Always follow up your job interview with a thank you email
Writing a thank you note after an interview might be the one thing that sets you apart from the rest of the candidates and gets you the job. But, sometimes finding the words to say ‘thank you’ can be difficult; let me give you a few thank you quotes for your note to make it easier.
Since hiring managers usually make decisions fairly quickly, you’re going to want to communicate your appreciation and interest even quicker- within 24 hours, so your best option is to send a ‘thank you’ email.
Remember to keep your email businesslike. Don’t make common email mistakes like sending it from an unprofessional-sounding email address and reference the interview in your subject line.
For example: Follow-up to our July 23rd interview or July 23rd interview follow-up
Both examples leave no question as to the subject of the email.
The Salutation:
Address a male interviewer as follows: Dear Mr. __(last name)__:
If the interviewer was a woman, use: Dear Ms. __(Last name)__
Do not use Miss or Mrs.; however, if the interviewer uses the title of Dr., then use that title, regardless of the interviewer’s gender.
Start the body of your note with some form of “thank you.”
Personalize and use one of the following quotes to begin your thank you note:
- I appreciate the time you took yesterday to talk to me about __(the job title)__.
- Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you yesterday.
- I really enjoyed our conversation today.
- Thank you for meeting with me yesterday to discuss your open position.
Develop that thought with one of the following comments:
- Everything I learned made me even more excited about working for ____company.
- I would like to reiterate my interest in working for you (or the name of the company).
- Our conversation reaffirmed my interest in working with you (or the name of the company).
Expand on something said or learned; repeat how your skills will fill the needs of the company.
Modify the following thank you note quotes to fit your specific situation:
- Our conversation reaffirmed my belief that my (list two or three specific) abilities would be an asset in dealing with your ________________ (some situation/job need).
- I can see that my past experience in (specific area) would be beneficial in solving your issues with _________(some situation/job need).
You can also address any faux pas from the interview or bring up an issue you forgot to mention.
- Since I did not have a copy of (some paperwork) with yesterday, I am attaching a copy to this email.
- One thing, I did not have a chance to tell you is__________ (something that pertains to the job or a skill that solves a problem).
Close with some comment about continuing your relationship:
- I am really looking forward to discussing this with you again. I’ll call you on Wednesday to go over the next steps.
- If you have any further questions, I would be happy to meet with you again. Feel free to call me at 555-555-1212. If I don’t hear from you by X-day, I’ll call you.
What I DON”T want you to do is say something like, “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” That is a weak ending that leaves it too open-ended and takes away any power you have to make things happen. You can and should be more assertive than that.
The final line should be “Thank you, once again” and close with Sincerely, and your name.
Remember to personalize these thank you note quotes for your specific job interview, send the note off quickly, and you’ll improve your chance of landing that perfect job.
Want more information? See this article on Sample Thank You Notes for Job Interviews
This post is from Peggy McKee of Career Confidential, a website dedicated to helping you get a job fast.