You Call Yourself a Communicator? Six Rules for Writing Thank You Emails after Interviews

Posted on May 6, 2012 in Career Advice, Hiring Hub | 0 comments

Incredibly, a majority of job applicants don’t bother to write and send thank you emails or letters after job interviews. Apparently, Robert Half reports that “only 5% of job seekers send thank you letters after their interviews.” And the Society for Human Resource Management says that 88% of hiring managers believe thank you letters impact hiring decisions.

That’s a HUGE missed opportunity. Even if you think you nailed the job, a thank you email is a smart way to hedge your bets and boost your chances. And if the interview wasn’t a fit, it’s a great way to stay on top of mind for any given hiring manager, as so few other applicants likely followed up.

There are some basic rules for thank you emails. Here are some rules of thumb:

1. Send them within 24 hours of the interview.

2. Send one even if you follow up with a snail mail one.

3. Keep it within 4-8 sentences.

The thank you email should include copy along the following lines:

1. “Thank you for meeting/talking/Skyping with me.”

2. “I really found this information useful,” etc., and “I am really interested in this opportunity,” etc.

3. “This information will help me,” etc., and “I’m perfect for this opportunity as I…”

If someone doesn’t get a thank you note, they will assume that you are not interested in the position, that you are unappreciative or that you’re just rude! None of those work in landing you work, and they can hurt your career in a big way.

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