Most job seekers put lots of effort into crafting the perfect resume and cover letter and practising for the interview. However, this isn’t all any job seeker should consider, as there is one overlooked and highly beneficial area. In your job search, writing thank-you emails after interviews is important.
It’s quite surprising how many job hunters never bother to send a thank-you note. Such a simple action can make an impact on potential employers. It’s a simple step, and if nothing more, it enforces you in their mind in the days following your interview.
This will be particularly true if no other candidate has sent one. In our guide, you can learn all you need about writing the ideal thank you note, how to send it by either snail, mail, or email, and a sample interview thank you note or two for inspiration.
How Soon Do You Send a Thank You Email After an Interview?
It would help if you considered sending a thank you email right after an interview, as this is the best time to be hot in the minds of the hiring manager. Once, it used to be the right thing to do to use regular mail, but nowadays, the right etiquette is to send a note or thank you emails thanks to current technology.
An email will be delivered immediately, and it is recommended to draft and send your follow-up within 24 hours of your interview. Sending a thank-you note later than this can make it appear that the position and interviewer’s time isn’t important to justify a rapid response with an email expressing gratitude and taking the chance to add additional information. (Read 4 Outstanding Interview Tips To Ace Any Job Application)
Should You Send a Thank You Email After a Bad Interview?
While it is expected, the following steps after an interview are to send your thank you email. Job searchers often wonder if they should send one following a bad interview. If you know you messed up your interview, it doesn’t hurt to send a thank you to an interviewer after you messed up your job interview.
Perhaps you were late, didn’t answer to the best of your ability, or forgot something vital. You can use this opportunity to apologize for the shortfalls in your interview or highlight the missing information. It can be your final opportunity to redeem yourself and try to recover.
Sending a standard thank-you note might be a good idea as it can jog their memory and make them think or remind them how you stuffed up. Either way, it can’t hurt. Here’s a quick example of a follow-up email after your poor interview.
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Thank you very much for taking the time to interview me for the position of (job title).
I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to learn more about the company and this position.
It was a pleasure to meet you and the other team members and see your facility.
How Do You Write a Thank You Letter After an Interview?
Here are some pointers you can follow that will help you write a perfect thank you email after a job interview in 7 easy steps:
Create a Clear Subject Line
Be right to the point with your subject line; thank-you notes are something you need to make sure your thank-you email will be opened.
Here are a few sample subject lines for your thank you email:
- Thank you, (Name of Interviewer)
- Thank you for your valuable time and advice
- Thanks for my interview yesterday
- I enjoyed learning more about (Company Name)
- Thank you!
You do not need to add more to your interview. Thank you email subject line.
Open an Email with a Personal Greeting
It would help if you addressed the hiring manager directly by name. If there was more than one person, be sure to send personalized thank-you notes to every interview team member.
Express Appreciation
Because you are sending a “thank you email” open with a greeting that says “thank you.” Be authentic when you express gratitude in your interview thank-you email. Highlight that you care about the time any interviewers spend with you and go through the details of your position.
Indicate You’re Interested in the Job
In your interview, the potential employer is working out if you are a good fit, so make sure you highlight you are interested and keen to join the company. Emphasize this in your interview thank-you email.
Refer to a specific point you discussed during your interview, highlighting what interests you for the position. Doing this means you make your email after an interview feels personalized.
End a Thank-you Email After an Interview
You need to finish the email, and it doesn’t need to be a formal thank you email ending. Like the start, make it clear and to the point. You can end with a paragraph stating you can send additional information if it can help with their decision-making process and that you look forward to hearing from them regarding the next steps in the hiring process. (Read What Are You Passionate About)
Close Using a Professional Sign-off
Thank the interviewer again.
Sign off with “sincerely” or “best regards” Your name.
Underneath this, add basic contact details: telephone number and email address.
Sample Thank You Emails
Here are a couple of examples of thank-you notes to help craft your letter.
Sample 1
Hi James,
Thank you so much for speaking to me today. It was a pleasure to learn more about the sales marketing role.
I’m excited about the opportunity to join the company and help your team add more sales.
I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps; please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can offer any additional information.
Best regards,
Elizabeth
Sample 2
Hi Ms Butler,
I wanted to thank you for inviting me to the office today. The company seems like a great place to work. I admire the business’s mission statement and look forward to working with you and your team on the ideas mentioned.
Please let me know if you need anything else to move the process forward.
Have a great week,
Carl Brigstock
What Not to Say in Thank-you Email After Interview?
Like having the right things to say in your thank you emails to hiring managers, there are also things not to include.
- “Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the position.”
It’s nice to say thank you, but your letter has to be more in-depth to make an impression.
- “I believe I have the perfect qualifications for this job.”
You may think you are qualified, but what proof do you have? Never write a note claiming you’re qualified unless you can back it up.
- “I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you.”
If you want to write the worst thing, this is it. You won’t win over a hiring manager with this in your thank-you note.
- “Please enjoy this as a token of appreciation.”
Do not expect sending a gift of anything will win over any hiring manager.
- “I’m calling to follow up.”
It can be reasonable to follow up via phone after a certain time, though it isn’t the best way to thank the interviewer.
