How to Write a Thank You Email After a Job Interview

So you've made it through the interviewing process. You’ve nailed the interview, you want the job, but now you have to wait for the call. All you can do is play back the answers you gave and wonder if there’s anything else you could do now to impress the interviewers. Well, actually, there is: you can write a follow up email. However, get it wrong and you could be jeopardizing your prospects, not improving them. Here are the dos and don’ts of sending a thank you email.

 

Do send it within 24 hours of the interview

Timing is important. You don’t want to send a thank you email too soon after your interview – that could look desperate – but also you want them to keep you at the front of their thoughts. The best time to send it is the start of the working day the following morning. You should catch them before they’re taken off to any more interviews or meetings, and you’ll demonstrate that you’re a professional who immediately switches into “work mode” at 9 am.

 

email interview time
Timing is important – don't wait too long!

 

Do include everyone who interviewed you

Even if you were interviewed by a panel of 3 people but 1 of them didn’t say anything, you must still include everyone. You don’t know who will be the key decision maker, and it’s important that you show respect and appreciation equally to all of them.

 

Do include the position you applied for in the subject line

The subject line is the first thing anyone reads, and you should be as specific as possible to get the reader’s attention and give them a reason to actually read the email.

 

email subject line
Make sure your email stands out amongst the rest

Hand-picked related content: 5 JOB SEEKING MYTHS


Do highlight why they should employ you

This requires a bit of subtlety. It can be a fine line between showing initiative and confidence and being repetitive and pushy. Tell them that you’re even more sure now that you’d be the right fit for the job and briefly explain why. It doesn’t need to be any more than that but it will show that you were alert in the interview and came away with a positive impression. A bit of flattery can go a long way!

 

Don’t make it too long

Being concise is key here. Don’t repeat anything that you’ve already covered in your CV or résumé, or in your interview. Simply thank them for their time, say how nice it was to meet them, and leave them with a compelling reason to choose you.

 

short email
Nobody wants to read a long email when you have dozens of other ones to get through

 

Don’t ask questions

You may be burning to ask how much the job pays, but now is not the time to ask. In fact, you shouldn’t ask any questions at all – you had that opportunity at the end of your interview and that’s not what a thank you email is for. Asking questions could make you look uncertain about the job.

 

Don’t make any spelling or grammar mistakes

It’s a point that we often make but it’s so important that it’s worth repeating at every opportunity. Under no circumstances should there be any spelling or grammar mistakes. Carefully proofread everything that you write before you hit the fatal send button.

 

proofread email
Double and triple check your email before you hit send, especially if English isn't your native language

 

Sample thank you email

Subject: Thank You - John Smith Interview for Marketing Assistant

Dear Sue,

It was a pleasure to meet you today and I really enjoyed hearing more about the Marketing Assistant position.

As I mentioned in our conversation, while at ABC Company I created several new B2B partnerships and built numerous SEO-optimized blog articles and social media campaigns. As you are seeking to develop an influencer marketing strategy, I think it would be a valuable asset towards achieve this goal.

Please feel free to contact me if I can provide you with any further information. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

John Smith 
john.smith@email.com
01234 567890

 

If you want to improve your English for better job prospects, then find out more about our Business English Courses. We also want to hear your questions about working in an English-speaking country, so feel free to ask us anything in the comments section below.

立即分享
相关文章