You just finished a gruelling and exhausting interview. It was tiring but worth it because this job seems like the perfect fit for you. All you want to do now is relax. But before you do, think about sending a brief thank you email to the interviewers. Writing a follow-up message can make the world of difference and provide the extra edge for employers debating between two candidates. Continue reading to learn how to write a thank you email after an interview and take advantage of our thank you email sample for your reference.
Benefits of sending a thank you letter
A thank you email after an interview reminds your prospective employer of your various qualifications and skills. It provides an opportunity to showcase any additional work experiences or expertise as online portfolios, LinkedIn accounts or other professional social networking profiles can be easily included for the employer’s perusal. An interview follow up email demonstrates good business etiquette, professionalism, proactiveness, and highlights to potential employers that you are appreciative of the opportunity. The email also allows for the future employer to easily message you back for an offer or a potential second interview.
How to write a thank you email after an interview
It is important to get the timing right when sending a thank you email. Ideally, you want to make sure that your interview is still fresh in the interviewer’s mind so that the positive benefits of the thank you letter will be associated with you. This means that it is imperative to send the thank you letter immediately after or within 24 hours of the interview before a hiring decision has been made.
If there were multiple interviewers, you can draft personalised emails for each of them to further showcase your commitment and enthusiasm. Remember to make sure that you have the correct spelling of each of the interviewers. Double check by confirming with their LinkedIn profile.
What to include in an interview follow up email
It needs to be obvious that the email’s purpose is to thank the interviewers for their time. As such, begin by having a subject line that is straight to the point. Include your name or the position that you are applying for.
Use this platform to remind the interviewers of your qualification. Incorporate keywords from the original job posting or specific references and details that you discussed during the interview to emphasise your fit in the position. Link to your online portfolio and other professional networks for the interviewers to find out more information about you if they wish.
You may also want to use this opportunity to communicate how you might add value to the company by including a mock-up of something that you discussed during the interview. For example, provide a few slides on a potential future project that you think could work well with the company, a tagline for a marketing pitch, or a list of promising partners that may be a good fit. Doing this not only indicates your commitment to the position, but also accentuates your proactiveness and eagerness to work in the company. This has the added advantage of allowing employers to see what it might be like working together and give them something extra to consider for the hiring decision.
This is the space for you to reinforce that you want the job and reiterate why you want the job. Discuss anything that didn’t come up during the interview or address slight issues and concerns that they might have had. For instance, you can mention why you think you would match well with the company culture.
Tips
Thank you letters are meant to be concise, courteous, and unique to each person and job. Just like how a resume should not be too long, a thank you letter needs to be read quickly by the recipient and only include a couple of paragraphs. The information within the email should not be like an additional interview but merely a supplement to the interview that you just had.
Any written communication to potential employers should remain professional and accurate. Even if you got along swimmingly with the interviewers, it is important for the language of the email to remain professional and not too casual. You should also ensure that the thank you letter does not include anything that might paint a negative image, such as a personal social media profile with photos or posts that might contradict your professionalism and commitment to the job. Remember to keep the overall tone of the whole email positive as that is how they will remember you by.
Although sending a follow up thank you letter is necessary, avoid sending multiple follow up emails afterwards. Give the employer time to discuss and make a decision. Don’t heckle them with expectations of an immediate answer as that makes you seem impatient. One thank you email after the interview and a follow up letter one week later is more than enough.
Thank you email sample
Use our helpful thank you email sample as a template the next time you finish an interview.
(Job title): Thank you – (First and last Name)
Dear (Mr./Ms.) (Interviewer’s last name),
Thank you for taking the time to connect with me (yesterday, today, etc.). I appreciated the opportunity to meet you (names of other interviewers if relevant) and to see your facilities in person.
I enjoyed learning more about (company name) and the (job description) position. I was especially impressed with (insert detail about the role, vision of the company, company culture, or specific projects that the company does. For example, “your creative approach to management”, “the way XYZ incorporates diversity in its company culture”, or “the work that you do with the community) that you described.
(If you wish, you can include ideas on how you can contribute to the company. For example, “following up on our conversation, I have included a few slides on some ideas about potential projects that might work well in the electronics industry.”)
After our discussion, I am confident that my (list relevant skills and experience such as adaptability, communication skills, ability to work in a team and independently) puts me in a position to contribute and help grow (company name) as its (job title).
(You can insert a short sentence to individualise the thank you email if you talked about something personal with the interviewer. For example, “have a great time at your friend’s wedding this weekend. The weather is perfect.”, “Have a safe flight to Bali – Mount Batur is stunning.”, or “It was nice meeting a fellow Red Sox fan. Hoping for another World Series win. Go Sox!”)
Thank you once again. Should you have any further questions I am available to meet with you at any time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
(Your name)
(LinkedIn profile and other professional networking profiles)
(Phone number)
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