Every piece of communication matters in a job search where the competition is fierce. If you are wondering whether you should send a thank you letter after an interview (especially the first one), the answer is a resounding yes. If you want the job, that is.
But what should you include in the email? What is the etiquette? Will the hiring manager even read it? In this blog, we will explore these questions and more.
- Why send a thank you email after an interview?
- How do you write an impactful thank you email?
- Examples of thank you emails
- When should you send your thank you?
- How long should a thank you email be?
Gratitude is a valuable commodity—show the hiring manager that you appreciated the opportunity to meet them and take the additional opportunity to demonstrate your passion for the role. After all, you are not under any obligation to write this email.
Why send a thank you email after the interview?
When you are seeking to create a good impression with a relative stranger, every choice can shine a light on your character. The mere act of sending a thank-you email demonstrates the attitude of gratitude that will see you go far in life and in the workplace.
A thank you email also shows that you really want the role (the hiring manager might not always understand this) and the extra effort that this requires indicates just how eager you are to get started. Not every candidate will send a thank you email, so if you approach it correctly, you may gain a couple of extra brownie points.
It may serve as a crucial continuing touchpoint with a hiring manager. Your CV and cover letter may “live” in their ATS system, so a thank you email (or social media message) may allow a hiring manager that personal touch point should they have any questions after the interview.
Lastly, a thank-you email is still a sales tactic. Remind them one last time why you are the one for them. It is not a bad thing if they feel that you are doing everything in your power to get the job. There is a lot to be said for persistence.
Do employers respond to thank you emails?
You will unlikely get a reply to a thank you email. This is not a reflection on your candidature – the hiring manager will likely be very busy, and they may also wish to keep any communication within the confines of the official interview process.
Any lack of reply does not mean that the email has not been read. Just the title of “thank you for the interview” (or something along those lines) next to your name in their email inbox will ensure that you are front of mind for a few days more.
However, as mentioned, some hiring managers may want to ask an additional question or clarify something from the interview. They may not decide to do this off the bat themselves, but if you send an email stating that you are very happy to address any questions, this gives your potential future boss the opportunity to drop you a reply.
How do you write an effective thank you email?
Writing a brief email to a potential future boss should not be rushed, but it should not be that tricky. Here are a few ideas to guide you. Once you have written the first thank you note, subsequent emails should be easier to compose.
The subject line
As the thank you email may not be opened (don’t take offence), the subject line is somewhat more important than usual. There is no need to include your name, as the recipient will see your name as the sender. You might opt for some of the following:
- Thank you for the interview
- Enjoyed our meeting
- Thank you for your time
- Interview feedback
Only write the last one if you have something useful to say that will further your application (and that will interest the hiring manager). This will make it more likely for them to open the email, but you shouldn’t waste their time.
There are many variations of the subject line, so pick one that suits your situation.
Reiterate your interest
The first thing to mention is your continued interest in the role. This is valuable information for any hiring manager who is still considering you as a candidate. You should not forget that they will not understand how you felt during the interview if you do not give them feedback. Your feedback would usually be conveyed via an external or internal recruiter, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a personal touch in a thank-you email.
Mention compelling specifics
While a thank you letter should not overtly be used as an additional selling tool, it may be worth mentioning a particularly compelling aspect of your application. If the hiring manager seemed disproportionately interested in certain details of your work experience, it might not hurt to double down on your potential with a well-crafted sentence to remind them of what you could bring to the role.
Offer additional information
It is common to forget things during the stress of an interview. If there was something that you wished you had mentioned, a thank you letter may be the place to share it. You obviously run the risk of the letter not being read, so this is a somewhat hit-and-miss strategy.
Another option for additional information is writing an email specifically about your issue (with an impactful title), but only do this if your message is critical. It is not a good look to forget to mention things that are important to you, but it does happen.
Either way, the communication channels are still very much open after an interview (if you are still in the running for the job, that is). Just make sure that you do not send multiple emails – it is so easy to ruin your chances by nagging or chasing a hiring manager who, for whatever reason, may not be ready to give you a definitive answer about the next steps.
Did you forget anything?
While repeating your interview arguments would be a waste of the hiring manager’s time, a thank you letter is one final opportunity to mention an aspect of your application that may have been brushed over or forgotten during the interview.
Hiring managers will want to have all the information they need to make the hiring decision, so while this might fall outside traditional thank-you email content, don’t be shy if you think it will improve your application.
Professional sign off
It may be an email, but you should still end it the same way as a cover letter or any other official job search correspondence. A simple “yours sincerely” with your first and last name will be fine. It might be worth putting a signature strip at the bottom of the email with your contact mobile, but this is certainly not expected. They will have your contact details from your CV and cover letter.
Examples of post-interview thank you emails
Every post-interview email should be tailored to each candidate's circumstances. There is no set template, but here are a couple of examples that might offer some inspiration regarding content, length, and tone.
Thank you email sample
Dear Mr Harrison,
Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the Marketing Specialist position at Erental yesterday. I am truly enthusiastic about the possibility of contributing to your innovative marketing strategies, especially after learning about your upcoming campaigns focusing on digital transformation.
During our conversation, I was particularly inspired by the emphasis Erental places on data-driven decision-making and how you leverage analytics to shape marketing outcomes. I am excited about the prospect of bringing my experience with SEO and content marketing to your team, and I am confident that my background can help enhance your efforts in these areas.
If there are any further details you need regarding my past projects or if you require additional references, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you again for considering my application. I am looking forward to the possibility of contributing to your team.
Best regards, Erica Lally
Thank you letter example
Dear Mrs Pattersley,
Thank you for taking the time to discuss the Lecturer position in the Department of Psychology at UEA. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation about the department’s forward-thinking approach to integrating practical experiences into the curriculum and am excited about the prospect of contributing to such an innovative environment.
I was particularly inspired by the university's dedication to mental health awareness and its application within the educational setting. With my background in cognitive behavioural therapy and my recent research on the impact of mindfulness on educational outcomes, I am eager to bring my expertise to your team.
Please let me know if you require further details about my previous work or additional references. I am happy to provide more information to assist in your decision-making process.
Thank you again for the opportunity to join your department. I look forward to potentially working together to contribute to the academic success of the UEA psychology department.
Best regards, Mark Wilkins
When should you send a thank you email?
There is no simple answer to this question. It depends.
You might think you should send a thank-you email the moment you walk out of the interview, but that may mean you miss out on the value of “reminding” the hiring manager about your candidature. On the other hand, if you leave the thank-you email too late, it might seem that it is being sent as an afterthought.
Sending the thank you email the day after the interview is generally the safest option. You may well hear back immediately with a “yes” or a “no,” but if the response is that clear-cut, you can rest assured that any follow-up email would not have made any difference. Thank you emails might help move the needle in marginal cases or where the interview process is likely to last a while.
It is also worth considering whether you should email a thank you after each meeting. We recommend that you view it as a personal “nice to meet you” email. You might send one to every new person you meet during the interview process, but it may be a little strange to send multiple emails after meeting the same person every time. They will have your initial email, so can get in touch at any point with any questions, etc.
How long should a thank you email be?
A thank you letter is an addendum to a job search. While it is important to leave the right impression, it is nevertheless an afterthought in comparison with your CV and cover letter. Its length should, therefore, reflect that fact. Hiring managers will have likely made up their minds about you already – don’t waste their time by writing a lengthy thank-you letter.
The thank you email could contain all of the elements listed above, but it should be no longer than 2-3 brief paragraphs. Remember, this is an email that should be quickly scanned and closed. It may not even be opened, but the fact that you sent it will still work in your favour. Writing a long thank you email will display poor judgement.
Key takeaways
Amidst the stress of a job search, writing a thank-you email may not always seem worth it. As with many things in life, you will never find out about the rewards if you don't put in the effort. If you follow our advice, it really shouldn’t be too taxing. Follow our advice in this guide, and you’ll be off to a real winner.
