You just walked out of your job interview, and you feel it went well. Great! You can now breathe a sigh of relief and pat yourself on the back! With that said, it’s also important to remember that you haven’t reached the finish line yet. You want to keep the positive momentum going by sending a job interview thank you email.
When should you send your thank you email?
In short — after every job interview you have, and within 24 hours following the interview.
Some hiring managers expect to receive a thank you letter following an interview, and some don’t. Regardless, a well-thought-out thank you email can keep you in the minds of the hiring team and set you apart from the competition. Even if you have more than one interview with the same person, it’s a smart move to send a thank you email showing your appreciation and gratitude following each interview.
Pro Tip: It is often easier to send a thank you note following an interview you feel good about. However, it’s also a good gesture to send a thank you note following an interview that you think might have gone poorly. Sending a thank you email can leave things on a positive note and provide an opportunity for you to be considered for other positions. Given the small world we live in, at a minimum, it ensures you don’t unintentionally burn bridges by not sending a thank you note.
Job interview thank you email – basics
Whether you feel like a rockstar after your interview or you think it could have gone better, it’s best to get into the habit of sending an interview thank you email following every interview. If you interviewed with more than one person, send separate emails to each interviewer, even for a panel interview.
You might choose to send a handwritten thank you letter. Handwritten notes are rare these days, so you’ll stand out from others. However, snail mail can take days to arrive. Since the recruiting process often moves quickly, it’s best to send an email thank you letter so it’s received in a timely manner.
Every interview thank you email has the same foundational information:
- Subject line
- Greeting salutation
- Note of appreciation
- Company and qualification recap
- Next steps
- Contact information and closing salutation
Subject line
Recruiters and hiring managers receive dozens of emails daily. To ensure yours doesn’t get lost in the mix, your subject line should be clear and straightforward when emailing your thank you email. A formal interview thank you email subject line might read “Thank you for your time.” A less formal subject line might read “Great to connect with you today,” or “Great to meet you.”
Greeting salutation
The greeting salutation should always begin your thank you email and directly address the interviewer. For example, “Dear [Interview Name]” or “Hello [Interviewer Name].
Note of appreciation
The first sentence of the body of your email emphasizes your gratitude for the interview. Include the job title or position you interviewed for, so the interviewer more easily recalls the interview if they are hiring for more than one position at a time. For example, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and discuss the HR manager position today.”
Position and qualifications recap
The interviewer has a copy of your resume and the information gathered during the interview. Thus, you don’t need to go into a lot of detail for this section. Based on your discussion, state one or two essential qualifications that connect to the position’s requirements and why you’re a good fit. It’s also a good idea to reference the position or organization. You might write, “The focus on employees and innovation make this position appealing to me. My employee relations and HR management experience make me an excellent candidate for the HR role.”
Next steps
Provide a prompt for the next steps to close the thank you email. For example, “Please don’t hesitate to contact me for references,” or “Please don’t hesitate to contact me to schedule a second interview.”
Contact information and closing salutation
Your contact information is available on your resume. However, it’s still wise to make it easily accessible in the thank you email by including your email address or phone number, so the hiring manager doesn’t need to search for your information. For example, “I can be reached at 555.555.5555 or [email protected].” You can also opt to include your contact information at the bottom of the email with your signature and write, “My contact information can be found below.”
Your closing salutation and signature go at the bottom as with any letter. “Sincerely” and “Regards” are good closing salutations for interview thank you notes, followed by your name.
Thank you email examples
Here are two interview thank you emails you can edit and personalize to fit your circumstances.
Example #1 — Simple interview thank you email
A simple interview thank you letter with the basics, like the one below, is sufficient as a follow-up to most interviews.
Hello [Interviewer Name],
Thanks for taking the time to meet with me yesterday to discuss the HR Manager position. I enjoyed our conversation and look forward to learning more about this opportunity.
The focus on employee welfare and strategic innovation within the organization is appealing. My HR master’s degree and experience in employee relations and compensation make me an excellent candidate for the HR manager role.
I look forward to discussing this position further. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or to schedule a follow-up interview. My contact information can be found below.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
Example #2 — Detailed interview thank you email
You might choose to provide more detail in your email, similar to the one below.
Hello [Interviewer Name],
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for meeting with me today to discuss the HR manager position. It was great to hear about your initiative to revamp the service award program and salary administration process, among other exciting programs.
It is clear the HR team works well together to meet their goals and follow through with initiatives, including exceeding your recruiting initiative to reduce time to hire by 10% and improving employee satisfaction by 5% annually over the past three years. I look forward to working with the HR team to implement upcoming initiatives and some of the ideas we discussed regarding revamping the employee handbook.
Please let me know if there is anything you need from me or if you have any questions. My contact information can be found below.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email]
Thank you follow-ups are vital
If you think an interview thank you email isn’t important, reconsider. People like to know their time is valued, and that includes hiring managers and recruiters. Take the time to show your appreciation by using these tips to send a thank you email. Doing so adds value to your job application and interview process.
Be a good boss to yourself
Is the Black Hole due to your resume?
What I read every day