How to write a thank you email after an interview

Did you know that writing a short thank you email after an interview is not only polite, but a great way to stack the odds in your favor? Sending an after interview thank you email is professional—and expected—and will leave a great impression with the interviewer, increasing the chances that you’ll land the job. 

Plus, in this fast-paced world, taking the time to write a thank you email (or better yet, a hand-written note) is an easy way to show that you’re competent, thoughtful, and serious about the position. But how do you write one? We’ve got you covered. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to write a top-notch thank you email after an interview, along with a template and some examples that you can adapt to fit your own situation.

How do you say “thank you” professionally after an interview?

The point of a thank you email is to politely thank the interviewer for their time in a way that leaves a great impression and keeps you top-of-mind. It also gives you another opportunity to reiterate your interest in the position, and ask any questions that you might have forgotten during the interview. 

What’s more, it’s expected. In a recent survey, 80 percent of hiring managers indicated that receiving a thank you note is a factor when selecting candidates to hire. But there’s more to crafting a memorable thank you email than simply saying, “Hey, thanks for the interview!” 

When writing a professional thank you email after an interview, keep in mind the following tips:

• Actually say “thank you.” You’d be surprised how many people forget that part. But don’t just say, “thank you for the interview”; thank them for their time and the conversation. It’s more authentic and sincere.

• Make it personal, not generic. Don’t address it to “Dear sir or madam,” and don’t speak in generalities. Address the interviewer by name, and mention something from the interview that impressed or stuck with you.

• Brevity is your friend. A thank you email shouldn’t be multiple pages. Keep it to two or three short paragraphs, focusing on what you can do for the company and your enthusiasm for the position.

• Be yourself. Don’t try to squeeze into some personality just to fit into the company culture. Hiring managers can spot that a mile away. Keep it professional, but make sure your note sounds like you wrote it.

• Don’t discount the power of a handwritten note. Yes, you should send an email so that the interviewer sees it within 24 hours. But a handwritten note is also a nice touch, and shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond.

How soon should I write a thank you email after an interview?

The interviewer should receive your thank you email no more than 24 hours after the interview. This will give you enough time to reflect on the interview and decide what you want to say, but not so much time that the interviewer forgets about you. 

If your interview is on a Friday afternoon, for example, you can time it so that your email is received on Monday morning. If you’ve had multiple interview rounds, the rule still stands: send your thank you emails after interviews within 24 hours.

Once you’ve sent it, resist the urge to follow up too soon. If you were given a timeline, wait that long before following up. If you weren't told when you’d be hearing from them, wait at least one week after your thank you note to send a brief, polite follow-up email asking for an update on the hiring process.

How do you write a killer thank you note after an interview?

The process of writing a “killer” after interview thank you email isn’t difficult, but it does require a bit of thought. While you’ll want to tailor your email to your particular circumstances, the overall format will be the same. 

When writing your thank you email after interviews, you’ll want to include:

• A subject line. Make sure it’s clear and to the point. Use something like “Thank you—Marketing Assistant interview” or “Thank you for your time this morning.”

• A greeting. If you were on a first name basis during the interview (e.g., the interviewer said, “Call me David”) then go ahead and greet them with their first name. If you’re unsure or it was a more formal environment, use the interviewer’s preferred honorific, such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Mx. and their last name.

Then, the body of your thank you email should include four sections:

1. A brief opening statement. Remind the hiring manager what position you were interviewing for and express gratitude for the interviewer’s time.

2. A paragraph reiterating your interest in the position. Mention any salient points from the interview, and restate your qualifications. If you forgot to ask any questions during the interview, you can do that in this section.

3. Any questions about next steps. If it wasn’t mentioned during the interview, ask about the next steps in the hiring process in a third section. Also include any requested information.

4. A strong closing. End the letter in a way that reflects the level of formality in the interview. If casual or even semi-formal, you can use “Warmly” or “Many thanks.” More formal interviews will require a closing such as “Sincerely” or “Respectfully.”

Can you send the same thank you email to all interviewers?

This is probably not a good idea. The interviewers may talk to each other, and it won’t look good if they discover that they’ve all been sent the same generic letter. This is where tailoring each letter comes into play. Make sure to mention something from each interview that you found memorable or particularly interesting.

The exception to this rule is if you had a group interview. In this case, you can send similar emails to each person or send one email to multiple recipients. This works because you had one conversation with the group, where everyone was privy to the same questions and responses.

What is an example of a thank you email after an interview?

Now that you know what to include (and not include) in an after interview thank you email, let’s take a look at what that might look like in practice. Below is a general sample thank you email after an interview that you can customize for your own purposes. 

The length and amount of detail you’ll include will vary a bit depending on what type of interview you had. Here are three thank you emails after interviews as examples of how this might look for different scenarios. Remember, you will need to customize these examples to fit your individual situation.

Need help getting ready for an interview? Check out career.io’s Interview Prep tool, which provides a tailored, interactive interview simulation designed to build your interview skills and confidence, and help you land the job you want.

Key takeaways

1. The point of a thank you email is to thank the interviewer for their time. It also keeps you top-of-mind and leaves a great impression.

2. 80 percent of hiring managers consider receiving a thank you note a factor when selecting candidates to hire.

3. An effective after interview thank you email should have an eye-catching subject line, the appropriate greeting, and two or three concise, clear paragraphs that thank the interviewer for their time, restate your interest in the position, and briefly touch on your qualifications.

4. Tailor your thank you note to the specific interview and interviewer. Don’t send a generic letter.