Template For A Thank You Email After An Informational Interview
Are you conducting informational interviews with people in your industry? Informational interviews are casual one-on-one networking sessions, and they are one of the best ways to build a professional network and get the inside track on jobs. If someone has taken time out of their busy schedule to meet with you, you absolutely must send them a thank you email. Because showing some courtesy is the best way to leave a good impression with this valuable new professional contact. Plus, its a great way to start an ongoing correspondence so that you can start to build a professional relationship long-term.
Heres my template for a thank you email after an informational interview or any personal meeting with a new contact:
Subject Line: Thank you from ]
Dear ],
Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to meet with me today. It was great to discuss career opportunities in ] with you! Your comments were insightful and gave me lots of ideas for my ongoing job search. Im excited to follow up on your suggestions to ].
It was especially exciting to talk to you about ]
Again, your suggestions and time are so appreciated, and I hope to chat again soon! Please let me know how if there is a way I can return the favor, now or in the future.
Regards,
Summarize The Interviews Highlights
When it comes to the actual body content of the email, in addition to thanking the interviewer, you want to focus on referencing two or three high points from the interview.
Mine your conversation for highlights by reflecting on these questions:
- Did the interviewer make an interesting point?
- Did something you discussed excite you?
- Did you learn something new about the role or company?
- Do you two have something interesting in common?
In your email, say you enjoyed learning about X. Or that you appreciate that the hiring manager shared Y. Or, when you heard them say Z, you became even more interested in the role.
Giving a couple quick highlights demonstrates you were an active, attentive participant in the conversation. Interviewers are looking for more than just the ability to do the job.
Sample Interview Thank You Email/letter #:
Hello < Interviewers Name> ,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me < yesterday/Friday/etc.> about the < Job Title> position at < Company Name> . It was a pleasure talking with you, and I enjoyed learning more about the opportunity.
The information you shared about < Something specific about the job that interests you> sounded particularly interesting.
I am confident that my skills will allow me to come in and succeed in this role, and its a position Id be excited to take on.
Im looking forward to hearing from you about the next steps, and please dont hesitate to contact me if you need any additional information in the meantime.
Thank you again.
Best regards,
< Your First and Last Name>
This example above is a little longer and more formal. You could send this as a handwritten thank you letter after the interview, or as an email.
Note that at the end of the third paragraph, you could also add details about WHY you feel confident youd succeed in this role. Doing this will make your thank you email more convincing to hiring managers.
Try to remind them of something you shared in the interview, like a piece of past experience, or a skill you have, that will prove to them youll be able to come in and be successful in their role.
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More Complex Thank You Email
Replace the text below with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.
Subject: Thank you for the interview on
Dear :
Thank you very much for your time today to interview me for the position of . I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, to meet you and , and to see your facility .
As we discussed, I have of experience with . With my background and experience, I believe that I could become a contributor to your team very quickly.
I am excited about this opportunity to join . Please do not hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or need any additional information.
I look forward to hearing from you .
Best regards,
Offer Your Assistance To The Organization
Use your next paragraphs to offer your assistance or expertise to the organization. For instance, if you find out during your informational interview that the organization needs qualified sales professionals and you have expertise in sales strategies or unique approaches to lead conversion, you can offer your help to show the company your interest in providing additional support. This may also result in a job offer with the organization.
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Short Interview Thank You Email Example
A short follow-up version may be most appropriate as a thank you email after a phone interview. In the short version, youll want to be concise:
Subject line: Thank you for your time
Dear Ms. Owekwe,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the marketing coordinator role. It was great to meet with you and learn more about the position.
Im very excited about the opportunity to join Horizon Marketing and am particularly interested in the details you shared about the upcoming launch of the brand campaign. Im enthusiastic about the prospect of taking on some of the project management and bringing my experience in successfully coordinating cross-functional initiatives to the table.
After our conversation, Im confident that my background in marketing and my interest in brand growth will enable me to fill the job requirements effectively and support the vision of Horizon. Please feel free to contact me if I can provide you with any further information or samples of my work. I look forward to hearing from you.
How Should I Send A Thank You Note
Some people prefer to send handwritten thank you cards, while others opt for quick email delivery. Although a written note is more personal, it can take several days for a card to arrive by mail. Unless you plan to deliver the note directly to the recipient or a proxy in person, you may want to email your thank you note instead.
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How To Write An Effective Interview Thank You Note
Founder, career coach and interview coach behind CaffeinatedKyle.com. My goal is simple: to help people find jobs they LOVE.
getty
Thank you notes are an important yet often underestimated component of a strategic job search. A well-written thank you note is an opportunity to showcase your communication skills. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the art of follow-through.
How do you write a thank you note for a job interview? What do you include in a thank you note? What specific words do you use in a thank you note?
Here are five steps to write an effective job interview thank you note in the digital age.
1. Start by thanking the job interviewer.
Gratitude is a critical ingredient in a winning thank you note. Begin your thank you note by expressing your appreciation to the recruiter or hiring manager for their time and consideration. Also, mention anything helpful, interesting or memorable you learned from the interviewer.
Example: Thank you for meeting with me today to discuss the role with . I enjoyed learning more about why you joined the team, your leadership philosophy and our mutual love of Starbucks.
A Formal Interview Thank You Email
Dear Mr/Mrs. Smith,
Thank you for meeting with me yesterday to discuss the opportunity at .
I enjoyed learning about the organizations and was impressed by your companys impact in the field of
I am very interested in the role, and I believe that my experience and skills would be a perfect match for the position we discussed. I can begin to contribute immediately by .
Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can provide you with any additional information. Thank you once again for the opportunity. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
This second option works better with almost all legal companies. Its a very formal and equally professional job interview thank you email.
Whichever option you decide to go with, dont forget to add your contact information at the end of the email. Yes, your new employer likely already has your contact details on record. But its in your best interest to make it as easy as possible for your prospective employer to contact you.
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Why Should You Write A Thank
Great question! Not only are thank-you letters a show of an applicants interest in the position, good manners, and organization, but some employers even expect them. Ultimately, they are another chance to influence your employers decision before they actually make one, and they typically work in your favor.
In fact, according to a 2017 survey conducted by Accountemps, approximately 80% of HR managers found thank-you emails after an interview to be either somewhat helpful or very helpful. And, considering that over half of interviewees tend to not send them out after interviews, doing so could make you stand out from the crowd!
And, although handwritten letters are certainly more personal, they take much longer to write and send out than emails. Thus, by the time your letter finally reaches your interviewers, they may have already decided! So, even if youre planning on sending a handwritten letter, we would highly recommend also sending a thank-you email within 24 hours of your interview. This will reach your interviewers far quicker, and they will likely still appreciate the gesture.
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When To Send An After Interview Thank You Note
With any important piece of writing, planning is half the battle. Should you follow up over email, in a handwritten notecard, or on social media? And what should you write?
There are two vital factors to consider when writing a thank-you note after an interview: speed and specificity. Thank yous are not better late than never. In fact, most interviewers expect an email or letter within a day. That means time is of the essence, and you need to work quickly! As one Glassdoor recruiter puts it, it is vital to send a thank you email to your interviews within 24-48 hours.
Even though you must write quickly, you also need to personalize each thank-you note to the interviewer. Gone are the days where I would look at a template thank-you note and consider it worth my time to read. As Valerie LeClair, Grammarlys Director of Recruiting, once described to me,
Write from the heart! If a candidate is going to write a standardized, impersonal note, there is no reason to even send it.
But dont panic! Take a deep breath and reflect on your interview experience. Now, ask yourself these idea-generating questions:
- How did the interview go? Did anything weird happen?
- Did I flub on a question I know I have a better answer for?
- Did I forget to ask the interviewer one of my questions?
- Is there something additional this interviewer should know about me?
- Did I discuss anything interesting? Find any similarities to my interviewer?
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Staying In Touch After The Thank You Notes Are Sent
Hopefully, you will get an email in response to this message, but dont panic if you dont hear from them on their deadline. MUCH may be happening that has nothing to do with you at all.
Read 5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for Your Next Job Interview to get the details you need about how their hiring process works so you have contacts and their guidelines.
If they said they would contact you in a week, DO reach outafter five business days to see what is happening if they have not contacted you when they said they would. If you forgot to ask when they would be contacting you after the interview, five business days is a sufficient gap to demonstrate that you are interested, but not a nuisance.
DO NOT contact them daily or even weekly for a decision.
DO move on with your job search. This opportunity may happen or it may not. Dont pause your job search until you know. Keep searching. Best case, youll have a choice to make between two jobs. Worst case you wont lose any momentum.
Second Interview Email Samples
Subject Line: Jen Smith Interview Thank You
Dear Mr. / Ms. Last Name:
It was a pleasure meeting you on and discussing the position at . I really appreciate the time you took to interview me for the position.
Thank you for the opportunity to meet everyone on the team and asking them questions about the position. The more I spoke with you and the team, the more I was convinced that my past experience and passion for makes me a strong candidate for this position.
Currently, my schedule is flexible and knowing your urgency to fill the position, I would like to discuss the next steps at your earliest convenience. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks again for your time and consideration.
Thank you,
Subject Line: John Doe Thanks for Chatting about
Dear Mr. / Ms. Last Name:
It was great meeting you for the second interview today! Ever since my first discussion with , I have been enthusiastic about the chance to work as the with .
I am confident that the experiences and skills I built up in have helped make me a great fit for this exciting position.
If you have any follow up questions or need clarification on my resume, please feel free to reach out – I am happy to answer!
I really appreciate the time you took to interview me today and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks again for your time and consideration,
John Doe
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What About A Group Email Thank You
Perhaps you feel a little overwhelmed at the thought of writing several separate thank you emails because you interviewed with half a dozen people.
Believe us: its worth it to write unique emails, and heres why.
Perhaps one interviewer expressed an interest in your soft skills while another of them questioned you on specific hard skills from your resume.
Sending separate thank you email messages gives you the opportunity to highlight those unique selling points to each individual.
- This will showcase your attention to detail.
- It will also help you stand out to those deciding whether you get hired.
If Youre Writing A Thank
- Did I include a relevant subject line? Is everything spelled correctly there?
- Have I addressed the person Im thanking correctly? Am I spelling their name and email right?
- Did I make my point in under five sentences?
- Did I mention a specific topic, common interest, or question relevant to my discussion with this person?
- Did I say thank you at some point in the note?
- Are my signature, email name, and email avatar photo all in alignment to project a professional image?
- Did I use Grammarly to edit this note for correctness, clarity, and word choice?
- Did I proofread this email?
- Did I hit Send within 24-48 hours?
If you did all of these things, congratulations! You deserve to grab a book and a snack and take a break. The hard part is over.
Need more help following up after interviews? Check back for more insights next week.
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Why Is It Important To Send A Thank You Email After An Internal Interview
Thank you emails are more than just a courtesy. They perform two functions that can influence a hiring decision. First, a thank you email shows the recipient your gratitude for their time and energy during the interview. Additionally, a thank you email gives you a final opportunity to advocate for yourself as the best person for the job.
When interviewing for an internal position, sending a thank you email to the person with whom you interviewed is just as important as sending a thank you email to an external hiring manager. Ensure you’re following interviewing etiquette and using the chance to share your value proposition with the hiring manager by sending a thank you email after an internal interview.
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Follow Up Email After Phone Interview
Remote companies tend to place more weight on the phone interview than previously and as a result, your phone interview may be the only behavioral interview you have in the hiring process. Therefore, the phone interview follow up email should be more detailed than the initial thank you to a recruiter.
Heres one thank you email example:
Thank you for talking with me earlier today. It was a pleasure to hear about Googles developer team and to learn more about how the position would work. The system youve built to help your developers collaborate remotely sounds like an ideal work environment.The senior developer role sounds rewarding, especially given some of the growth priorities on the roadmap for 2021. My experience as a senior developer at Airbnb, as well as my management experience, make me a good candidate for this position.I look forward to hearing from you about our potential next steps. If there is any additional information you need, please contact me at .
This email is a bit more detailed, referencing specifics from the phone interview and reiterating what makes the candidate the best fit for the role.
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