How to Send a Short and Sweet Thank-You Email After an Interview
The first step after a successful interview is to send a short and sweet thank-you email to express your gratitude for the opportunity.
By: Jennifer Meehan | Contributor for Let’s Eat, Grandma
Congratulations on acing that interview!
Now, before you get busy with other things, you need to send a short and sweet thank-you email.
A thank-you email shows that you’re polite, responsible, and eager to get to work.
But more importantly, it reminds the interviewers who you are and all that you have to offer.
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When and How to Send a Thank-You Email After an Interview
A short and sweet thank-you email will keep you in the front of the interviewer’s mind. Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash
Recruiters and managers may have to go through hundreds of resumes for just one job opening. Understandably, they won’t remember everyone they interviewed. A thank-you email will reinforce your interview and make a good impression.
But don’t wait too long to send it. Within 24 hours or no later than 48 hours after the interview is the rule. Your interviewers will expect it!
Many years ago interviewees invested in some nice, conservative notepaper with matching envelopes and wrote a note by hand. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that is the way to do it nowadays.
Definitely use email rather than snail mail, or the recruiters will have forgotten who you are by the time they receive it.
Send your note to everyone you spoke with. If you can, ask whoever emailed you to schedule the interview beforehand who will be present at the interview and get their emails. (You should also do this if you’re planning to put together an interview portfolio – which we recommend you do!)
Often, staff email addresses are posted on the company’s website. If not, you may find their email addresses on their LinkedIn profiles. If you were invited to the interview on Google Calendar, the email addresses could be in the calendar event, too!
You can also just ask everyone for their card at the end of the interview (or ask them to put it in the chat if your interview is virtual). If you miss anyone, follow up with your primary contact. Depending on the company, you may be able to call or email someone in Human Resources to get the email too.
Tips to Write a Short and Sweet Thank-You Email After the Interview
You should send your thank-you email no more than 48 hours after the interview. Photo by Jenny Ueberberg on Unsplash
Here are some suggestions for crafting a memorable thank-you email after your interview.
Be sure to keep reading for a short and sweet sample thank-you email that you can adapt!
- Write a clear subject line. Cite the purpose of the email and the position you’re applying for. An example subject line might be: “Jennifer Meehan, Content Writer – Thank you!”
- Express gratitude for the interviewers taking the time to talk to you about the job. This should just be a quick sentence, but it’s important you don’t overlook it. Mention one or two things you talked about in the interview and remind them of your key selling points, like this: “As we discussed, I’m excited to bring the creativity and attention to detail that have helped me triple my company’s Instagram following in six months in my current role.”
- Show genuine interest in a part of the position you’re especially excited about, such as event planning or customer relations. You may be mainly excited about finally getting health insurance, but you probably don’t want to mention that.
- Add a personal note if you made a personal connection with the interviewer you’re writing to. For example, “I enjoyed hearing that you share my love of miniature schnauzers.” Don’t forget to take this out for your emails to other interviewers if you’re copy/pasting anything, though!
- Smooth over your mistakes. If you forgot to mention something during the interview that you think the employer should know about you, this is the place to bring it up. This also applies if you answered a question incompletely or messed up your answer. This could look something like, “One quick note: you asked about companies whose marketing inspire me, and I forgot to mention Let’s Eat, Grandma as an example.”
- Keep it short and sweet! Remember, this is a busy person you’re emailing. Plus, they’re likely getting these from several candidates. Say what you need to say, and no more.
And of course, before you press “Send,” proofread your thank-you email thoroughly, just like your resume. You don’t want to ruin a good first impression with typos.
Use our example below to get started. Good luck!
Use This Short and Sweet Thank-You Note Sample to Write Your Own After the Interview
Subject: Thanks for the interview! (Daniel Lorenzo, Content Writer)
Hi Natalie and Larry,
I wanted to send over a quick note to thank you for taking the time to interview me for the Content Writer position today, and for giving me the opportunity to further explain how I would be a fit for the role. I especially enjoyed hearing about the team dynamic you have at [Company]; it seems to be precisely the change in culture I’m looking for.
The role sounds like a rewarding one with a combination of in-person meetings, phone calls, and collaboration across departments to make a difference for the client. After learning more, I feel that my customer service skills, which helped me a 95% customer satisfaction rate in my last role, would make me an especially valuable asset to the company.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any additional questions. I look forward to hearing more in the coming weeks.
Thank you again for your time and consideration,
Daniel Lorenzo
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