Even though you worry about how you did, knowing how to write a thank you email after an interview is good to know. It may calm your nerves and possibly move you ahead in the queue.

Did you make a good impression on the interviewers? Will you get the job? All these worries are going round in your head…

Interviewers may see dozens of candidates just like you before they make a decision. So it is important that you follow up when you are still fresh in their minds. The job market is increasingly  competitive and the other candidates may be as qualified as you, or even more. So the things you do before, during and after an interview can help your chances.

If you know how to write a thank you email after an interview and you time it right, it can play in your favor. An email is basically a thank you for the opportunity to meet with them at the interview. There are some ideas here about how to make the email work best for you.

Ensure the timing is just right

Hiring managers often time their interviews back-to-back so they can remember and compare people fresh in their minds. For this reason, a thank you email should be sent within 24 hours after the interview. A 24-hour time frame is good timing because the panel may see a couple more candidates, but they are probably coming to the end of the interview process. Make sure you send your email during the prospective employer’s working hours. Sending a thank you email at 2AM may leave the interviewer wondering how late you stay up and whether you would keep good time at work.

how to write a thank you email after an interview

Mention a particular part of the interview you enjoyed

Interviews can make you nervous and tense, and of course interviewers are totally aware of this. If you know how to write a thank you email after an interview you will know it is a good idea to say something positive about your experience. Mention something you enjoyed, if that’s the right word. For example, you may thank the panel for explaining the position for you. Or how responsive they were to your questions. Even how the experience itself was more relaxing than other interviews as they made you feel less stressed.

But use your email to remind the interviewer who you are, so you are kept at the front of their minds.

Recap your best skills

Remember that the interviewer has most probably interviewed other people after you. When thinking about how to write a thank you email after an interview, try and mention some of your unique skills. But you will need to write it differently – don’t repeat what you said in your application or resume.  In your email mention something about your skills that came up specifically in the interview. Let them understand, and seriously want, the value you can bring to their company. Keep your tone neutral as you do not want to come across as either arrogant or desperate.

Language used

Think of your thank you email as an official document. Your language should be quite formal, but not overly formal. Informal language, smileys, emoticons and slang are not really appropriate. Remember also to address them by their title (Mr, Dr, etc). Double check your email before sending for grammatical errors and typos which will definitely make a bad impression. Employers want communicators and mistakes are off-putting.

how to write a thank you email after an interview

You nailed how to write a thank you email after an interview!

When you are crafting this email remember the purpose of it – you are saying thank you for the interview, as well as saying why you are the best candidate for the job. Right from the start, the email should be professional.

The first paragraph should contain the thank you and the reason why the experience was a good one for you. This will make your interviewer feel appreciated which is a good tactic for drawing readers in.

The rest of the email should be as direct as possible. Communicate clearly your talents and value. And remember that any business communication should be short and to the point – people don’t have all day to read emails!

Finally, ask – or mention again – when a decision might be made about the interview. If you were told during the interview (‘you will hear from us in two weeks’) then say ‘I look forward to hearing from you on…’ If you weren’t told then your email should prompt the hiring manager to establish timelines and communications.

It may seem like no big deal, but knowing how to write a thank you email after an interview is pretty important. It shows you care and it gives you the chance of sticking in the interviewer’s mind better. If you do this well we think your chances of being shortlisted, or getting the job, increase.

If you make this a habit it will get easier. Good luck with your job hunting!

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