what to do (and NOT do) when thanking the employer, based on my experience as a recruiter . And I’ll give you plenty of sample thank you emails that you can use for inspiration, too! Because the truth is: sending a follow-up message to thank the interviewer is a great idea, but if you don’t send the right type of message, it can do more harm than good. So what you say matters!

Let’s get started…

Do You Need to Send a Thank You Email After an Interview?

It’s recommended that you send a thank you email after each job interview you attend. Doing so shows the employer that you appreciate their time, and just as importantly, that you’re still interested in the position. After attending an interview, the employer isn’t sure that you still want this job (just like you’re not sure if the interview went well and they want to hire you).

So it’s important to write a thank you message to reaffirm your interest in the position and tell them that you’re eager to hear about the next steps. If you don’t say this, they won’t know!

Watch: How to Write an Interview Thank You Email/Note

How to write an interview thank you email/note.

• Begin with a professional or formal greeting (e.g. “Hello Susan,” or “Dear Susan,”)
• Thank the interviewer and tell them that you appreciate their time spent during the job interview
• Mention something specific you talked to them about in the interview, that you enjoyed learning about, so they know that this interview thank you note is written specifically for them
• Reaffirm your interest in the position and tell the reader that you look forward to hearing about the next steps in the hiring process
• Tell the interviewer that they should feel free to contact you if they need any additional information or have follow-up questions in the meantime
• Optional: Include something to reaffirm that you’re confident you can perform well in this role and explain why
• If you interviewed with multiple people in a single day and want to thank them all, send a separate thank you note to each for a more personalized feel

Note that step #6 isn’t 100% necessary to include in a thank you note or thank you email after an interview, but is a nice touch to add. You’ll see these steps in the interview thank you note/email examples below, so don’t worry if you’re still not sure what to write!

As one final tip before we move on, I recommend you ask each person for their business card after an  in-person interview, so that you have their email address and name saved! If you went on a video or phone interview, you can ask for their contact details at the end of the conversation. Simply explain that it’s for the purpose of following up and sending a thank you message.

4 Best Thank You Email Samples After an Interview

Below, you’ll find four good sample thank-you emails. These can also be sent as a typed or handwritten note if you prefer. Later in the article, I’ll cover the pros and cons of sending this via email versus a handwritten thank you letter/note. So if you’re not sure which to send, make sure to read until the end. For now, just know that you can use these sample thank-you emails in both cases.

Sample Interview Thank You Email/Note #1:

Hello <Interviewer’s Name>, Thank you for taking the time to interview me <yesterday/Friday/etc>. I enjoyed our conversation about <specific topic you discussed> and it was great learning about the <Job Title> position overall. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and a role I could succeed and excel at. I’m looking forward to hearing any updates you can share, and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns in the meantime. Best regards, <Your First and Last Name>

This is a short, casual email that’s best for modern industries like tech, e-commerce, digital marketing, etc. This type of short message also makes an ideal thank-you email to a recruiter or HR person after a phone interview or other first-round interview. At that stage, you don’t need to be sending a lot of detail in your thank you letter; you simply want to give thanks and reaffirm your interest.  And modern companies don’t want to see a ten-paragraph, formal thank you letter that takes ten minutes to read. In fact, it might make them want to hire you less because they’ll doubt whether you’re a fit for their company culture . That’s why I recommend keeping your message short and genuine, like the sample above. Even if it’s a second or third-round interview, this type of very short, concise thank-you email can still  be effective. Here’s an example of the type of message I’d personally send if I were job hunting right now:

Example Interview Thank You Email #2:

Hi Daniel, Thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed the interview and it was interesting to hear about how the team is expanding and the new types of customers you’re trying to attract. I’m confident that I can take what I’ve learned at <Current Employer’s Name> and step into your role and be successful, so I’m eager to hear your feedback when you have a chance. Don’t hesitate to contact me in the meantime if you have any questions or concerns. Best regards, Biron Clark

However, if you’re in a more traditional or formal industry, or if you want to send a thank you note in the mail rather than email, one of the next two thank you note examples will be better.

Sample Interview Thank You Email/Letter #3:

Hello <Interviewer’s Name>, Thank you for taking the time to speak with me <yesterday/Friday/etc.> about the <Job Title> position at <Company Name>. It was a pleasure talking with you, and I enjoyed learning more about the opportunity. The information you shared about <Something specific about the job that interests you> sounded particularly interesting. I am confident that my skills will allow me to come in and succeed in this role, and it’s a position I’d be excited to take on. I’m looking forward to hearing from you about the next steps, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any additional information in the meantime. Thank you again. Best regards, <Your First and Last Name>

This example above is a little longer and more formal. You could send this as a handwritten thank you letter after the interview, or as an email. Note that at the end of the third paragraph, you could also add details about WHY you feel confident you’d succeed in this role. Doing this will make your thank you email more convincing to hiring managers . Try to remind them of something you shared in the interview, like a piece of past experience, or a skill you have, that will prove to them you’ll be able to come in and be successful in their role.

Sample Interview Thank You Email/Letter #4:

Dear <Interviewer’s Name>, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me <yesterday/Friday/etc>. I’m very excited about the opportunity to work at <Company Name>. The <Job Title> role sounds exciting and is a position that I’m confident I’d excel in due to my prior experience in <experience or skill that would help you succeed in this job>. I look forward to hearing feedback as soon as you have any updates and would love to continue discussing the opportunity with you at that point. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any additional information in the meantime. Thank you again, <Interviewer’s Name>. Best regards, <Your First and Last Name>

This is the most formal of the three thank-you notes we’ve looked at. Even the greeting is formal… “Dear” instead of “Hello.” Of course, you can adjust the tone/greeting in any of these sample thank-you notes. You could also take pieces from each example and combine them, or add more customization. So if you like one, but feel it’s not formal enough, you can make adjustments. However, in most modern industries, you should be careful not to sound too stiff/formal. Your note should sound genuine. What would you say if you were standing there, thanking them in person? Writing out a thank you note isn’t much different! Most people write very differently than they talk, and that’s usually a mistake in your job search because you end up sounding very robotic and unnatural.

Second Interview Thank You Email

In your thank-you email after a second interview, you can go slightly more in-depth to share what you’ve enjoyed hearing about the role so far, what excites you about the opportunity, and why you’d excel in this job. You should still keep your email relatively short (coming up, I’ll share EXACTLY how long these emails should be in terms of word count). However, once you’ve met with the hiring manager in a second or third interview, it does make sense to write a slightly longer email. Adding more information makes for a more personalized thank-you note. You can even reference relevant information that you discussed with other team members in other interviews, if it’s related to the topics you want to address in your email. See the example below for how to reference a previous conversation if you’ve met with multiple interviewers.

Sample Thank You Email after the Second Interview

Dear James, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me to discuss the Senior Project Manager role. I enjoyed hearing about how the position will balance internal project leadership and client meetings as the company grows. In my previous phone interview, Diana mentioned that my sales background would serve me well in this job opportunity, and after hearing you describe the mix of day-to-day tasks, I can see where my skills would fit in and allow me to make an immediate contribution. I’m confident this role fits my skill set and long-term goals, and I look forward to the next steps in the interview process. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any further information. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards, Your name

You don’t want to be too long-winded in any post-interview thank-you email, but the example above is the right way to add a bit more detail and stand out after a second or third interview, especially after meeting directly with the hiring manager. To recap, this thank-you note shows that you’re engaged and interested in the interview process, you’re learning details about the role in each interview, and you’re a person who pays attention to details. These are all fantastic traits to show in your job search. Soft skills like these can help you land your dream job, and the follow-up email is a great place to demonstrate these traits.

If you don’t want to mention past conversations in your thank-you message, you don’t have to. Just include the other aspects of the email template above, including:

• Showing gratitude/thanks for the other person’s time
• Demonstrating an understanding of the role and what is expected after you’re hired
• Demonstrating that you’re confident you can perform the role well
• Expressing your continued interest in the job opportunity

That last bullet point above is another reason that it’s so important to follow up by email and thank your interviewer(s) after each interview stage. The hiring team does not assume that every candidate is interested in continuing toward a job offer after the interview. It’s important to communicate this to eliminate any doubt.

Thank You Email Length: How Long Should Your Message Be?

Some samples above are more formal while others are more casual. You’ll notice that they’re all relatively brief, though. In my experience as a recruiter, a short thank you email after the interview is best. On average, I recommend 85 to 150 words.  And that’s true whether you’re writing a thank you email after a phone interview , Zoom/video interview , or a second/third in-person interview. It’s also true whether you’re writing to thank a recruiter, HR person, hiring manager, or anyone else who spent time interviewing you! Your message could go up to 200 words if you’re very far along in the hiring process and have spent multiple hours interviewing with people from the company, but I’d still aim to be brief and concise, rather than sending a full page. Use your best judgement, though. You know your industry and prospective employer, so think about what type of message they’ll appreciate. The advice above is simply what works best for the greatest amount of people, on average.

How Soon to Send a Thank You Email After an Interview

Aim to send your post-interview thank you email the day after your job interview, between 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm. If your interview was on a Friday, then send your email the same day, in the evening instead of waiting a day. (This is to avoid sending your email on a weekend). Always make sure the email is sent within 24 hours of your interview so that your conversation is still fresh in the interviewer’s mind. If you decide to send your thank you note as a letter in the mail, you should still send it within one or two business days of your job interview. They won’t receive it as soon, because the thank you letter needs to get delivered, but it’s best to send it soon after the interview so the employer receives your note relatively quickly.

Crucial Step: Add Customization to Your Interview Thank You Emails

Whenever sending thank you notes or emails after an interview, be sure to mention a specific topic you discussed with the interviewer, and why you enjoyed discussing it with them. This is the best way to immediately show them that your post-interview thank you email is written especially for them, and not quickly pasted from a generic template.

Customization is key! Even the best thank you email templates or examples will appear to be low-effort (and will NOT impress the interviewer) if you don’t customize them and show that you really wrote this for them . So what types of things can you mention? Here are some ideas…

First, you could mention something interesting you learned about the job or company from them. What caught your attention and sounded exciting about the position? If something sounds great about the role, say so! Or, you could reference one or two of their interview questions and answers you gave in response. For example, if the interviewer asked an interesting question that you enjoyed talking about, you could say:

“I really enjoyed your question about ___ and the discussion that it led to. It was also great learning about how XYZ company does ___”.

Or you could mention something personal they discussed with you! Maybe the interviewer told you they’re going to watch their son at a big basketball tournament that evening. You could say:

“By the way, I hope your son’s team did great at the basketball tournament. How did things turn out?”

As another example, maybe you mentioned that you love coffee, and the interviewer said, “oh, then you HAVE to try Corner House Coffee around the corner. Best coffee in town.” You could write:

“By the way, I tried a latte from Corner House Coffee on the way home, and you were absolutely right. It was the best coffee I’ve had in a long time.”

The bottom line is: The more you customize your email after the interview, the more hiring managers will appreciate it. You’ll notice that each sample email above includes space for customization, and this is why.

Is It Best to Send a Thank You Email or a Note/Letter?

I get asked this frequently: “What’s your opinion on sending a thank you email, versus mailing a thank you letter after your interview?” For most people, I recommend email. There are three reasons why:

• You can make sure it gets delivered at the exact time you want
• It’s easier and takes less time
• It’s more modern and simpler for the company

However, in specific cases, you may want to send a thank you letter in the mail after an interview. A paper thank you note/letter might be better if you’re in a very traditional industry (like wedding planning). Or if you’re interviewing for a very high-level position (like CFO , Head of Operations, etc.). But for most job seekers, I recommend sending a thank you email. One more option to consider: You can write a personalized thank you card and then send a picture of it digitally, either in a LinkedIn message or in an email. That’s a good way to stand out and give a more personalized feel to a digital message.

Before You Send, Proofread EVERYTHING

Email templates are only as good as the effort you put into filling them out and proofreading them. Go over every detail and make sure it actually makes sense for your situation. If not, sending that thank you email or letter will do more harm than good.  Example: In the third sample email earlier in this article, it says, “thank you for taking the time to meet with me.” If you had a phone interview, you should say, “thank you for taking the time to talk on the phone with me.”

Otherwise, it’s going to sound a bit odd, and they might suspect you just cut & pasted from a template. Not good! So be careful, take your time with these sample emails, and make sure every single word makes sense.

Mistakes to Avoid When Sending Post-Interview Thank You Emails

Now you know the basics of how to send a great thank you email after the interview. Let’s cover a few mistakes to avoid now, though. Some of this will be a review if you read everything above, but I want to make sure you don’t do anything that could cost you the job!

First mistake: waiting too long to send it. You really want to send this within 24 hours after your interview. Next, don’t ever copy and paste the same exact email to send to multiple people. They will compare and it looks sloppy/lazy. It takes a lot away from the impact your thank you email will have. Don’t ever put multiple people in the “To” field of the email either. You should be sending one email to one recipient at a time.  Otherwise, it looks lazy/rushed.

And another big mistake: Thinking you don’t need to send an interview thank you email because the person you met wasn’t the official hiring manager. I’d recommend sending one any time you had a face-to-face interview with someone. (Or even a video interview.) Everyone’s opinion can count and the hiring manager can ask everyone what they thought of you. Don’t pick and choose who “deserves” a thank you email. Send it to everyone you’ve met face to face and play it safe!

One more minor mistake: Not asking for business cards after you meet each person during a day of interviewing. Getting business cards from each person you met with during the interview is the easiest way to keep track of names and email addresses so you can thank them later via email.  So make a habit of asking for this after each conversation!

Subject Lines for Thank You Email After Interview

Use any of the following subject lines when sending your professional thank you email, whether to a recruiter, hiring manager, or other company representative.

• Thank you for your time
• Thanks for your time
• Thank you for your time on <day>
• Following up on our conversation
• A follow-up (and brief thank you!)
• Thank you for meeting with me!
• I enjoyed our meeting

If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great thank you email or letter to help you stand out and land the job! And finally, if you thank the employer but don’t receive feedback after a week, read this guide on how to follow up for feedback after your interview .

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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How to Send a Follow-up Email After a Job Interview

2-week notice resignation letter (copy and paste), should you call after an interview, how to decline a job offer (4 examples), how long to hear back after an interview, how to know you got the job: 7 clues, when do employers check references, is 2 weeks notice required (and what happens if you don’t give notice), 45 thoughts on “best sample thank you emails after an interview (4 examples)”.

Is it too late to send a letter of thank you after 4 days of interview for a job. Let me hear your opinion about this. Anyway I would go and send it. Thanks.

I would wait at this point, Stephen. I think it’s a bit late. However, if and when you circle back to ask if they’ve made a decision, you could start by thanking them and telling them that you were excited by what you learned in the interview, and that you’re eager to hear about the next steps.

Thank you very much for the well explained notes,i really appreciate, it was helpful.With this information i have learnt a lot.With no doubt i am going to use this after each and every interview that am going to attend in my life.

should I rename the email title or just leave it as it was: interview invitation

Hello! I recently had an interview with three interviewers present. Unfortunately, I only have one e-mail address and reaching out via phone to each interviewer is the only way to get the e-mail addresses. Should I send one e-mail with all three names or is there something else I should do?

Should I still send a thank you email even when the hiring manager said they’ll let me know the next day or the following day at the latest.

Hi Alex. I would.

I just did an oral examination that uses the point system. They did not have my resume or my supplemental questionnaire, nor did they want it since the meeting was to score my responses to the questions asked. Should I send a thank you email to at least let them know I appreciated their time and meeting them?

Sure, it can’t hurt. If you met someone face to face, I like the idea of thanking them and letting them know you appreciate their time. (Like you said, basically).

Just wanted to say thank you for all of the helpful information on obtaining my dream job! I did used a lot of your tips & suggestions on interviews & they paid off! I was out of a permanent position since 2017 & totally discouraged about it. Since I’m in the “older generation” Read your helpful interview tips & information & put them to the test. They were on point! I got it on my own, instead of going through an agency like I have in the past.

What if you forget to send a thank you email and miss the window of opportunity to send a thank you email, to the first person you interview with, but somehow end up getting a call for a second interview with a different hiring manager. Do I send two separate emails? A thank you email to the first hiring manager and a thank you email to the second hiring manager?

Just send one to the latest hiring manager you spoke with, after the second interview. It’s too late for the first one, and it doesn’t matter now since they invited you back to interview anyway

Great information, Thank You!!

Great info thanks a million

Thank you have interview today and nervous

Very useful tips. Many thanks.

If there was more than one person conducting the interview, is it ok to send one email to both of them?

Edit: I misread this.

No. Do not send one email to two people. That’s going to look lazy. If you want to thank both people, send separate emails.

Just personalize the “thank you” email and mention something specific to each person (something you enjoyed hearing about, etc.) so they know it’s not cut & paste if they compare emails or are sitting next to each other in the office.

Should I send the post interview thank you letter as an attached word document, or have the email be the actual thank you letter?

Hi Benjamin- great question. I’d usually recommend just writing it in the actual email, and that’s what I’d do myself. Hope this helps!

If I met with more than 4 people on my interview, would you send the thank you email to each individually or include them all in one email??

Don’t include them all in one. Send it separately.

I recently jus came from an interview that didnt really go as planned . i was entirely too nerous but the supervisor seemed to really like me. Should i send a thank you email ? and if so do i point out the bad? or try to re-sell myself?

I’d just send a regular “thank you” email like this article describes. Don’t try to do more than that :) Good luck.

This was exactly the simple inspiration needed!!!

Hello, I enjoyed the examples and will be using them in future interviews. What if you interview for a panel that uses a point system for hiring. The thank you is pretty much not going to help in that instance correct? I interviewed for a state agency that uses the point system should I still send the thank you email?

I’m not sure, Heather. I haven’t deal with employers using a point system. I can almost guarantee they don’t always hire the person who ends up with the most points, though. A lot goes into a hiring decision.

I had a phone interview with multiple interviewers. I did not ask for all their email addresses. However, when the Hiring Manager was setting up the interview, he sent a common email to all of us. Do you think it will be ok to copy email addresses from that email and send a thank you note?

Will it consider as a negative point in the hiring process, if I send a thank you email after a good couple of days?

Not sure which one to use after having a interview with a Branch Manager?!

I’d use the thank you email that sounds the most like how you’d write/talk. Pick the one that feels the most natural. If you’re in a more traditional industry, like banking/finance, a longer template might be well-received.

Best regards, Biron

Do I need to send a thank you email when I have a pre-screen call interview?

Probably not. I wouldn’t.

If you have an interview and then a second interview, when do you send the thank you? Or do you send a thank you after each interview?

I’d send these “thank you” emails after each interview, assuming you met with somebody new. Basically, the first time you interview with a specific person, it’s nice to thank them for their time.

Thank you very much, great article and very helpful.

What if you don’t have the interviewers direct email address? Do you send it through the HR Manager who set up the email?

I recommend asking every person you meet with for a business card, so you do have their email address. In this case, I’d ask HR for the interviewer’s email and tell them that you’d like to briefly thank them for meeting with you. If the HR person refuses, you can send them the brief thank you email directly and ask them to pass it along for you.

Should you take it personal if no one responds to your thank you email?

No. Don’t overthink it. Keep applying for jobs and focusing on your actions.

No you should not. Sometimes they’re very busy and don’t have time to respond to every thank you email. Good luck

Sample #2 error “I’m looking forwarding to hearing”

Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know. Fixed it!

Where does it say that?

Thank you for the email and notes examples. I will definitely use them after my interview.

Wish me luck!

Best Regards,

Short thank you note is always in fashion – burning bridges is only counterproductive ;)

Comments are closed.

Thank You Email After Interview - 2024 Guide & Examples

How-to Guide for an Interview Follow-up Email

What should you do after a job interview? First, let out a deep breath. Regardless of how it went, you can relax. The hard part is over. But don’t think you are in the clear completely.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that once the interview is over, you should just wait to be contacted with a decision. This is not the case. Within an hour of being interviewed, there are steps you can take to improve your chances of being hired.

This guide will cover what you should do at various stages once an interview is complete. Specifically, we will look at:

• What to do right after a job interview
• When and how to send a thank you email after interview
• When and how to follow up after an interview
• What to do if you are invited for a second interview
• What to do when you are declined or selected for a position

The chances are good that all of these steps will apply to you at some point. Follow each of them, and hopefully, you’ll soon be thinking of how to prepare for your first day on the job.

What to Do Right After a Job Interview

Resist the urge to go straight to the pub. Of course, you should celebrate a bit, assuming all went smoothly. However, whether you feel you aced the interview or not, you should immediately look for an opportunity to write down some notes.

I know what you’re thinking, “I just spent days stressing over this interview, and now you want me to spend more time thinking about!?” Yes, that’s exactly right. But don’t worry, it will be over soon enough.

While you interview it’s a good idea to take notes on what the recruiter tells you; however, it’s also easy to miss jotting something important down if you are focused on being responsive. So, when you finish an interview, whether you go home straight away or sit down somewhere else, take a moment to reflect on any important information mentioned during the interview, compare this with your notes, and write down anything you may have missed. 

The reason behind is that you will capture information that may help you prepare for a second interview or to help you make a decision should you be offered a job. Salary information, job responsibilities, requested references /portfolios/work samples, and even the names of all of your interviewers are good to capture on paper for future reference. 

Writing a Thank You Email After an Interview  

Wondering when is the best time to send a thank you note after an interview? The short answer is three hours. You’ll often hear of a 24-hour rule, but it doesn’t make sense to put this off so long. At the same time, you don’t want to seem pushy or desperate – sounds a lot like a first date, right?

The reasons for writing a thank you email after an interview are three-fold: first, to show courtesy and good manners; two, to leave one last reminder of why you are suited for the job; and three, to reiterate your interest. 

Don’t worry, this interview thank you note should be short and sweet. Here is a sample of what an interview thank you letter should look like:

Dear (Mr./Ms. recruiter last name),

Thank you once again for meeting with me earlier today and for discussing the (Position name) role. I enjoyed learning more about the position and (Company X).

As I mentioned during our conversation, I think that my (skills/experience in a given specialty) would be particularly valuable in contributing to your work on (area or project types). 

If there is anything else that I can provide in order to assist your decision, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards,

(Your name)

This type of note assumes that you ARE interested in the position. Sometimes an interview will make you realize that a job isn’t in fact suited to you. If this is the case, and you are sure that you will not accept a job offer, use the interview thank you email to politely state that you are no longer interested in the position.

When and How to Follow Up After An Interview

One of the questions you should ask during a job interview is “What is the next step in your hiring process?” This gives you an idea of when you will hear back from the company.

It’s important to respect the job hiring process that recruiters go through. If the person that interviewed you told you that a decision will be made by next Wednesday, don’t contact them before this apart from your thank you note. 

You may be really interested in the position, and you want to try to persuade the company that you are the right person for the job. But don’t. It runs the risk of a recruiter perceiving you as a bad listener or disrespectful of other people’s time.

However, let’s say that the recruiter said you could expect to hear back by Wednesday, and it’s now Wednesday afternoon. Well, in that case, it’s time to act. There is nothing wrong with sending a short interview follow-up note to see if the company has made a decision.

I hope all is well with you. I am just following up to see if you have come to a decision regarding the position (Position name). If not, could you please let me know when a decision might be made?

Thank you kindly, and please let me know if you require further information regarding my qualifications.

After you send this email, you should expect a reply within 24 hours. If you don’t get one, your best bet is to give the recruiter a call to inquire about where the company is in the process of making a decision.

What to Do If You Are Invited For a Second Interview

Depending on the company you are interviewing with, you may be asked to come in for a second interview. This often happens with larger companies with more elaborate recruiting systems. However, small companies also use multiple interviews to ensure you are the right fit for their team.

If you receive a phone call or email asking you to come in for a second interview, you want to collect as much information as possible about who you will be speaking with and how it may be different from the first interview.

For example, you will want to ask questions like: 

• “Will I be meeting with the same team members as the other day?”
• “Is there anything specific that I should be ready to discuss?”
• “Should I expect to be tested on any particular skills?” (E.g. computer programming, writing)

Make a note of all of this information and then prepare accordingly.

What to Do When You Are Declined a Position

You will not always get the job you want. It’s hard to fit perfectly into a company’s needs. So don’t take it personally if you are contacted following a job interview and told you didn’t get the job. Instead, treat this as a learning opportunity.

When a recruiter contacts you with the bad news, thank him/her again for the consideration but also ask a couple of questions. First, explain that you would like to improve your interviewing skills and ask for suggestions on how you can interview better in the future. Second, ask if there any qualifications or experiences that would make you a more appealing candidate. 

You may or may not get specific feedback, but there’s a chance you will learn something valuable for future interviews.

What to Do When You Are Offered a Job Position

This depends a great deal on your situation. The recruiter goes through a tough process deciding to offer you a job, but you have a lot to consider as well.

You should realize that when you are offered a job, either by phone or by email, this initiates a process of negotiation. One of the basics of negotiation is that you never want to be taken by surprise since it can lead to an irrational decision. Therefore, when you receive the good news that a company wants to hire you, follow this process:

• Let the recruiter do the talking – Have him/her share as much information as possible regarding salary, benefits, starting date, etc.
• Ask clarification questions – If there is anything that you are unsure about, try to get some clarity.
• Don’t act too fast – The emotion of getting offered a job may push you to want to accept right away. However, recruiters often don’t expect an immediate decision. Therefore, ask when they need you to make a decision. Chances are you will have a day or two to think it over. But if the recruiter wants your decision sooner, try to negotiate at least a couple of hours.

Again, it’s important not to overlook the importance of all the post-interview steps discussed above. And frankly, each of these steps is far less cumbersome than the amount of effort you put into building your resume , writing your cover letter and preparing for an interview . So stay focused and see the process through to the end.

Pro tip: end your thank you email with professional email signature. You can check examples here !

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Write thank you letters after interviews to stand out as job applicant

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Why you should send post-interview thank you notes

Anatomy of a post-interview thank you note, post-interview thank you email examples.

From a short thank you to a new adventure

You’ve just finished an interview for your dream job.

The interview went well . You clicked with the hiring manager and got a great feeling from the panel. You’re feeling excited and a little optimistic — your job search might finally be over. 

Now you just have to sit back and wait for a response. 

But there’s something you can do to take initiative. Sending a thank you letter after the interview lets the hiring manager know you enjoyed the experience and are eager about the opportunity. Your good first impression will linger well after the interview is over.

It only takes a few minutes to send a follow-up email after a job interview, and it can help hiring managers notice and remember you. Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes: the hiring process can be thankless and exhausting. Expressing gratitude helps you connect with them on a human level as well as a professional one.

Thank you notes and emails show interviewers several important things:

• You’re still interested in the position
• You appreciate their time
• You’re a good listener and remember details about the experience
• You have strong professional communication skills

To give yourself a head start on the email, begin thinking about the thank you note as soon as the interview ends. Take a few minutes to jot down useful notes and key takeaways while they’re still fresh in your mind, and then use them to build your email later on.

You can also use a thank you note to bring up anything you forgot to say during the interview or attach samples of previous work that came up in the discussion. One high-level manager calls these emails “the final pitch” : your last chance to get an edge over the other candidates.

In a study by recruiting firm Robert Half, 80% of human resources (HR) managers said that receiving a thank you note after an interview was helpful when making hiring decisions . But it seems to be a dying art. The same study reported only 24% of candidates sent thank you notes in 2017, a drop from 51% in 2007. 

The humble thank you note has sparked a surprising amount of controversy. While some managers say you shouldn’t hire anyone who doesn’t send a thank you note , others recognize that factoring thank you notes into hiring decisions could lead to a workforce that lacks diversity. 

According to a LinkedIn article from writer Samantha McLaren, sending thank you notes after job interviews is an unwritten rule in the American corporate world , and to know about this rule, you already have to be part of the club.

She argues that refusing to consider candidates who don’t send thank you notes puts people from diverse cultural backgrounds , non-neurotypicals , and people from low-income backgrounds at a disadvantage. 

So as a candidate, play it safe by sending a thank you note. But if you’re hiring, don’t interpret a lack of follow-up as a lack of interest.

Here’s a standard email template for a post-interview thank you note, along with a breakdown of its parts and some suggestions for how to tailor the email to your own needs. 

The subject line

What you write in your email’s subject line will depend on the company culture , the position, and the person you’re writing to. If you’re applying for a corporate position, choose a more formal subject line. If it’s a small business or startup, enthusiasm and warmth might be a better fit. 

Here are some subject line options, from most formal to least:

• Following up on interview for [job title] position
• [Job title] interview today — Thank you
• Thank you for your time
• I enjoyed our meeting today
• Thanks for chatting!

The greeting 

Email salutations are tricky, especially when you don’t know the recipient well. In your thank you note, use a personalized greeting so it doesn’t look like you copy-pasted or cut corners.

Here are a few greeting options, from most to least formal:

• Good morning/afternoon

When writing the interviewer’s name, use the one they introduced themselves with in the interview. If Alison Xing introduced herself as Ali, use Ali, and if she introduced herself as Mrs. ​​Xing, use Mrs. Xing. If you’re not sure of their full name, look for them on LinkedIn or the company website. And of course, triple-check the spelling.

The body of a thank you email has two jobs. It should remind the interviewer of why you’re a good fit for the position, and it should mention something important that you discussed in the interview to jog their memory of you.

In the body, demonstrate your attention to detail through careful use of language. Your writing style will depend on the position you’re applying for and your personality.

If you’re applying for a high-up corporate position, exclamation marks probably aren’t appropriate, but for a customer service position, they can communicate enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Just use one or two to avoid going overboard.

Your email shouldn’t be too long or dense. Write it with relatively short paragraphs so readers can easily skim for key takeaways. And remember: every typo is a strike against you, so proofread carefully.

The signoff

The right email signoff ends your email on a positive, professional note. Again, match your tone to the company and its culture. Be concise and respectful while expressing your excitement.

Here are some signoff options, again from most to least formal:

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Best wishes
• Thanks again

After the signoff, include your contact information, either manually or as part of your regular email signature. This could include a cellphone number, a website, and a LinkedIn profile — whatever you’re comfortable sharing.

Full thank you letter template

Subject line: Great to talk to you today

Dear [interviewer name],

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me today. I really enjoyed our discussion about [company name]’s work with [relevant project(s)] and how the [job title] role would support this work.

I’m confident that my [list some skills or experience relevant to the role] would be of value to [company name] moving forward. In particular, I’ve been thinking about how I can contribute to [specific project the interviewer mentioned] via [relevant skill].

Please let me know if you need any further information. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

[your name]

[phone number and LinkedIn profile]

Sending the email

If you forgot to ask during the interview, sometimes you’ll have to do a bit of detective work to find the interviewer’s email address. If they weren’t cc'd on any email correspondence before the interview, you can look for their email address on their LinkedIn profile or contact the person who arranged the interview. 

During the interview process, make sure to jot down (or make a mental note of) the names of the people meeting with you to make the email easier later. In an in-person interview, you might be able to collect business cards for reference.

If there was a panel of interviewers involved, and you feel it’s necessary, find each member’s email address and send a personalized individual email to each. 

Send the email within 24 hours, and on the same day of the interview, if possible. You never know: you might be the last candidate and the hiring manager could be looking to make a quick decision. 

Here are some sample thank you emails to suit a range of interview types. Pick the one that best suits your situation and tinker with it until it matches your needs.

1. After a phone or Zoom screening

An initial screening interview might not feel like a big deal, but it’s a huge achievement. Corporate job openings attract an average of 250 resumes , and not everyone can make it through the first screening. 

These shorter interviews tend to be with recruiters, not hiring managers , and they’re looking for a broad overview of your past experience, soft skills , and culture fit . 

Interviewers at the screening stage are looking for reasons to rule you out as a candidate , not for reasons to hire you. Phone interviews are more about showing you fulfill the job requirements than demonstrating that you’re an exceptional candidate, so focus your body text on:

• Reaffirming your interest in the position
• Demonstrating strong communication skills
• Showing enthusiasm for the position
• Fulfilling job requirements (especially ones that might rule out other candidates)

Send your thank you email as soon as you can after the interview, as the recruiter will be making decisions quickly. Here’s an example:

Subject line: Thank you for your time

Dear [recruiter’s name],

It was great to talk to you earlier and learn more about [position] at [company]. Hearing about the way the company approaches [topic] made me even more interested in working here.

After our conversation, I’m even more convinced that my extensive experience with [related skill] would be valuable to your team.

Please let me know if you need more information from me or would like to speak again. 

Looking forward to hearing from you,

[your contact information]

2. After a second interview

While first-round interviews determine whether you meet the requirements for the position, it’s in later rounds that you show why managers should choose you over the other applicants. 

The questions in second interviews go into more depth about your work style, skill level, and culture fit, so highlight these qualities in your thank you note. Here’s an example of a second-interview email:

Subject line: [position] interview — Thank you!

Hi [hiring manager’s name],

Thanks for taking the time to talk today. It was fantastic to learn more about [company]’s plans for the future, especially your planned expansion into [field].

As I mentioned in the interview, I recently worked on [relevant project] and I’d love to bring that expertise over to [company] to help you succeed. If you’re interested in seeing more of my work on that project, you can visit my portfolio site [link the site] or have a look through the attached PDF for a more detailed record of my process.

Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend! 

3. After a video interview

If the position you’re applying for is 100% remote , the whole interview series will be via phone or video interview . Include the same details in your thank you note, but be sure to thank the interviewer for their patience if you had any technical issues during the meeting. Here’s a template for a virtual interview:

Subject line: Thank you!

I really appreciate the time you took to meet with me today about [position], and apologies again for the problems with my microphone. Thanks again for your patience while I sorted it out. 

I enjoyed our conversation and am excited to bring the knowledge and skills I gained as a [position] at [previous company] to your team. I’ve been thinking about the challenges you mentioned for [topic]. In my previous position, I [relevant activity related to topic]. I’d love to talk with you further about what this might look like at [company]. 

Have a nice afternoon and take care,

4. For an entry-level position

If you’re applying for an entry-level position straight out of school, you may not have much formal work experience to call on in the thank you note. Instead, think about which personal qualities and professional capabilities the interview questions targeted and use the thank you note to explain why you’re a good fit. Here’s an example: 

Subject line: Thank you for meeting with me this afternoon

Dear [hiring manager’s name],

I really enjoyed our conversation today. It was a pleasure to talk with you about [position] and how this role forms part of [company]’s long-term strategy.

As you said, [position] requires someone who [mention relevant skills, attitude, and work ethic]. I believe I would be an excellent fit for the role, given that I’ve demonstrated these qualities in the past through [examples].

I’m looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. If there’s any additional information you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Warmest regards,

5. At a startup

Startup culture is many things — exciting, draining, challenging, risky — but one thing it’s not is stuffy. In most small startups, everyone works closely with everyone else, so it’s important to show you can slot into an existing team and get on well.

Like most companies, startups are looking for talent, but they’re also interested in your adaptability , work ethic, and personality. Make sure your thank you email ticks all three boxes. Here’s how to write one for a startup:

Subject line: [position] interview — Thanks!

Hey [hiring manager’s name],

I had such a great time talking to you today about [position] at [company]. 

I really admire the environment you’ve created. It’s just the kind of flexible, fast-paced environment I thrive in, and I’m psyched to get started. The team you’ve put together is full of world-class talent and I’d be honored to be a part of it. 

6. Withdrawing your application

Sometimes interviews make you realize you don’t want the job. If that’s the case, be honest and use the thank you note to take yourself out of the running and save the hiring team some time. Send your email to whomever you were communicating with, whether that was a recruiter, hiring manager, or both. Even though you’re rejecting the job, you don’t want to burn any bridges.

When withdrawing your application, be courteous, even if the experience was negative. It’s up to you whether to include the reason for your withdrawal. Here’s a template for application withdrawal:

Subject line: [position] Application Withdrawal

Dear [recruiter and/or hiring manager’s name],

Thank you for taking the time to interview me today for [position]. After careful consideration, I’ve decided to withdraw my application for the position. I wish you and your team all the best in your search for the right candidate.

All the very best,

From a short thank you to a new adventure 

Investing just a few minutes to send a thank you letter after an interview will help keep you at the top of the interviewer’s mind — and by extension, the top of their list. With the right combination of professionality and enthusiasm in your job search, one of those thank you emails will eventually turn into a job offer acceptance email. 

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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

How to decline a job interview: What to do when you’re in demand

How to write a follow-up email 2 weeks after an interview, send a thank you email after an internship to boost your career, how to follow-up after an interview: use these email templates & examples, breathe in, breathe out: 15 tips to prepare for an interview, 4 tips to respond to a job rejection email plus examples, character references: 4 tips for a successful recommendation letter, 3 cover letter examples to help you catch a hiring manager’s attention, 8 linkedin networking message templates to help you connect with anyone, similar articles, learn how to reject an internship offer like a pro, what happened when a surgeon hired a coach, how to follow up on a job application the right way, spread the gratitude: how to thank your team with a letter, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Job Interview Thank-You Letter Examples

Why Send a Thank-You Letter

Interview thank-you letter examples, thank-you email message examples, thank-you letters - specific positions, thank-you for job search help letters.

• Types of Thank -You Notes

Job Offer Thank-You Letters

Interview thank-you letter template, when to send a thank-you letter.

Writing a thank-you letter after a job interview is always a good idea. In fact, some employers think less of interviewees who fail to follow-up promptly. It's quick and easy to follow up after an interview with an email, note, or formal letter. Taking the time to do so will help you leave your interviewer with a great impression.

The first reason to send a thank-you letter is that it's just plain, good manners. But there's also a self-serving purpose: A thank-you note is your opportunity to get your name in front of people one last time and leave a positive impression.  

If you're being interviewed or going through the  job application process , thank-you letters allow you to sell yourself as a candidate. You can reference specific instances that may have come up in an interview. Use your thank-you letter to highlight the ways your  skills and experience are a good match for the position .

If there's something you forgot to mention during the interview, your thank-you letter is a great opportunity to bring it up.

Browse this list of thank-you letters and email messages for additional guidance and inspiration in crafting your own letter. 

• Thank-You Letter for a Job Interview
• Follow-Up Thank-You Letter Example
• Follow-Up / Thank-You Letter After a Job Interview
• Thank-You Letter After a Second Interview
• Thank-You Letter After a Group Interview
• Thank-You Letters to Employees and Team Members
• Thank-You Letter for an Introduction
• Thank-You Letter for a Referral
• Sample General Thank-You Letter
• Personal Thank-You Letter
• Sample Letter Thanking a Prospective Co-Worker
• Thank-You Letter Template
• Email Interview Thank-You Note
• Phone Interview Thank-You Email Message
• Formatted Email Thank-You Message
• Administrative Position Thank-You Letter
• Thank-You Letter for an Internship Interview
• Thank-You Letter for Internship Experience and Career Advice
• Internship Thank-You Letter
• Nurse Position Thank-You Letter
• Social Work Position Thank-You Letter
• Summer Job Thank-You Letter
• Thank-You Letter for a Volunteer Interview
• New Job Announcement and Thank-You for Referral
• Thank-You Letter for a Job Lead
• Thank-You Letter for Job Search Help
• Thank-You Letter for an Informational Interview
• Networking Thank-You Letter

Types of Thank-You Notes

• Email Thank-You Letter Examples
• Employee Thank-You Letters
• Thank-You Letter for a Job Offer
• Job Rejection Letter   (Thank you for job offer)

This is a sample interview thank-you letter . Download the letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Interview Thank You Letter Sample (Text Version)

Peter Edwards 718 Pilgrim Court Syracuse, NY 13224 (000) 123-1234 pedwards@email.com

August 17, 2020

Ms. Janice Parker Vice President, Marketing Acme Corporation 2000 1st Avenue Syracuse, NY 13224

Dear Ms. Parker:

I would like to thank you, most sincerely, for taking the time to interview me today for the Social Media Specialist position that has opened with Acme Corporation. It was great to meet you and your team, and I truly enjoyed learning about your current marketing program and touring your office.

I was impressed by the opportunity your next Social Media Specialist will have to build a strong, rebranded presence for Acme Corporation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. As we discussed, my experience includes creating and managing social media properties for both established and start-up organizations. My successes include building a network of 5K Facebook followers for J.C. Enterprises within three months, ghostwriting LinkedIn posts for the CEO of Union Industries that attracted, on average, over 350 “shares” each, and helping the owner of Jenny’s Bling to become a major influencer in her industry.

Please know that, although I have been working as a freelancer for the last five years, I am eager to return to a dynamic, full-time marketing department environment. I am invigorated and inspired by collaborative teamwork, and would find it most rewarding to help forward Acme Corporation's mission of “Laying the groundwork for sustainable industry growth.”

If I can provide any additional information to help you with your decision-making process, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Peter Edwards  (signature hard copy letter)

Peter Edwards 

Send thank-you letters as soon as possible. If you had an interview, write your note that day or on the next one. It's easiest to write a thank-you letter when the details of an encounter are fresh in your head.

Whether you're writing a  thank-you note after a phone screen  or sending a quick note of appreciation after an in-person interview, it's best to write—and send—your note promptly.

A good guideline is to send the letter within 24 hours of the interview.

Delaying serves no helpful purpose and increases the likelihood that you will forget to write the note. Also, delay too long, and the company may make a decision before you have the chance to make one last positive impression.

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After the Interview: Sample Thank-You Letters

Table of Contents

As the hiring process moves toward automation and speed, taking the time to write a thank-you letter helps you stand out from the crowd and humanizes your application. A thoughtfully written thank-you note provides you with the chance to reiterate your qualifications and add a touch of personality .

“Sending a personalized thank-you note is exactly that – personal,” Rebecca Kiki Weingarten, career transition coach and co-founder of RWR Network, told Business News Daily. “In our high-tech world, it makes a high-touch impact that stands out.”

Those two simple words – “thank you” – could be the very thing that lands you the job.

Why are thank-you notes important?

There are many reasons why sending thank-you notes is important. Not only is it good business etiquette, but it also allows you to express your interest in the position and demonstrate that you are a good listener. Thank-you notes can also accomplish the following.

They help you stand out.

A thank-you email should be sent within 24 hours of the interview, while you’re still fresh in the interviewer’s mind. Keep the content of the email brief – no more than two or three paragraphs – and reference particular points from the conversation.

Matt Ross, CEO and co-owner of Slumber Yard, remembers a candidate who went the extra mile in mentioning personal details from their interview.

“I briefly discussed my hometown, but what was amazing was that the candidate remembered my hometown and found a way to include it in his follow-up,” Ross said. “He said his brother would be passing through [my town], so he made sure to tell him to pick up a cake from a popular bakery there. This not only showed me he was a good listener but also that he was willing to go above and beyond by doing research. It left me with a pretty good taste in my mouth (pun intended).”

They showcase business etiquette.

According to Jodi RR Smith, author and president of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, sending a note could show that you know other proper business etiquette, like standing when a client enters the room, not chewing gum in front of the CEO, holding doors open for others, arriving to meetings on time and dressing appropriately.

They demonstrate your interest in the role and organization.

A thank-you note is a great way to reiterate your interest in the role and organization.

“First, it is a basic appreciation of the time the interviewer spent with you,” Smith said. “Second, it is a signal to the interviewer that you are aware of higher-level interpersonal skills. Lastly, the thank-you note expresses your ongoing interest in the organization and the job opening.”

Conversely, failure to follow up could leave the impression you’re not interested enough to go the extra mile and reach out afterward.

According to a study by iCIMS , 63% of recruiters said they would be more likely to hire a candidate who asked for more money and sent a thank-you note than a candidate who asked for less but did not send a note.

What should be included in a thank-you letter?

When writing a thank-you letter, keep it clear, straightforward and shorter than four paragraphs. Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopInterview and TopResume, cautioned against recapping your entire resume in your thank-you note, since the interviewer has already reviewed it and discussed it with you during the interview. A basic summary of your qualifications is appropriate. [Related: Interview Skills That Will Get You Hired ]

Here are a few details that every thank-you letter should contain:

• Contact information. Include your own contact information, as well as the contact information of the person you’re writing to. It can also be beneficial to include the date.
• Salutation. Even if you have been referring to the interviewer in a more casual way, use the more formal form of address (e.g., “Dear Mr. X”) in the thank-you note.
• Appreciation. Write a sincere and specific expression of appreciation along with a concise description of what it is you appreciate.
• Something unique. Remind them of something unique that they spoke to you about in the interview that they might not have discussed with other candidates. This will help the interviewer remember who you are, and it will show them that you listen.
• Qualifications. Confirm you’re a good fit for the role.
• Expression of gratitude. Close with a final expression of gratitude, such as “Best” or “Sincerely.”
• Signature. You can use a typed signature if you are emailing a thank-you letter, but paper letters should always include a handwritten signature.

As with your resume and cover letter , customize your thank-you note. Double- and triple-check it for grammatical and spelling errors . A typo-filled follow-up can easily ruin the stellar impression you made during the interview. If you met with multiple people, send one note to each person.

Sample thank-you letters

If you are looking for a little extra guidance , here are a couple of templates you can follow for writing a thank-you letter after an interview. Take the time to personalize every letter you send – avoid copying and pasting the same basic form letter. Recruiters will notice these right away, and they won’t do you any good. Review post-interview mistakes to avoid when making a good impression.

Thank-you letter template 1

Good afternoon, Tim,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me yesterday about the staff writer position with Business News Daily.

It was a pleasure meeting with you, and I truly enjoyed learning more about the role and the company. I especially loved hearing about your in-office MVP vote – it sounds like a great way to boost employee morale!

After our conversation, I am confident that my skills in business writing and experience as a copy editor are a great match for this opportunity. I am very enthusiastic about the possibility of joining your team and would greatly appreciate a follow-up as you move forward with the hiring process.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone. Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you in the near future.

Best regards,

Nicole Smith

Thank-you letter template 2

Dear Ms. Nelson,  

I wanted to reach out to thank you for taking the time to speak with me yesterday about the social media manager position at Business News Daily.

I really enjoyed meeting you and learning more about where your team is headed. Based on our discussion, it sounds like you have a very exciting year ahead with the site updates and customer base expansion.  

With the team at such a critical juncture, I’d love to lend my experience and skills to help the team build a stronger customer base and social media presence – particularly bringing my unique lens as a marketer that we discussed from my time working at agencies.  

I look forward to speaking further with you and your team to see how I might be able to help you reach your goals. If we’re a good match, I would be very excited at the prospect of working together.  

Jimmy James

What is the preferred method of sending a thank-you note?

The best way to send a thank-you note will depend on the specific person or organization you are communicating with. While some companies prefer digital communications (e.g., email), others appreciate the novelty of a handwritten note.

Emailed thank-you notes

Augustine said that email is the most common method for sending a post-interview thank-you note “because of its immediacy and ability to attach materials or hyperlink to additional information that can help advance their candidacy to the next interview round.”

Augustine suggested that it is still important to check out the culture of the company and determine which method they would prefer. If you’re interviewing at a tech startup or see the company uses technology, email would likely be the most appropriate.

After you send your email, keep an eye on your inbox. Don’t panic if you don’t hear back right away – it’s normal for a company to take its time reviewing applications. If several days or weeks go by, send a polite follow-up to ask if there has been any progress in making a decision.

However, don’t take this as an invitation to bombard the hiring manager’s inbox. Send no more than two well-spaced follow-up emails, and if you don’t hear back after that, accept it as a rejection and move on.

Handwritten thank-you notes

On the flip side, if the company seems more old-fashioned and traditional, a handwritten note mailed to the office might get you further.

“I prefer handwritten notes,” said Rachel Sutherland, CEO of Rachel Sutherland Communications. “Everyone loves getting mail, especially something you’re not expecting. It’s kind of funny to think of snail mail as being special, but in this case, it works.”

If you’re doing a handwritten note, your method of delivering it depends on the timing of the hiring process. Smith said that if you know they’ll be making their decision the next day, write the note as quickly as possible. In that instance, Smith suggests writing the thank-you note in the lobby and asking the receptionist to deliver it as soon as possible. [Learn how companies think about their hiring process and even how they think about contact management .]

Evaluate the company culture to determine if email or regular postal service is the best way to send your thank-you note. However, the content of the message is often more important than the method of delivery.

Does sending a thank-you note really work?

It can, if the note is well written.

“There are times when the candidate has a terrible first round, usually due to nerves,” Smith said. “But they took the time to write a sincere and well-considered note explaining their interest in the role and how their experience makes them uniquely qualified.”

Other times, Smith noted, there are phone screens instead of in-person interviews, and those who write a thank-you note are automatically invited back for an in-person interview. Sutherland had a similar experience.

“I got my college internship at The Detroit News because I handwrote a thank-you note,” Sutherland said. “How do I know? One day in the newsroom that summer, the editor told me I was the only one who wrote a thank-you.”

Augustine noted that sending a thank-you note doesn’t automatically increase your chances of getting the job; however, dismissing this bit of post-interview etiquette might decrease your chances of receiving an offer.

“While not every recruiter or hiring manager cares whether a candidate sends a thank-you message, I’ve never heard of a single one, in any industry, think poorly of a candidate for sending a thank-you note,” she added.

Skye Schooley and Jennifer Post contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. 

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This Is The Most Effective Post-Interview Thank You Email

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“It was a pleasure speaking with you today. Thank you for the recommendation to read The Power of Less, maybe we can trade notes when you're done with Tribes! We will be in touch about next steps soon.”

That was part of a reply I received to a post-interview thank you email I wrote to a VP of sales. Four hours after receiving that reply, I got a call from the recruiter offering me a job.

A month after I was hired, I had a one-on-one with that VP and the first question she asked me was about the books we recommended to each other.

Leading up to the thank you email, we had spent 40 minutes on the phone together talking through introductions, behavioral questions, and case studies to see if I was a good fit for the role. While that conversation factored into the decision, my answers weren't what stood out in her mind.

It was the personal touch that stuck.

As a candidate, you want to be focused on two things during the job search:

• Building relationships with people who can influence the hiring decision
• Standing out from all of the other candidates vying for this job

The post interview thank you email is a highly effective (and incredibly easy) tactic that covers both bases. It's also overlooked by 76% of job seekers. Talk about low hanging fruit!

After interviewing at dozens of companies with over 100 people, I've had the chance to send (and test) plenty of thank you notes. This article will walk you through the template I've found to be the most effective and helped me land jobs at leading companies like Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and more.

In this post, we'll cover:

Why A Post-Interview Thank You Email Matters

• How To Follow Up After An Interview — The Basics Of A Great Thank You Email (With Answered FAQ)
• How To Write A Thank You Interview Email: A Step-By-Step Guide
• Post-Interview Thank You Email Templates & Examples

2 Common Thank You Email Mistakes To Avoid

• The Most Effective Email Template
• How To Follow Up If You Haven't Heard Back From Your Interview

Before we get technical, it's important to understand why writing a thank you note is important in the first place.

Most people think their interview is over when they walk out of the building. Whether they absolutely crushed it or things didn't go according to plan, it's out of their hands now, right?

Not so fast.

Hiring managers at top companies pay very close attention to how and when their candidates follow up . Most are expecting some sort of thank you and failing to send one could actually cost you the job.

The data reveals that close to 80% of hiring managers feel that thank you emails are helpful when deciding between candidates. 22% of employers are   less likely to hire a candidate who does  not  send a thank you and 91% actually  like  being thanked  (imagine that!).

In addition to playing into your potential employer's expectations, thank you emails are an easy way to stand out from the competition. Despite all of the data above, only 24% of job seekers actually take the time to send a thank you note after their interview.

Part 1: How To Follow Up After An Interview — The Basics Of A Great Thank You Email (With Answered FAQ)

Before we dive into our post-interview thank you email templates and examples, we're going to walk through the fundamentals of sending a thank you note that will boost your chances of landing the job offer.

Should I Email, Call, Or Hit Them Up On Twitter?

If you run a Google search for “interview thank you notes,” you'll get all sorts of suggested mediums for sending – email, phone calls, Twitter, text messages, and even handwritten notes.

All of these can get the job done but we want to choose the method that's going to make things fast and easy for the interviewer on the other end.

Rather than sliding into their DMs, the data shows that interviewers prefer receiving thank you notes via email (with phone calls coming in at a close second):

When you're in the room on interview day, it's much more natural to ask for someone's email than their phone number. On top of that email allows you to spend time crafting your response and you can track them using a tool like Yesware to help gauge interest.

For those reasons, I recommend sending all of your thank you notes via email.

“But what if I forgot to ask for their email and don't have it?”

No problem! There are plenty of tools out there that make it super easy to track down someone's email address. My favorite is Mailscoop.io .

All you need is the person's full name and the link to their company's website (so if they work at Spacex, it would be www.spacex.com) and Mailscoop will spit it out in just a few seconds:

After you've got your hands on their email, you can head over to Mail Tester , or another email testing website, and plug it in to verify that it exists on the company's email server. If it does, you're good to go!

If all else fails, you can always email your recruiter and ask them for the person's contact info. Sure, it's best to get it upfront but you're better off swallowing your pride to send your thank you email than sending nothing at all.

When Is The Best Time To Send A Follow Up Email After An Interview?

This is a question I get a lot.

When it comes to following up with hiring managers, posting articles on social media, or sending breaking news to a contact, timing is everything and there is a science behind it.

When it comes to thank you notes, the golden rule is simple:

Q – The Best Time To Send Your Thank You Note? A – As quickly as you can while still allowing yourself enough time to craft a quality email!

If you're a numbers person, shoot for 30 minutes – 2 hours after the interview, but don't pull your hair out if you can't get it out until later in the day. Life gets in the way and it's far more important to send it later than not send it at all.

What Subject Line Should You Use For Your Interview Thank You Note?

Sometimes coming up with a subject line can be the hardest part of writing an email! In this case, you don't need to go crazy — something short and to the point will do just fine. My recommendations are:

• Thank you for your time today [Name]
• Following up on our interview today
• It was great speaking with you

Any of those will do the trick!

These are all short, sweet, and leave no room for confusion. If you're really struggling to come up with something, feel free to borrow one of them.

Should You Send A Handwritten Note?

Sending a handwritten note is a great way to make sure your thank you stands out, but it takes time. If you're able to get your email sent within the first 24 hours, you're better off doing that.

If you're set on sending a handwritten note, my number one piece of advice is to use good old fashion snail mail.

Sending a thank you via USPS is going to take a few days, but it will almost certainly be a lot harder to ignore.

How Long Should A Thank You Email Be?

Your interviewer is likely busy. So, try to keep your post interview thank you email short and sweet. 80-150 words in 2-3 concise paragraphs are all you need.

Can you write less? Maybe. But there’s a good chance that your short email will sound generic or lack some key ingredients.

Part 2: How To Write A Thank You Interview Email — A Step-By-Step Guide

Now that we’ve got the basics covered, it’s time we dig in to the anatomy of a thank you interview email! 

You’ll want to…

#1 Express Your Appreciation

Let the interviewer know exactly what you’re thankful for. Perhaps you’re thankful for their time or for meeting with you. But those things are pretty generic, right?

Instead, be specific about a part of the interview you actually enjoyed. For example, maybe your interviewer told you about one of the company’s new programs or projects. How has learning about that program or project made you more excited about potentially working at this company?

Here’s an example of how you would build your introduction: 

“Hi, James! Thank you for our conversation earlier today. I really enjoyed learning more about EcoWise’s plan to launch a new app for consumers to track their renewable solar energy credits, and I am eagerly excited to improve the app’s UX if selected for the role.”

Once you’re done with this introduction, be sure you…

#2 Personalize The Message

Your interviewer may get thank you emails from other candidates. And you don’t want your email to sound like all the others. So, you must personalize the message.

How do you do that? For one, you address the interviewer by name. But you should also mention specific details about things you and the interviewer talked about.

Picking up the example above, you could go with something like: 

“In my previous role at BrainBloom, I helped increase user retention by 30% by designing an interactive chatbot assessing users’ most searched topics within the app. I think we can work on something similar for EcoWise’s app.”

For example, you can briefly share an idea of how you would solve a company challenge that the interviewer mentioned during your conversation. If you haven’t already, it could also be a good time to share a Value Validation Project to really demonstrate your interest and ability to solve a specific problem.

#3 Wrap Up And Express Your Enthusiasm For Next Steps

Wrap up by expressing you’re looking forward to continuing your conversation the next steps.

In our example, this would look something like: 

“I look forward to discussing this further in the next steps! Best wishes,  Willie Sherman”

But don’t hit “send” just yet! First, you’ll want to make sure you…

#4 Proofread Everything!

Last, but certainly not least, is proofreading every single detail of your thank you email before you send it!

If you're writing your thank you note in something like Gmail, I definitely recommend installing a plugin like Grammarly  or Hemingway . They will catch any spelling errors  and make suggestions for better grammar to help improve your writing.

Once you have your final draft in front of you, read it out loud! Then send it to a friend to get a double confirmation. If everything looks good after that, you're all set to send!

Let’s recap on what a great thank you interview email looks like:

Part 3: Post-Interview Thank You Email Templates & Examples

Now that we've covered the basics of great thank you notes, we can dive into the science behind writing one that will stand out from the crowd and get you hired.

We'll start by calling out two common thank you email templates that you should avoid . These are email templates that everyone ends up using because they're easy and average. Our goal is to stand out — to zig while everyone else zags — which means we don't want boring, boilerplate templates.

Next, I'll walk you through the methodology behind my thank you email strategy. I'll show you how to craft an email that will set you apart from the competition and bump you up on the interviewer's short list. Then you can get a copy of my post-interview thank you email template along with several thank you email examples from real people in my community!

Now, let's dive into the science behind writing a thank you note that helps you build a relationship with your interviewer and stand out from other candidates.

We'll start by looking at the mistakes most candidates make when sending their post-interview thank you emails.

When it comes to thank you's, the most common formats tend to fall into two buckets:

Bad Email #1 (Don't Use This!) Dear Mr. Last Name: I enjoyed speaking with you today about the assistant account executive position at [Company].  The job seems to be an excellent match for my skills and interests. In addition to my enthusiasm, I will bring to the position strong writing skills, assertiveness, and the ability to encourage others to work cooperatively with the department. I appreciate the time you took to interview me. I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing from you regarding this position. Sincerely, Name

This email showcases zero personality and is so painfully formal that it can actually come off as unprofessional. You just spent an hour in a room trying to build a relationship with this person, you want your thank you note to be a reflection of your conversation!

Here's what the second most common email looks like:

Bad Email #2 (Don't Use This, Either!) Hi Name, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I really enjoyed speaking with you about the position and am looking forward to next steps. Best, Your Name

While this is far better than Email #1, it leaves a lot on the table. Again, after chatting with someone for an hour, you should have a little bit more to say than “thanks, hope to hear from you soon!”

Remember, your thank you note is a huge opportunity for you to stand out, continue building a relationship with your interviewer, and cement that positive association in their mind.

We want to make sure we're doing everything we possibly can to capitalize on those three things.

Click Below To Get My “Copy & Paste” Post Interview Email Template Completely Free: Download A Free Copy Of My Proven Thank You Email Template

A Great Thank You Note Starts During The Interview

In order to maximize the value we deliver with our thank you note, we need to gather as much information as we possibly can during the interview.

These details come from the small talk you make before the interview starts, the conversations sparked by your answers or your resume, and the questions you ask your interviewer .

This is more of an art than a science and truly a case of practice makes perfect. Here are some pointers to get you started:

• There is always a few minutes of small talk before the interview starts – use that to spark up a conversation. For example, if it's a Monday or Tuesday, ask how their weekend went. If it's Wednesday – Friday, ask if they have plans for the upcoming weekend.
• If they begin talking, ask follow up questions. The longer you can get them to continue, the more information you get and the higher the odds of them creating a positive association with you in their brain .
• At the end of the interview, have questions prepared ( here's a list of my favorites ). I always end an interview by asking them about their personal life outside of work.

The more personal information you get during the interview, the more ammo you have to include in your thank you note.

Remember the response I quoted in the opening paragraph of this post?

That VP had asked me about a book I read recently that made an impact on me. As soon as I answered, I asked her the same question. I hadn't read the book she mentioned, but I was very familiar with the author (Seth Godin).

I followed that up by asking her what she likes to read ( “are you a non-fiction only kind of person?” ) and how she finds the time to read with her crazy schedule.

Those two follow up questions sparked a conversation that lasted 15 minutes and helped me build a rapport.

In my thank you note, I mentioned that I ordered the book and appreciated the recommendation. A week later (after reading it), I followed up with her and mentioned my two favorite points the author made.

The mention in the thank you note helped me land the job and the follow up helped me start my new career with a fan in upper management.

If you want to ace your thank you note, you’ll need to bring in your a-game during the interview. This guide will help you effectively prepare for your next interview and walk out this amazing inputs for your thank you note!

The Most Effective Thank You Email Template

As mentioned above, I went on 50+ interviews and spoke to well over 100 people during the course of my job search. That meant a lot of thank you notes and, better yet, a lot of opportunities to test what format works best.

After all was said and done, the template below is the one my data showed to be most effective. I measured “effectiveness” by the percentage of people who replied as well my success rate for scoring a slot in the next round of interviews (or getting the offer).

What To Include

To start, we lead off with our “thank you.” It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people fail to actually include the words “ thank you ” in their note, (seriously, I see this a surprising amount with the people I coach). Instead of actually saying it, they imply it  by saying stuff like “great chatting with you.”

People are busy, especially as you get further up the food chain. Their time is valuable and it goes a long way to acknowledge that. So don't just imply it, write out the words!

Next, we make a point to show them that we listened and understood.

Full attention is a rare thing in today's world and people like interviewers expect to get it from you. By recapping a point that you spoke about in your conversation, it shows that you were listening and engaged.

Bonus points if you add in an action you took based on the conversation, or share a relevant (and quality) piece of content!

Then, at the end of the email, we do the exact same thing by taking a personal angle in the PS. For best results, mention taking action against advice your interviewer gave you, illustrate your results, and finish with a follow up question.

This helps solidify your level of engagement in the interviewer's mind and keeps the door open to continue the conversation and build the relationship.

Now that you understand why each piece of the thank you email puzzle is important, let's check out a few examples of what an awesome post-interview thank you email looks like:

My Post-Interview Thank You Email Template & Examples

Click below to get a free copy of my proven Thank You email template, along with real-world examples of Thank You notes that worked. All you need to do is copy, paste, fill in the blanks, and hit send!

Click Below To Get My “Copy & Paste” Post Interview Email Template For Free: Download A Free Copy Of My Proven Thank You Email Template

How To Follow Up If You Haven't Heard Back After Your Interview

When it comes to getting the result you want (a job offer), persistence is key.

Sending a post-interview thank you email is always a must, but your work doesn't end there.

Hiring teams are  busy – they're interviewing other candidates, they're corralling colleagues for feedback, and (most importantly) they're still doing their jobs! Sometimes things fall through the cracks. While it's not ideal, we're all human and it happens.

If you want to boost your chances, you need to follow up.

Following Up When You Haven't Heard Back

The key to a great follow up is being politely persistent without being overbearing.

First, check back to see if the hiring team gave you a timeline. If the recruiter said, “we'll get back to you in a couple of weeks,” don't send a follow up one week later. Respect the timeline, but don't be afraid to follow up right when it ends.

Set a reminder in your phone or calendar for two weeks!

If you didn't get a clear timeline, my rule of thumb is to follow up every five business  days.

Austin's Five Day Follow Up Rule

My rule of thumb is to follow up every 5 business days when you haven't heard back and haven't been given a timeline.

Here's a quick email template you can use:

Hi [Name], I hope you are having a great week! I wanted to reach out and express my continued interest for the [Job Title] role. I know this is a busy time and I completely understand that there is a lot going into this decision. If there's anything else I can do or provide that would be helpful, please let me know! Best, [Your Name]

Updated Follow Up Email Template For Uncertain Times

If there's one thing COVID-19 has taught us, it is that unforeseen events can arise at any time. Whether it's a pandemic, an economic crisis, or acts of God, we will want to change the language in our emails.

The tests I've run with my clients have shown that following up with empathy is what works in uncertain times.

Here is the interview follow up email template you can use:

Hi [Name], I hope you are doing alright given everything that’s happening right now. I know this is an uncertain time and that there is a lot to deal with both personally and professionally. With everything going on, I completely understand that there may be delays in responses and/or with the process. Please take the time you need and stay safe. I did want to reach out to let you all know that I am still very excited about this opportunity. If there is anything I can do or provide that would be helpful, please let me know. I’m sending my best to you, your family, and your colleagues. Best, [Your Name]

There you go! You should be all set to send an awesome thank you email  and  stay on top of the company to make sure you're top of mind and standing out from the crowd.

If you missed it earlier, here's a link to my post-interview thank you email template complete with multiple examples:

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Austin Belcak

Austin is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people land jobs without connections, without traditional experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, & Fast Company and has helped people just like you land jobs at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, & more.

22 thoughts on This Is The Most Effective Post-Interview Thank You Email

Incredible piece of advice! You’re definitely a career strategist. I tried this strategy and it worked, and I’m happy. Thank you!

Awesome Maito! I’m so happy to hear it helped you score the offer 🙂

That’s what i needed the most right now because every time after my interview i always wonder what to write and how to write it, so thanks a lot for helping me out here and i am sure i am going to bookmark this for sure. cheers to this article.

I’m super happy to hear it Ritesh! I know it can be confusing trying to figure out how and when to follow up – I’m glad the article helped clear things up!

Nicely done. Thanks. Constructive feedback: I think you have “and causation doesn’t imply correlation” reversed.

Good catch, thanks!

Well written and very helpful!!

Appreciate it Trent!

That’s a great article and i was searching for this content because i didn’t know that doing follow up after applying for job is have this much importance so i was looking for how to do follow up process, thanks a lot for letting us know.Going to bookmark this for sure.

I enjoyed visiting your webiste. I leave comments rarely, but you definately up deserve a thumbs!

Easy to check out, easy to read…heck I had formed to leave a commment!

Ha! I see you what you did with “bad email #1.” I actually read that email example on another site and thought “should I really be that formal after having such a great interview? Let me see if other websites agree.” Thank you for confirming my suspicion.

Haha I didn’t have the “don’t use this” at first and people were actually using that template Jeremy – glad you made your way to the right one 🙂

Very helpful, specific and easy-to-implement advice. Much appreciated!!

You got it!

Any advice on writing a thank you email after totally blowing a interview? I was so nervous I don’t think I answered anything they asked me. After walking out the door a moment of clarity hit me and I wanted to go back in. Is there any way to ask for a do-over?

really helpful, love your insight, and thanks for sharing Austin!

You got it Jon!

I just went on an interview. It was first in 9 years and after the interview I went to look up When is the best time to send a thank you follow up letter? Well it was with in 24hrs and I landed up on your site and I found out I did not ask enough questions. How can I rectifty that in my thank you letter? I am going to write my letter and hope you get back to me soon, but if not I will do my best with what I read in your article so that I can send it off in a timely manner. I know now for next time what to ask. Hopfully my thank you letter will set me apart from the crowd and will win me this position. Thank you for your site. It’s very informative.

Hey Carla, that’s ok! The thank you template here is best case scenario. Not everyone is going to remember to ask those questions or get all the info! The best thing you can do right now is send a thank you email as soon as possible. Thank them for their time, tell them that you enjoyed meeting them, and you’re looking forward to next steps.

Greate article. Keep writing such kind of info on your blog.

Im really impressed by it. Hey there, You have done a great job. I will certainly digg it and in my view suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this website.

Thanks so much, I appreciate it!

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How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview

When you  write your resume or CV , your goal is to stand out in a good way. You want your resume to be noticed amid the crowd of applicants. Your cover letter has the same goal. And at your interview, you also wish to make a good first impression.

You’ve worked hard to write a good resume and cover letter. You prepared for your interview, and you feel like you nailed it. Is there anything you can do post-interview to further increase your chances or getting the job you want?

In a word, yes! You can do one simple thing that shows initiative, interest, and good manners. You can write a thank-you note after your interview.

Why should you write a thank you email following your interview? How can it benefit you? How should you write it, and when should you send it? Check out our favorite tips and sample thank you notes below to learn how to write a thank you email after an interview.

Why Should You Write a Thank You Note After Your Interview?

In most cases, you are not the only candidate to be interviewed for a particular job. You’re likely to be compared to five or more fellow interviewees. Sending a thank you email after an interview will keep you in the forefront of your interviewer’s mind. It will cause him or her to think about you after the interview is over. After all, many candidates – between 30 and 50 percent, depending on the study – just don’t take the time to say thanks.

One  survey  noted that 80 percent of companies found thank you notes (or the lack thereof) helpful to their hiring decision. In fact, according to one  report , “nearly one in five of the hiring managers and recruiters surveyed said that they’d dismissed a candidate because they didn’t send a thank-you note after the interview.” Yikes! This underscores the importance of saying thank you.

Sending a thank you email also demonstrates positive qualities that your future employer may be seeking. For example, your resume may  say  that you are self-motivated or people-oriented, but writing a thank you note  shows  that you are.

Gratitude  is another quality that is increasingly valued in the workplace. Studies show that employees who show gratitude at work – “recognizing the good things in their lives and saying thank you” – have “more positive emotions, less stress and fewer health complaints, a greater sense that we can achieve our goals, fewer sick days, and higher satisfaction with our jobs and our coworkers.”

Taken together, those benefits not only create a positive work environment and company culture, but they better the company’s bottom line, as well. A good hiring manager will recognize and pursue a grateful employee.

Some jobs, such as customer service, human resources, mental health careers, or social services, especially require empathy, good interpersonal skills, and communication skills. If this is the case in your field, writing a thank you note can be especially helpful.

Even if your interview did not go as well as you had hoped, writing a thank you email can increase your chances. Remember, you do not know what happened at other candidates’ interviews. Writing a thank you note could tip the scales in your favor.

As already noted, post-interview thank you emails are few and far between. Likely, you’ll be one of only a few candidates to write one. Thanks to this guide on how to send a thank you email after an interview, you’ll also write the  best  thank you possible.

If you follow these steps, you’ll master the art of the thank you email and land the job of your dreams.

Address the Interviewer

Ideally, you have the direct email address of the interviewer or hiring manager. It is better to send the thank you email directly to this person than to a general company inbox.

Even if you don’t have a direct email address, note the interviewer’s name in the subject line. Use their name in the greeting of the email body as well.

Thank Them for Their Time

Businesspeople are busy people. The purpose of this email is to thank them, so do this in the first sentence of the email. You can thank them for their time, for taking the time to speak with you.

Express Interest in What You Learned

During the course of the interview, you probably learned things that you didn’t already know about the company. After thanking the interviewer for his or her time, tell them that it was a pleasure learning about the company. Cite something specific if possible. Many companies want enthusiastic employees, and this shows your sincere interest in the company and the position.

Solve a Problem

Can you demonstrate how you would solve a problem the company faces? True, you don’t yet know all the inner workings of the company. Perhaps the interviewer explained a particularly challenging aspect of the job, or a deficit the new hire should fill. Or, you can think about the company’s mission in general, or an economic, technical, or supply chain issue facing many companies in the industry.

Cite the problem, perhaps by saying, “I was thinking about what you said about…” Then explain a way in which your experience sheds light on a solution.

Note that you should use extreme caution in how you word this section of your email. You don’t want to come across as a know-it-all or as someone who does not respect authority. You might say something like, “In my previous role as [job title] with [company], I found that using [cite the solution] [increased/decreased/improved] [cite an aspect of the work] by [X] percent.”

Addressing the problem and solution in this way demonstrates your expertise and a definitive example of your problem-solving skills in the past. You can conclude this portion of the email with the words, “I’m sure this experience will yield similar success as your new [cite position you are hoping to obtain].

This is the aspect that will set your thank you note apart from all the others. It shows further initiative and gives the interviewer a sample of your work.

Close with Gratitude

You opened your letter with thanks, and you should close it with thanks. Invite the interviewer to contact you if they need additional information. Say that you look forward to hearing from them. Thank them once again for their time.

Include Your Contact Information

Sign the email with your full name (first and last name), phone number, and email address. Yes, it is true that the interviewer already has this information. But if you give it to them again, they don’t have to hunt for it. This ease of access may make it more likely that they will contact you. You can also include a link to your professional website or LinkedIn profile, if you so desire.

Don’t forget to proofread your email before you send it. Typographical errors make you look unprofessional and can undermine the good done by sending the note. Consider using an online tool like  Grammarly  or having a good writer you know to give it a quick read.

What about sending a hand-written thank you card in the mail? While this is a very personal touch, it should only be used in specific industries (for example, if you are applying to a law firm, a wedding planning company, or a C-level position) or if no email address is available – an uncommon situation in this technological age. The reason email is better than “snail mail” has to do with timing. Waiting a few days for the postal service to deliver your thank you note could mean it arrives too late. If you do decide to send a hand-written letter, you can do this in addition to the email. After all, the timing of your thank you note is very important, as discussed in the next section.

When to Send a Thank You Email After an Interview

How do you know when to send a thank you email after an interview? Should you send a thank you note after  every  job interview?

First, let’s consider the question of when. You should always send your thank you within 24 hours of the interview. Ideally, you should go home and write your note the same day.

Why should you send your email so soon after the interview? In the fast-paced world of business, decisions may be made quickly. If you wait longer than a day, you may find that the position has already been granted to someone else.

Should you send a thank you note after every interview? We’ll consider that question in the next section.

Sending a Thank You Email After an Interview to Multiple Interviewers

Have you applied to multiple jobs? Have you gone on multiple interviews? Should you send a thank you to all of your interviewers?

The simple answer is yes, you should. But take care to personalize the thank you note to each interview. It’s okay to create a template like the one below, but re-read it before you hit send. You wouldn’t want to accidentally mention the wrong company!

In some cases, you may be interviewed by multiple persons at the same company. Again, you should send a personalized thank you email to each of the interviewers. Don’t send the exact same email, because they may share the notes with one another as they discuss the candidates. Try asking for business cards at the close of your interview in order to obtain their email addresses. If you don’t have direct contact information for every interviewer, you can send an email to the one you do and ask them to share it with the others. Or, you can ask for the email addresses of the other interviewers at the end of the thank you note.

If you get called in for a second interview with the same hiring manager, send a thank you email the second time as well. Be sure to personalize the second email as much as the first by mentioning specifics from the second interview.

What if you get a call that you’ve been accepted to one of the positions to which you applied? Should you still thank the other interviewers? Yes. Why? Networking is becoming increasingly important in the business world. Thanking the interviewer and telling them that you’ve accepted another job leaves them with a favorable impression. You might leverage that goodwill at some future time – in business to business interactions or when seeking a job in the future.

The same is true if the interview made you realize that the job in question is not right for you. Send a thank you note, and clearly and respectfully state that you’d like to decline the position. This will save the interviewer time, and he or she will appreciate that. Again, you will leave the door open for possible positive interactions in the future.

Sample Thank You Emails

Are you still feeling a bit stuck on what to write in your thank you email? Use the sample note below, and customize it to fit your needs. Notice that it contains all the information cited in “How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview,” above.

Subject: Thank you [Interviewer’s name]

Hello [Interviewer’s name],

I wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me and discuss [the position title] at [the company’s name]. It was certainly a pleasure to learn more about [cite something discussed during the interview].

I’ve been thinking a great deal about what you said about [cite a problem or challenge the company is facing]. During my time at [previous company], I found it effective to [site solution]. In fact, [the solution] resulted in an [increase/decrease/improvement in the problem] of [X] percent.

I am confident that my experience will yield similarly positive results as your new [cite position].

If you require any additional information from me, please feel free to contact me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you [on a specific date or within a specified timeframe, if applicable].

Again, thank you for your time!

[First and last name]

[Phone number]

[Email address]

What if you’re applying to an entry-level position and you feel that the above thank you note is a bit too formal? Try the following thank you note sample on for size. It is especially designed for small companies or those with a relaxed atmosphere.

Subject: Thanks for the Interview!

Hi [Interviewer’s name],

I really had fun today learning about the rewards and challenges of working as a [position title] at [company name]. I am very excited to join your team and help to [cite a responsibility or two of the position in question].

Please feel free to contact me if you need any more information. I look forward to your call. Again, thank you for your time.

As a post script to this conversational email, you can even mention something extraneous that you discussed during the interview – that you hope the interviewer enjoyed whatever he or she mentioned they’d be doing after work, or that you tried a restaurant, movie, etc. that he or she suggested. This builds rapport and suggests friendly working conditions if you are hired.

If you’re still feeling like your thank you email doesn’t quite make the grade, even after utilizing these tips and this sample, consider this –  any  thank you note can put you ahead of the competition, since many candidates never send one. That alone is a good reason to say thanks, even if you feel unqualified to address a problem and its solution.

In Conclusion

When you apply for a job, you want to stand out in a good way. Writing a thank you note after an interview is one way to do just that. Most interviewees don’t write a thank you note, but doing so can demonstrate a number of desirable qualities. Include thanks for the interviewer’s time, cite something you learned during the interview, and demonstrate how you would solve a problem. Be sure to send the email on the day of your interview or the day after.

But what if you sent your thank you email and you never heard back? Check out these four tips from the Harvard Business Review on  how to follow up after a job interview.

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Cover Letters

What is a cover letter? A cover letter serves as an introduction to your resume. There are two types. The first, a letter of application, is sent when there is an actual vacancy. The second, a letter of inquiry, is sent when you are inquiring about possible vacancies in your field. Cover letters should be individualized for each position that you are applying for, or inquiring about. They should be brief (one-page only).

What does the cover letter include?

• Your return address, the date, the name of the person you are writing to, the organization’s name and address.
• Your unique qualifications that relate to the job and how the employer can benefit by them.
• For a letter of application, a reference to the position to which you are applying and how you heard of it.
• For a letter of inquiry, a reference to the type of work that you are seeking.
• Both must have three parts to the letter - the opening, the body and the closing.
• Your name and your signature.

How do I prepare a cover letter?

• Use a heavy stock paper (minimum, 20 lb. weight) that matches the resume and envelope.
• Use a laser printer.
• Proofread carefully.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER

3 Anywhere Avenue NY, NY 11111

Apr. 22, 2020

Ms. Betty Smith Human Resources Director Abel Direct 100 Nowhere Street NY, NY 11111

Dear Ms. Smith:

I was very excited to see your advertisement for your Marketing Coordinator position at Abel Direct yesterday on Indeed.com. Please consider my application for this opening.

You stated in your ad that you are looking for someone who can first and foremost guarantee customer satisfaction. I have learned first-hand how to effectively build and maintain strong client relationships through my recent part-time teller position at Everyone’s Bank. Your job description also stated that you are looking for someone who is outgoing, who can also analyze data. I possess outstanding persuasive and follow-up skills. Currently interning at USA Mail Direct in Westbury, I cold-call, compile market research data and prepare analytic reports. These experiences, in addition to the courses that I have taken in my marketing program at Nassau Community College and my proficiency in Microsoft Office, have prepared me with the skills and knowledge that you are seeking.

I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you further about this position and hope that an interview can be arranged. Feel free to contact me at 516-111-1111 or [email protected]. Thank you.

Jayne Freed Enc.

Thank-you Letters

What is a thank-you letter.

A thank-you letter is a brief (one-page) letter sent out to an employer immediately following an interview. It serves as a reminder of the interview and lets the interviewer know that you are interested in the position. 

What does the thank-you letter include?

• An expression of thanks for the interview.
• A restatement of your major qualifications for the job.
• Anything about your candidacy that you may have forgotten to discuss during the interview.
• Your name and signature. NOTE: Cover letters and thank-you letters may be sent via E-mail to employers
• Sample Cover Letter and Thank-You Letter

SAMPLE THANK-YOU LETTER

100 Somewhere Avenue N.Y., N.Y. 11111

April 22, 2020

Mr. Philip Jones Vice President XYZ Management Incorporated 1212 Central Highway NY, NY  10000 Dear Mr. Jones: Thank you for meeting with me yesterday to discuss the management position that is currently vacant at your company.  I am highly interested in this position and hope that you will consider me as a strong candidate for it. You mentioned that you are looking for a candidate who has managed diverse functions and has handled many different operational tasks.  Over the eight years that I have been in business management, I have been successful at handling staffing, training and supervision at a company with 100+ employees.  I’ve had diverse experiences that have enabled me to develop innovative approaches to management in the areas of operations and records management, office automation, budget analysis and teambuilding.  Additionally, I have planned and implemented twelve different management development programs for my current firm. These programs were launched in an effort to introduce new customer service initiatives to professional staff members.  I can provide the same type of leadership, creative solutions and results for XYZ Management.

I look forward to hearing from you again, so I can describe further how my background can be applicable to your organization’s needs.  You can reach me at 516-000-0000 or [email protected].  I appreciate your consideration.

David Marks

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FREE AI Interview Thank You Generator

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8 sample thank you letters after interview, 1. software developer in a tech startup.

Subject Line: Thank You for the Opportunity - [Your Name] for Software Developer Role

Why This Works

The sample demonstrates a high level of personalization and relevance, mentioning specific projects, technologies, and skills discussed during the interview. It reflects the candidate's enthusiasm and alignment with the company's vision, making it a compelling follow-up.

2. Museum Curator for a Historical Museum

Subject Line: Appreciation for the Interview - [Your Name] Curator Position

This example shines by connecting the candidate’s expertise and passion with the museum's mission and specific exhibits or projects mentioned during the interview. It shows a deep understanding of the role and how the candidate’s background can contribute to the museum's goals.

3. Executive Chef in a Fine Dining Restaurant

Subject Line: Great Meeting You - [Your Name] for Executive Chef Position

The letter captures the candidate's culinary philosophy and how it aligns with the restaurant's vision. Mentioning specific cuisine, ingredients, or techniques discussed shows attentiveness and eagerness to contribute to the restaurant's success.

4. Project Manager in a Non-Profit Organization

Subject Line: Thank You - [Your Name] for Project Manager Interview

This example stands out by highlighting the candidate’s alignment with the organization's mission and how their specific skills and experiences can support its objectives. It demonstrates a strong sense of purpose and commitment to the cause, which is crucial for non-profit roles.

5. Digital Marketing Manager in an Advertising Agency

Subject Line: Gratitude for the Interview - [Your Name], Digital Marketing Manager Candidate

The letter effectively showcases the candidate’s understanding of the agency's innovative approach and how their specific skills in digital marketing can help achieve further success. Mentioning specific campaigns or projects indicates a readiness to contribute meaningful results.

6. Registered Nurse in a Hospital

Subject Line: Appreciation for the Interview - [Your Name], RN Applicant

This sample emphasizes the candidate's dedication to patient care and eagerness to join the hospital's nursing team. It reflects a strong professional ethos and a personal commitment to healthcare, making the candidate a potentially valuable addition to the hospital staff.

7. Elementary School Teacher

Subject Line: Thank You - [Your Name] for Teacher Interview

The letter highlights the candidate’s enthusiasm for the school's educational philosophy and their eagerness to contribute innovative teaching methods. By mentioning specific programs or tools discussed during the interview, the candidate shows they are well-prepared and aligned with the school's goals.

8. Financial Analyst in a Corporate Firm

Subject Line: Thank You for the Interview - [Your Name], Financial Analyst Candidate

This example effectively communicates the candidate's understanding of the firm's financial strategies and their eagerness to apply their analytical skills to support the firm's objectives. Mentioning specific projects or analysis tools discussed shows a high level of engagement and readiness for the role.

Subject Lines For Thank You Letters

Why they are important.

Thank you letters, particularly in a professional setting, act as a courteous follow-up to an interview or a meeting. The subject line, being the first thing the recipient sees, serves multiple critical roles. Firstly, it ensures that your email gets noticed in a crowded inbox, increasing the likelihood of it being opened. Secondly, a well-crafted subject line sets the tone of your message, showing your appreciation and professionalism. It's your initial opportunity to remind the recipient of who you are and the context of your thank you, making it an essential element in maintaining and nurturing professional relationships.

Moreover, a thoughtful subject line can differentiate you from other candidates or colleagues, showcasing your attention to detail and your commitment to professional etiquette. It reflects your ability to communicate effectively and respectfully, traits highly valued in any professional setting. In essence, the subject line of your thank you letter is not just a formality; it's a strategic tool to reinforce your suitability for a role, express genuine gratitude, and keep the lines of communication open for future opportunities.

How to Make One

Creating an effective subject line for a thank you letter involves a balance between personalization, professionalism, and clarity. Start by including a clear reference to your interaction, such as "Thank You for the Interview" or "Appreciation for Your Time," followed by a dash or a vertical bar, and then your full name. This structure ensures that your email is immediately recognized and associated with a positive context.

Personalization comes into play by tailoring the subject line to reflect a specific detail or moment from your interaction. For instance, if a particular project or topic was discussed extensively, mentioning it briefly can trigger the recipient's memory and establish a personal connection. Remember to keep the subject line concise; the goal is to convey your message succinctly while making an impact.

Furthermore, consider the tone and language of your subject line. It should mirror the level of formality in your relationship with the recipient. For professional settings, stick to straightforward, polite language, avoiding overly casual terms or emojis. By thoughtfully crafting your subject line, you demonstrate your professionalism and increase the effectiveness of your thank you letter.

8 Examples Subject Lines

• "Thank You for the Insightful Conversation - [Your Name]"
• "Grateful for the Interview Opportunity - [Your Name] for [Position Name]"
• "Appreciating Your Time and Advice - [Your Name]"
• "Thank You from [Your Name] | [Position Name] Candidate"
• "Reflecting on Our Discussion - [Your Name] Thanks You"
• "With Gratitude for Our Meeting - [Your Name]"
• "Appreciating the Opportunity to Connect - [Your Name]"
• "Thankful for Your Guidance - [Your Name]"

Tips For Great Subject Lines

Send your thank you letter within 24 to 48 hours of your meeting or interview. This ensures your message is relevant and demonstrates your promptness and appreciation promptly.

Personalize

While it’s tempting to use a generic subject line, personalizing it with the recipient's name or a specific detail from your interaction makes your email stand out and shows your attentiveness.

Keep It Professional

Regardless of how informal your meeting might have been, maintain a professional tone in your subject line. This conveys your seriousness and respect for the professional context.

A typo or grammatical error in the subject line can undermine the professionalism of your thank you letter. Take a moment to proofread your subject line carefully before sending.

Match the Tone to the Company Culture

If you’re applying to a company with a more relaxed culture, it’s acceptable to slightly adjust the tone of your subject line to match. However, err on the side of professionalism to avoid missteps.

Be Clear and Direct

Avoid vague or overly lengthy subject lines. Your goal is to be immediately understood and to encourage the recipient to open your email.

By following these tips and carefully crafting your subject line, you can significantly enhance the impact of your thank you letters, leaving a lasting positive impression on your professional contacts.