Interview Thank You Letter: Response Time

You’ve just finished an interview and you feel like it went really well. The next step is to write an interview thank you letter. While many people today simply forgo this important step, employers will tell you that it can sometimes be what tips the scales in a close decision. Why take the chance that the job is going to someone else, simply because he or she wrote a thank you letter?

When You Should Send This Important Letter

Ideally, you should send an interview thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. If you have communicated via email before the interview, send it as soon as you are able after the interview. Some companies only schedule a few interviews for an open position. You do not want the letter to arrive after a decision has already been made. If you haven’t communicated through email, then you will need to send the thank you letter through snail mail or drop it off in person. In many cases, it is best to drop it off in person to make sure it arrives in a timely manner.

What to Include in the Thank You Letter

You obviously want to thank the interviewer for their time; however, the main purpose of an interview thank you letter is to remind the interviewer of your skills and qualifications. You want to reiterate why you are a good choice for the position and what you can bring to the company. Be sure to mention one or two things that were discussed in the interview, as well as a quick summary of your experience. This letter should not be more than three or four paragraphs.

Be sure the letter is addressed to the interviewer. If you are not certain of the name, don’t guess. Instead, check the company website or call for verification. If you interviewed with more than one person, send each individual an interview thank you letter. You never know which person will actually make the final hiring decision.

Include your email address and phone number at the end of the letter. If you’re responding by email, make sure the subject states the purpose of the email. For example, it might read “Project Manager Interview – Thank You.” You’ll have a better chance of the interviewer actually reading the letter. You should also make sure the interview thank you letter is proofread carefully. Mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation will not be received well. In some cases, it could cost you the position.

Finally, if you are printing off your interview thank you letter, make sure to use a good quality paper. Take the time to print the addresses, instead of just writing it on the envelope. This will create a polished look for your letter and it will be noticed.

In Closing

An interview thank you letter is almost a forgotten art. While only ten percent of all interviewees send this letter, employers are quite emphatic when they say this is an important part of an interview. Make sure you send it in a timely manner, as this may have an impact on whether or not you get the job offer.

How Many People Send an Interview Thank You Letter?

Do you remember when you last wrote a letter to anybody? This does not include an email or a text message to someone. While letter writing is not as common as it used to be, it is still an essential part of the job interview process. Unfortunately, only about ten percent of people who are interviewed actually take the time to send an interview thank you letter. Employers notice, too.

Politeness Still Has Meaning

An interview thank you letter is polite. You are thanking the interviewer for their time, but there are additional reasons why you should write one. It also helps refresh the memory of the interviewer of your qualifications, skills, and experience. If you had a particularly strong interview, this letter could be the deciding factor between hiring you and another strong candidate.

Even though letter writing has gone somewhat out of fashion, it only takes a few moments of your time to compose this important document. There are, however, several things to remember when writing an interview thank you letter. You don’t want to do more harm than good!

When to Send This Letter

You should send a thank you letter within 24 hours of your interview. If you are sending it through email, make sure you have the correct spelling and email address of the person who interviewed you. There’s nothing worse than someone taking offense for a misspelled name. If you are considering sending it through the mail, get it out the same day as your interview. You can also drop it off in person, but make sure it is in an envelope that is properly addressed to the recipient.

What to Include:

Begin by thanking the interviewer for the opportunity to meet with them and discuss the job opening. Add a line or two about what you find positive about the company and why you feel you would be a good fit. Next, summarize your qualifications, skills, and experience. Make sure it’s concise, as you don’t need to include as much information as is in your resume. You want to highlight your strong points and help them remember your resume, cover letter, and interview.

End with a statement or two about how you look forward to hearing from them about their decision. Make sure you include your email address and phone number. You want to make it very easy for the company to contact you about the opening and you want to let them know that you are still interested in the job.

A Few Final Thoughts

An interview thank you letter, which not very common any longer, can often be the deciding factor in a close decision for who gets the job. It is a chance to remind the interviewer about why you would be a great choice to fill the position and it is polite to thank them for their time. Be sure to proofread carefully, as you do not want any spelling or grammar errors. This will help ensure their memory of you is one of professionalism, attention to detail, and enthusiasm.

Gathering Materials for an Interview Thank You Letter

Surprisingly, only about ten percent of all interviewees send an interview thank you letter. What was once a very common practice is not considered part of the job application process by many people any more. However, many employers still report that this letter can often be a deciding factor when choosing who gets the job offer and who does not.

Gathering the Necessary Materials

If you will send your interview thank you letter in an email, then you will need a computer and an internet connection. Make sure you have the email address correct and be sure to fill in the subject line. For example, it might say “Manager Interview: Thank You.” This will help ensure your email is read and not just dismissed.

Make sure you have the correct spelling of the interviewer’s name. If you are not certain, don’t guess. Look on the company’s website or call the company if you cannot find it online. Begin by thanking the interviewer for their time and the chance to learn more about the company. List at least one thing that you found impressive about the business.

The next paragraph should quickly and succinctly highlight your qualifications, skills, and experience again. However, do not make this read like your resume. Include a line or two about why you feel you would be the perfect choice for the position.

End the letter with a statement showing you are still interested in the position and that you look forward to hearing their decision. After the complimentary closing, add your name, email and phone number. This makes it easier to contact you. You may not necessarily get a reply back to this email, but it can often make the difference between you getting job or someone else getting it instead.

If you will mail your interview thank you letter, you can either write it by hand or type it out. Some people prefer handwritten letters, but it will depend on the position you are applying for and how legible your handwriting is. The above tips apply pertaining to the content of the letter. However, if you’re not writing the letter by hand, be sure to include your full address at the top. It should look like a traditional business letter. Choose a high quality paper and envelope. If you type your letter, make sure the envelope is typed out, as well. Don’t forget the correct postage or it might be returned to you.

The CareerRush Job Interview Thank You Letter Example:

A Few Final Thoughts

You should write your interview thank you letter within 24 hours of your interview. Some companies may have several days’ worth of interviewing, but others may need the position filled very quickly. However, even if you do not know if the interviewer will see the letter before they make their decision, it’s really the only polite thing to do. With schedules so busy today, potential employers appreciate someone taking the time to say thank you. This often forgotten business practice is usually very well received.

Interview Thank You Email: Restate Your Best Qualities

Only about ten percent of applicants take the time to send an after interview thank you letter. It is becoming a forgotten courtesy, but it can have a big impact on whether or not you are offered the job. Sometimes, it might only take an interview thank you email to move your name to the top of the list of applicants.

Why send an Interview Thank You Email

The purpose of an interview thank you email is first to thank the interviewer for their time. Secondly, it is a chance to restate your best qualities and attributes. Finally, it shows that you are still very interested in the job. Make sure that you target each of these points in your interview thank you email.

What you Should Include in an Interview Thank You Email

The subject line should be concise. For example, you might put “Thank You – Lab Technician Interview.” This will help ensure that your email is actually read. Address the email to the person you interviewed with. It’s important to remember this name as the introductions are made at the start of the interview. If you aren’t sure of the spelling, check the company website. Don’t assume you know how to spell it. Most people are very sensitive about their names!

Thank the interviewer for their time and highlight at least on thing that impressed you about the company. Keep your letter brief, but not so much so that it appears rushed. The second paragraph should include a recap of your qualifications, but don’t include everything that is on your resume. Choose the specifics that you believe will best show why you should get the job. Avoid bullet points here – stick to a conversational tone.

Ending your Interview Thank You Email

End the interview thank you email with a few words about why you feel you are a good fit for the job. Include a specific reference to the job qualifications, if possible. After the complimentary closing and your name, include your email address and phone number. While you might assume that this information is close at hand, you want to make it as easy as possible for the company to contact you.
 
Formatting your Interview Thank You Email

Use the same format as you would for a business letter or email. Keep the font choice simple and business-like. Times New Roman 12 point font is always a good choice. Proofread the email carefully. One error can often take away all the good the letter did in the first place. You can always send the email to a friend to have them read it, as well.

If possible, send this email within 24 hours of the interview. Don’t wait several days to send it because the position will probably already have been filled by then. Don’t expect a response to this email – you probably won’t get one. However, there is a good chance you could get a call offering you the job. Sometimes, an interview thank you email is all it takes to help an interviewer decide in your favor. It is not only polite, but it is a great way to restate your best qualities and why you should be offered the job.

Job Interview Thank You Letter Writing Tips

It is becoming more difficult than ever before to find employment. Some people may send out dozens of resumes before they are contacted for an interview. Even after an interview, there will be many applicants denied employment. One of the best ways to set yourself apart from the other applicants is with a job interview thank you letter.

Letter writing in general has become a lost art. The age of email, text messaging, and social media is simply much faster. However, a thank you letter is not only polite, it could be the deciding factor in your favor if the final decision is close. Many applicants overlook this step in the hiring process and it could end up costing them the job.

The 3 Steps Of Writing a Job Interview Thank You Letter

1. The Introduction: One of the most important things to remember is the name of the person conducting the interview. If you do forget or you are not sure of the spelling, contact the company to make sure you get it right. Use the interviewer’s proper title and format your letter as you would a normal business letter.

2. The Body of the Letter: Begin the job interview thank you letter by thanking the recipient for the interview. Explain that you would enjoy becoming part of the company’s team of employees and highlight some of the points of the company that impressed you the most. Quickly sum up your qualifications again and explain why you feel you would be the best choice for the position. You should keep this letter fairly short – only three to four paragraphs at the most.

3. Ending your Letter: Finish off the letter with another thank you to the interviewer for their time. Show that you are still very interested in the position and that you are awaiting their hiring decision. Your contact information should be at the top of the job interview thank you letter, so there is no need to include it at the end.

The most important part of a job interview thank you letter is simply letting the interviewer know that you appreciate their time and interest in you. This is not the time to completely rewrite your resume or cover letter. You should keep your letter concise and to the point.
Tips for Emailing your Job Interview Thank You Letter

If you email your letter, make sure it is formatted correctly. It does not need to be sent as an email attachment, but it should be in the proper font and format. Avoid the use of slang or too much personalization, as this is a business letter. You should send the email to a friend with good grammar and spelling skills. Oftentimes, even one mistake can hurt your chances of getting the job.

In closing, a job interview thank you letter should be sent after every interview. It is a way to set yourself apart from many of the other applicants. In some cases, it could be the deciding factor in a close decision of who gets the job. It only takes a few moments to complete and hopefully, it is worth every moment for you!

Check Out Our Job Interview Thank You Letter:

How To Write And Send A Thank You Letter After Interview Email

There are times when you may feel super confident about acing the job interview that you just went for. Perhaps you feel secure in the knowledge that you stood out (in your opinion) from among the many other job applicants applying for the same position. It could be because you have had significant experience in a related line of work or you feel you have superior academic qualifications that will set you far ahead of everyone else. While this would be an ideal situation, reality is usually very different. Oftentimes, interviewers have an immensely difficult time trying to choose between job applicants who are all very similar to each other in terms of suitability for the job and qualifications. At times like this, the slightest bit of difference between applicants could mean the difference between landing the job and receiving one of those ‘thank you for applying but…’ letters.

Sometimes, when the scales are almost evenly balanced between two candidates, the decision to hire or not to hire can come down to as small a difference as whether one candidate sent in a thank you letter after his interview while the other did not. The exact history and origin of the practice of sending thank you letters after a job interview cannot be accurately pinpointed, but in this day and age, this practice has become the norm, and is even expected by interviewers. While a handful of interviewers feel that the sending of thank you letters is a needless nicety that simply creates that much more correspondence that they have to sort through, most other interviewers welcome the practice as a method of sorting the truly interested applicants from the ones simply going through the motions.

Many an interviewer treats a thank you letter as a sign that an applicant is still interested in landing the job, even after the interview itself is over. Their reasoning is that someone who was simply going through the motions of randomly applying for a job at every company would not bother sending out thank you letters to all the companies he interviewed with, whereas a serious applicant will definitely take the time and effort to send a thank you letter and to send a well-written one too.

Thank You Letter By Way Of Email

While many people still adhere to the tradition of sending all correspondence to do with a job application through regular post, the arrival of the technology age has resulted in more and more people switching from regular post to email and other internet-based forms of communication and correspondence. Whether or not you should do this will depend entirely on the situation as you observe it while at your interview, your correspondence with your interviewer and any other representative of the company before your interview, and general practice in that industry.

If, for example, you found out about the job opening through the company’s website and you were instructed to fill out a form online and then email your resume to the company’s human resources department, then you should definitely send your thank you letter in the form of an email. This is because, in such a case, it is quite obvious that the company prefers to handle things to do with job applications online, and probably does not have very much experience keeping track of and answering letters that come by regular post.

Check Out the CareerRush Thank You Letter After Interview Example