Writing a thank-you letter – phrases and wording examples

You live in a busy world, with plenty on your plate to keep you busy. So when someone takes the time to give you a helping hand, it’s a nice gesture to ensure they know you appreciate it. Writing a thank-you letter showcases your gratitude for that someone’s support and spreads goodwill, too. Let’s work on doing that.

Benefits of writing a thank-you letter

A thank-you letter provides an excellent opportunity to show gratitude for someone’s time and effort. They also present you, the sender, in a positive light.

That’s not to imply that you should send a thank-you letter with an agenda beyond showing your appreciation. However, in a professional sense, taking the time to send a thank-you note doesn’t go unnoticed and can put you in the good graces of the receiver. Sending a thank-you letter can make a lasting positive impression on a hiring manager, current manager, future manager, coworkers and others who can support your current and future career.

Thank-you! Words and phrases showing appreciation

There are numerous opportunities to say “thank you” and lots of ways to do it. When writing a thank-you letter, select the words and phrases that best fit the context and reason you’re sharing your appreciation.

If you want to say thanks following a job interview, your note can reflect your gratitude for the time and consideration given. If someone has referred you to a recruiter, let them know you appreciate their efforts on your behalf. Or maybe a coworker, manager, or mentor supported you on a project. In such cases, send a career-related thank-you note stating your appreciation.

Your thank-you letter doesn’t need to be lengthy. A short and to-the-point note should suffice. In fact, it could be construed as insincere if you go on too much or are over-the-top about your gratitude. Brevity with sincerity, on the other hand, is your friend.

Pro Tip: Keep your thank-you letter focused and to the point. A lengthy message could be too much for the receiver when considering all the emails they might receive in a day – and their time constraints, given a busy schedule. A few words of gratitude are sufficient and will go a long way.

Read on for examples to reference when you’re looking for the right words to express your thanks.

Standard thank-you phrases

You can use many standard thank-you phrases in a professional and personal setting:

• Thank you so much.
• Please accept my gratitude and appreciation.
• Thank you for your time.
• Thank you very much.
• I sincerely appreciate your time [or fill in the blank].
• Thank you for your assistance.
• Thank you for your consideration.
• Please accept my deepest gratitude.
• Many thanks.

Business professional thank-you phrases

Business thank-you letters meet the rules of professional etiquette best practices and are also a great relationship-building tool for your career:

• Thank you for the assistance. It is sincerely appreciated.
• Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
• I very much appreciate the opportunity.
• I appreciate the opportunity to attend the training.
• Thank you for bringing the delicious snacks to the lunch meeting today.
• Thanks for helping me get the supplies I needed.
• Thank you for being instrumental in me achieving my goal.
• I appreciate your ability to debate in a healthy and productive way.
• I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with me.

Personalized thank-you letter appreciation

These options showcase how much someone’s support or help means to you:

• Your support means a lot to me.
• I am grateful for you taking the time.
• I value the career insights and guidance you share with me.
• It was very considerate of you to help me today.
• You are always so generous with your time.
• You have my appreciation.
• You are the best!
• You stood up for me today. Thank you!
• Thank you for your assistance.

Thank you for providing a reference or recommendation

When someone refers you to a job or writes a letter of recommendation for you, send a thank-you letter expressing your gratitude:

• Thank you for providing a job referral for my application.
• Thank you for providing a letter of recommendation for me. Please let me know if I can return the favor.
• Thank you for referring me to [Name of Company] for [Product or Service].
• I greatly appreciate you putting me in touch with [Individual’s Name] at [Company Name].
• I appreciate you referring me to [Company or Individual’s Name].
• Thank you for the reference you provided on my behalf!
• I appreciate you referring me to [Individual’s Name]. She/He was super helpful!

Career-related thank-you phrases

It’s a good habit to get into thanking those who help you with your career and career-related goals:

• I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for guiding me through the job board this morning.
• I appreciate you being a valuable member of our team.
• I appreciate your involvement in this ongoing project.
• Thank you for providing me with the constructive criticism I needed to hear.
• Thank you for connecting with me today.
• Thank you for accepting my connection request.
• Thank you for the valuable insights into your organization today.
• I appreciate your assistance with my job search.
• It is a privilege to connect with you. Thank you!

Thank you following a job interview

Always send a thank-you letter following a job interview to each person that interviewed you. Even if you don’t feel the interview went in your favor, it’s still a good idea to send a follow-up thank-you letter:

• Thank you for taking the time to interview me for your open position.
• I wanted to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interview with you today.
• Thank you for your time and consideration.
• I enjoyed speaking with you about the [Job Title] with your colleagues this morning.
• Thank you for answering my questions about the organization during my interview this afternoon.
• It was a pleasure meeting you in person. I appreciate the opportunity.
• I would like to take a moment to say thank you for the interview today.

How to send your thank-you letter

Writing a handwritten note and sending it by mail is a nice gesture, but it can significantly delay your message. In most instances, an emailed thank you letter is best, especially when time is of the essence. You want to immediately let a hiring manager or recruiter know you appreciate their time following a job interview, for example.

Dropping off a handwritten thank-you letter at the desk of a colleague or client could be appreciated, though someone you don’t have much interaction with would likely expect and prefer an email. Use your judgment, though you can hardly go wrong with a thank-you letter sent by email.

Lastly, thank you for taking the time to read this – we hope it helps!