Thank You Letters
Many job seekers do not send thank-you letters to employers after an interview. Unfortunately, this is an oversight that could adversely affect their chances at an offer. Employers appreciate receiving thank-you letters and in some cases where the competition is especially keen, a thank-you letter may give you an edge over candidates who fail to send one. It shows you are detail oriented, professional, and truly interested in the job.
- Immediately after the interview, jot down notes concerning your discussions.
- What qualifications appeared to interest the interviewer?
- Was there anything you wish you had said before but perhaps forgot?
- State your appreciation for the interview. You may also want to include the date of the interview.
- Reiterate your interest in the position. You also might want to refer to specific points in your discussion that particularly interest you.
- Emphasize how your qualifications match the job.
- Write your letter, but keep it brief.
- Send it within 24 hours of the interview.
- Proofread your letter very carefully. If the employer receives a letter filled with typos, grammatical mistakes or spelling errors, that letter will do more harm than good.
- If more than one person interviewed you, take the time to personalize each letter. Do not send the same letter to each person. Another option for thanking a group of interviewers is to send a thank-you letter to the lead interviewer to distribute to the group.
- Try to avoid emailing a thank-you letter as they are more impersonal than a hard copy letter.
- Remember, thank-you letters should be typed in the standard business letter format. Thank-you notes are handwritten on cards.
- No matter the format you choose, the important this is to send a thank you that is professional and error-free.
Sample Thank-you Letter (PDF)
This sample requires Acrobat Reader to be viewed. A free download is available at Adobe.