After any interview – whether it’s over the phone, webcam, or in person – it is important to send your interviewer a thank you to tell them that you appreciate their time and let them know you are still interested in the position. A perfect thank you note does three things: reminds the interviewer of your conversation, states why you want the position, and highlights your main skills relevant to the position. This shouldn’t be long like a cover letter, but instead brief and to the point in no more than two or three paragraphs. Thank you notes are also a great way to fix any mistakes made during the interview, mention anything you forgot, or ask last minute questions.
Make sure to take notes during the interview (or right after!) so that you can mention something that you and the interviewer talked about in your thank you note. Reminding the interviewer of your conversation is a great way to make you a memorable candidate. If you and the interviewer got a little off topic and shared personal information, such as a shared hobby or hometown, mention it! And as with all employment writing, make sure to tailor the thank you note for the position and job you are applying to. Mentioning key skills that you have from the job description or mentioning values the company upholds will make you a perfect match.
Don’t forget to send a thank you note! The best time to send the thank you note is within 24 hours of the interview. If you interviewed with multiple people, send individual thank you notes to each person. Failing to send a thank you note could ruin your chances of moving on in interviews or getting the position.
An example thank you letter looks like the following:
Hello (interviewer’s name),
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me yesterday about the (job title) position with (company name). I enjoyed our conversation about (mention something from interview here). I am very excited about the position and the opportunity to join the company.
(The next paragraph should be about how your skills make you a perfect candidate for the position. Possible openers are:
I am confident that my skills…
My experience as (experience title here) has prepared me for the position by…
Put in some words about why you want the position and why you want to work for the company. (Again, this should be short, only be a sentence or two.)
Thank you for considering me for the (job title) position. If you need any additional information, feel free to contact me by email at (email address) or by phone at (phone number). Thank you again, and I look forward to hearing back from you in the future.
Kind Regards,
(Your Name)