Consider The Company Culture Before Following Up
While email is the most common method for sending a post-interview thank you, there are certain cases where a snail mail thank-you note may win you brownie points with the hiring manager. For example, if you interviewed with a highly conservative institution that prides itself on tradition, consider sending a handwritten thank-you card in addition to your email. Not only will this cover your bases, but the handwritten note will arrive a day or two after your email, helping to grab the hiring manager’s attention once again.
When Should You Send A Thank You Email After An Interview
How long should I wait to send a thank you email after an interview?
The best time to send your thank-you letter for a job interview is within the first 24 hours following the interview. Hiring decisions can be made quickly, and you also don’t want to risk making a poor impression by being the last candidate to get your thank-you email through the door.
Are follow up emails after interview important?
Sending an email after a job interview has several benefits for job seekers. It’s more than just a polite way to say thank you. Sending an email demonstrates interest in the position, lets you recap your conversation and allows you to add information you missed during your talk with the interviewer.
How should a thank you letter look?
Header: Your letter should begin with both you and the person’s contact information followed by the date. If this is an email rather than an actual letter, include your contact information at the end of the letter, after your signature.
Writing A Subject Line For A Thank
After you’ve completed a successful interview, it’s important that you follow through with key professional gestures that show your gratitude. A gracious thank-you email with a strong subject line can improve your chances of landing the job. If you’re going through the application and interview process, you might benefit from learning about the importance of thank-you emails and their subject lines. In this article, we review reasons to send a thank-you email after an interview and provide some suggestions to help you write a captivating subject line.
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What If The Employer Says They Dont Have Any Feedback Yet
In some cases, the hiring manager or recruiter will reply to your follow-up email and say theyre still in the middle of the hiring process and dont have information about the next steps yet.
At times, theyll be specific about what theyre working on behind the scenes but often, they wont tell you the specifics.
Either way, I recommend responding with a brief email to keep the conversation alive and ensure that you stay in touch. By using the following email template, you give yourself an opening to follow up again if needed, too.
Turning Down The Position
Just because the job offer is there, it doesnt mean you have to take it. Nows the time to think about whats important to you from an employer and whether this business lives up to your expectations.
Things to consider:
Is the salary as expected?
Youll know a little about what a fair salary looks like in your line of work from your job search. Still, before you commit to the new role, do a bit of extra research to make sure this is a fair wage. It’s important to feel valued because this will ultimately help or hinder your happiness and motivation at work.
Are there benefits?
Most workplaces offer employees benefits and incentives. This could be birthdays off, staff days out, health benefits or cycle-to-work schemes. Dont be afraid to ask your potential employer what they have to offer. Remember, an attractive benefits package can sometimes be better than a higher salary.
How will your career develop here?
Once youve acquired the skills for your new role, will there be room to grow? Ask the employer whether there is opportunity to rise through the ranks. Even better, ask them what your career path might look like with this particular company. If theres little potential for growth, you may have itchy feet within the first year.
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Keep Your Thank You Note Formal
The best strategy is to use formal business language and proofread very carefully! Remember, this message shows employers the quality of your work and is an example of your work..
Demonstrate the high quality of your work in your email. Avoid using informal language, typos, and strange formatting. Avoid the use of emoticons and no texting language .
Template For A Thank You Email After A Job Interview
An in-person job interview is a huge opportunity. And employers tell us that the way candidates follow up is an important indicator of their interest in the position. Candidates who go silent after the interview come across as disinterested. So if you really want the job, take the time to write a sincere, customized email immediately after you end the interview, and send it the same day.
Subject Line: Thank you from ] ]
Dear ],
Thank you, again, for the time you spent with me today. I really enjoyed meeting you and exploring how I might be able to assist ] as the new ].
After our conversations, I am even more confident that this position is a job I would enjoy, as well as one where I can be successful and make a valuable contribution.
I am particularly excited about ]
You mentioned that the decision on this position will be made in ]. In the meantime, if there is any additional information you need from me please let me know and Ill get it over to you!
Again, I appreciate the chance to interview with ] and am grateful for the time you spent with me.
Sincerely,
There you have it! Follow these templates, and make extra sure to customize them to your own voice and situation. Before you know it, youll be perfecting your interview follow-up and hearing back after more interviews. Ill wish you luck with your next interview, because I know youve got the thank you email covered.
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Should You Send An Email Acknowledging A Bad Job Interview
Send this only if you are absolutely positive that you failed the interview. Often, we can be too self-critical as we look back at our performance in an interview.
Apologizing for something that was NOT viewed as a failure by the employer can backfire, big time!
However, if an interview scheduled for sixty minutes lasted only five minutes with no business emergency reason given for the shortened interview and no apology or request to reschedule, something was wrong.
Or, the interviewer clearly lost interest and tuned you out, ending the interview with a chilly good bye. Then, you might have a failed interview.
Writing The Body Of Your Follow
The body of your follow-up email should be short and to-the-point. Most employers prefer to receive a short and sweet follow-up email after the job interview without any unnecessary info.
So be clear and direct about why youre following up. Dont be timid. However, you should be polite and respectful, no matter how long youve been waiting.
How to write a follow-up email after an interview:
That last point is critical. Even if youre about to send a second or third interview follow-up email after two weeks, writing a rude message or showing frustration wont make the employers decision-making process move any faster, and it could even cost you the job.
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Learn From The Interview Process
After an interview, dont just wait by the phone. Watching your incoming calls and constantly checking your inbox will add to your nerves, and its futile. The employer will get in contact when theyre ready and, unfortunately, hitting the refresh button on your inbox wont hurry them along.
Rather than twiddling your thumbs, use this in-between time to reflect on your performance. It’s helpful to think objectively about how you came across in the interview, what your strengths were and what you can work on for next time. There’s always room for improvement, and there’s plenty of opportunity to put your ideas into practice after all, the average person changes jobs five times during their career.
Recap Of Your Qualifications
Next, provide a short recap of your experience and background. The interviewer should already be aware of these qualifications after reading your resume and meeting with you, so this section should be brief. Connect your qualifications to the position and its unique requirements to express why you are such a strong candidate for the job. For example, you can write, My social media and search engine marketing expertise would make me an excellent candidate for this marketing role.
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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.
Thanks again,
Example Interview Thank You Email #:
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed the interview and it was interesting to hear about how the team is expanding and the new types of customers youre trying to attract.
Im confident that I can take what Ive learned at < Current Employers Name> and step into your role and be successful, so Im eager to hear your feedback when you have a chance.
Dont hesitate to contact me in the meantime if you have any questions or concerns.
Best regards, Biron Clark
However, if youre in a more traditional or formal industry, or if you want to send a thank you note in the mail rather than email, one of the next two thank you note examples will be better.
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Mistakes To Avoid When Sending Post Interview Thank You Emails
Now you know the basics of how to send a great thank you email after the interview. Lets cover a few mistakes to avoid now, though.
Some of this will be review if you read everything above, but I want to make sure you dont do anything that could cost you the job!
First mistake: waiting too long to send it. You really want to send this within 24 hours after your interview.
Next, dont ever copy and paste the same exact email to send to multiple people. They will compare and it looks sloppy/lazy. It takes a lot away from the impact your thank you email will have.
Dont ever put multiple people in the To field of the email either. You should be sending one email to one recipient at a time.
Otherwise, it looks lazy/rushed.
And another big mistake: Thinking you dont need to send an interview thank you email because the person you met wasnt the official hiring manager.
Id recommend sending one any time you had a face-to-face interview with someone.
Everyones opinion can count and the hiring manager can ask everyone what they thought of you. Dont pick and choose who deserves a thank you email. Send it to everyone youve met face to face and play it safe!
One more minor mistake: Not asking for business cards after you meet each person during a day of interviewing.
Getting business cards from each person you met with during the interview is the easiest way to keep track of names and email addresses so you can thank them later via email.
When Giving Thanks Timing Matters
Send your interview follow-up messages within 24 hours of the interview. Also, ask each of your interviewers for a business card or confirm the spelling of the person’s name and their email address before leaving the building. If you realize you forgot to do this, reach out to your main point of contact at the company right away and ask for the information so you can send a proper thank-you note.
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Do You Have Any Lingering Questions For Me
Just like you might have forgotten to ask a question in the interview, the interviewer might have skipped over something too. Let your point of contact know you’re open to answering any other questions that could help with the hiring decision.
You can also use this to round out your email. A simple Let me know if you have any additional questions in the meantime will do.
Reasons To Send A Thank
Often times, simply following through on all the right steps of the job application process can put you in a great position as a candidate. Sending a thank-you email after an interview is one of them. Thanking your interviewer is a straightforward way to prove your professionalism and express your genuine interest in an opportunity. Here are several specific reasons why sending a thank-you email can help you have a more successful job search:
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Most People Dont Send Thank
Write a thank-you email after your job interview.
Showing your gratitude is always a good look, especially during a job search. This means promptly thanking your interviewers. A thank-you email after an interview is the most popularand acceptedmethod of following up with your potential future employers. Too bad three out of four job seekers dont even bother sending a thank-you, according to an Accountemps survey of human resources managers. The survey found that only 24% of HR managers receive thank-you notes from applicants. However, 80% of HR managers say thank-you notes are helpful when reviewing candidates.
Whether it’s a physical letter or an email, this token of appreciation could actually determine if you get the job. Sending a well-crafted and timely thank-you letter after an interview can add a positive impression to an already positive connection, says Jennifer McClure, president of Unbridled Talent, a Cincinnati firm specializing in talent acquisition, recruiting, and staff development.
These guidelines can tell you how to write a thank-you note after your job interview.
Thank You After Interview Email Best Practices
Here are some general best practices for writing your interview thank you message:
- Send the email within a few hours of the interview.
- Be polite and professional in your language.
- Highlight things you liked about the job, company, culture, and mission statementMission StatementA mission statement defines what line of business a company is in, and why it exists or what purpose it serves.. (You can use this opportunity to elicit a reply to your email by turning things around by writing, Id be interested to hear what you think are the companys core values.
- Mention your skills and strengths that best match the job opportunity and what you learned from the interview about what the company is most looking for from the person who is ultimately chosen to fill the position.
- Dont appear overconfident by sounding as if you just assume that you got the job.
- Be sure to actually say the words, thank you.
- Offer to answer any additional or follow-up questions the interviewer may have.
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Send Separate Thank You Emails To Multiple Interviewers
Send a separate, relatively unique message to each person who interviewed you. Since messages are very easy to forward, expect that your message to Interviewer A may be shared with Interviewer B and C, as well as with HR and possibly upper management.
Vary the wording, but keep the overall theme , the subject, the closing, and the timing consistent.
Is A Week Too Late To Send A Thank You For An Interview
Its a Week Late Another good impression killer is sending your note in late. Thank you notes are the most effective when you send them ASAP or at least within 48 hours of your interview. If you want to leave the impression that youre only mildly interested in the position, then go ahead and take your time.
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This Job Would Be So Good For Me Because
This is a trap thats easy to fall into. You want to talk about all of the ways that the role would positively impact your life.
Heres the brutal truth: prospective employers dont care. It might seem selfish or cold-hearted, but they want to know about how youll add value to their companyas opposed to how they can benefit you.
Resist the urge to rant and rave about all of the reasons that job would improve your life, and place the majority of your emphasis on what you bring to the table and how that contributes to any company goals.
