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How to Write a Memorable Thank-You Note After an Interview

Sending a thank-you note is more important than ever—it’s expected, even, and it can affect a manager’s decision to hire you. But it’s not enough to say “thanks for meeting with me” anymore; you really need to hit some key points. After all, you should never waste an opportunity to “speak” during the hiring process.

So how can you write a thank-you note that will stand out and hopefully increase your odds of landing a job offer?

Sending your thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview shows that you are gracious, thoughtful, and on top of things: all great qualities in a new hire! Wait much longer, and you risk seeming ungrateful, uninterested, or absentminded, or worse—being forgotten.
Send an individual thank-you to everyone you interviewed with. If you don’t have their contact information and can’t get it from the website, request it from your main point of contact. And if your interviewers work together, they will talk and may share the contents of your thank-you notes, so try mixing it up instead of sending exact copies. If you presented to a large room or interviewed before a large panel (say, ten or more people), you can send one note to the main interviewer and copy the other key attendees.
Some debate exists over handwritten versus emailed thank-you notes. Handwritten notes are less typical, stand out more, and showcase more of your personal brand in your writing and stationery style; however, they may take several days to arrive through snail mail, and are not ideal for late-week interviews. Emailed notes arrive instantaneously, and are quickly written or copied; however, they tend to be less personal and may get lost in a crowded inbox.
Keep your note short and on point—you’re not writing a college admissions essay. A few sentences is perfect. Personally address your interviewer, give thanks, offer specific examples of things you appreciated about your meeting, and reiterate your excitement to join the team.
As a final point, writing your note in a casual, conversational language is fine so you don’t sound like a robot, but avoid typos, slang, and smiley faces. Keep it professional!

By writing a personal, prompt, and well-constructed thank-you note, you’ll stand apart from the other candidates and increase your chances at that next great job opportunity!

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