You just finished a job interview and you’re wondering whether you should send a thank-you email now.
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to send a short thank-you email and express your appreciation. This shows you’re a nice person and you value other people. But your thank-you email could serve other functions in addition to showing appreciation.
If done right, it could even influence the decision of your interviewer. There are certain elements and aspects of a thank-you email that you could tweak in order to increase its impact. Let’s find out what these are, what are some mistakes you should avoid, and check out some examples.
Should You Send a Thank You Email After an Interview?
Yes, you should. Whether you had an in-person or an online interview, it makes perfect sense to send a thank-you email afterwards. A LinkedIn poll concluded that 64% of interviewees send thank-you notes after interviews.
Another poll states that 42% of employers/interviewers prefer candidates to send a thank-you email after the interview. 5% of them even admitted to hiring candidates who sent thank-you emails.
“But why?” you might ask.
Though a thank-you note isn’t and /or shouldn’t be a benchmark for selecting candidates, it does portray their professionalism and interest in the role. It’s an extra mile to impress the interviewer and show them how much you value their time and interest in your candidature.
Allison Lombardo — the Chief Marketing Officer at GracoRoberts — explains why parents should teach their kids to write thank-you emails after interviews. Here’s what she says:
Recruiters like Kelli Hrivnak also mention thank-you emails are a person’s last chance to add insights to an interview’s unanswered question. Here’s what she says:
9 Tips to Write an Impressive Thank You Email After an Interview
Here’s how to nail your first thank you email after an interview.
1. Send the email within 24 hours of your interview
If you wait more than 24 hours to say thank you, the interviewer might not notice. Chances are, you’ve already slipped from their mind. The idea is to stand out from the crowd and keep the conversation fresh for as long as possible. An email editor could help you craft and send a polished thank-you note promptly, ensuring you leave a lasting impression.
2. Keep your subject line short and formal
Regardless of the role you’re applying for, the subject line should be clear and concise. It should state the purpose of your email and instantly remind the interviewer about you.
A short “thank you” followed by your name or role you’ve applied for makes a great subject line.
3. Greet the person properly and with respect
Don’t use short or even first names if you’re unsure if the interviewer would like them. Instead, start your email greeting with a formal Mr./Ms./Mrs. followed by their last name.
4. Mention what you like about the company culture
If you want the interviewer to notice you, make them believe you paid attention to what they said. Highlight what you think about their company culture. Does it meet your expectations? Is it something you look forward to?If yes, say so in your email. Make the interviewer realize you value the company and the effort it takes to cherish the employees. For example, if they’re hiring for a remote role, mention how working remotely is your priority and how you appreciate the company for having a remote-first work culture.
5. Did you two bond over something?
If so, discuss it in the email. Don’t go overboard and write a monologue; just mention it enough to stir up those good memories again.
Graduating from the same college, having the same pet, or sharing interests in books—anything that perked up their ears during the interview will bring a smile to their face when they read this email.
6. Remind them of your top qualifications
It’s your chance to align your education and experience with the challenges the company is facing. If you couldn’t answer “why should we hire you” properly, now is the time.
Keep it brief yet insightful enough to draw a positive conclusion about your portfolio. It shows you care about your contribution to the company. Here’s an example:“I believe my combined five years of marketing experience and four years as a nail technician uniquely position me to understand and cater to the needs of both your company and your target customers seeking your beauty salon software.”
7. Offer something of value to the team
It’s optional but can help you surpass the competition real quick! If you have a pitch deck or a campaign strategy — custom-made for the company — ready with you, offer to share it in your next meeting.
Don’t attach it to your email. State how the asset can help them with a certain challenge and understand their interest.
8. End the email with a call-to-action
Wrap it up with a small CTA—you could ask them about the next steps. But if the interviewer has already shared the process, go for something like “Let me know if you need anything else to proceed.”And then end your email with a note that reflects your excitement — “I look forward to hearing from you soon!”
9. Sign off with a professional signature
Start with a brief note like “Sincerely” or “Regards,” followed by your name, contact information, and email address. Professional email sign-offs reflect your understanding of corporate culture and its rules. They show you know how the professional world operates and are ready to take on the challenge.
4 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Thank You Email
One wrong move can turn your thank-you email into a blunder, so avoid making these mistakes in your emails.
1. Nagging the employer about results
Don’t ask the employer about their decision or your performance or, worse, give emotional threats! It reflects unprofessionalism and desperation.The employer might also think you’re impatient. If you’re interviewing for roles that require patience and calmness — like sales or customer support — you lose the chance altogether.
2. Making grammatical errors
If you send a thank-you email — full of spelling and punctuation errors — it can do you more bad than good. It backfired when an employee interviewed for a senior communications role. He was about to get the offer until he sent a thank-you email with grammar and spelling mistakes. He was rejected because the role required the candidate to be proficient in written communication.
3. Sending the same email to multiple employers
Every interview experience is different, and so is the interviewer’s personality. You will write the email with one experience in mind. Imagine sending the same email to all others who don’t know what you’re talking about! Because your conversations were different every time, you can’t put them all under the same shoe.
4. Getting too frank and open
It’s the worst thing you can do to your job offer! You might have built a good rapport with the interviewer, but it doesn’t give you a free pass to chat with them like a friend. In your thank-you email, don’t sound chilled or unprofessional. You can show excitement for the role but keep it within professional boundaries.
Top 4 Thank You Email After Interview Examples
Here are some templates to help you draft your first thank-you email. You can edit these templates based on your interview experience.
Example #1
Use this template for a short and sweet thank-you email.
Subject: Thank You — John Martini, Content Marketer Interviewee
Hi Alexa,
I offer my earnest thanks for your time yesterday. It was a great discussion on how your company is going above and beyond in delivering higher ROIs to your clients.
My experience and learnings from previous projects will help me add value to your efforts.
Please let me know if you need more details before going ahead.
I look forward to working with you.
Kind Regards,
Joannah
Example #2
If you found a connection with the interviewer, use this template to add a personal touch.
Subject: Email Copywriter Interview — Thank you for your time today
Hi Jimmy,
My sincere thanks for our meeting on Zoom this morning.
Since then, my mind has been brewing with ideas on how we can breathe life into your most awaited email campaign. I can’t wait to discuss them with you!
Also, the next time we meet, you can tell me about your next best thriller after Murder on the Orient Express.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Adrian
Example #3
If you want to add some insights to your pitch, use this template.
Subject: Thank you for the opportunity
Hi Samarah,
Thank you for giving me time to present my candidature. Learning about how Mega Solutions is creating innovative products with AI and ML was a pleasure.
Regarding your recent challenge in developing a new language model, I would like to share a few code snippets. These snippets will help you solve the problem to some extent.
Please let me know if you are interested, and we can schedule a meeting to discuss this.
I look forward to working with you soon.
Best Regards,
Katherine
Example #4
If you’ve received constructive feedback from the interviewers, use this template to show gratitude.
Subject: Thanks for the Interview — I Appreciate Your Feedback
Hi Marcus,
Thank you for your time this afternoon. It was a pleasure talking to you about how XYZ Digital approaches sales.
Thank you for explaining a sales executive’s different roles while talking to a prospect. I am glad I could get some tips to brush up my knowledge.
Please let me know if you need anything else to proceed with the next step.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
James
Final tip— Writing a Follow-Up Email After Your Thank You
You’ll likely get a response soon after sending a thank-you note. It might give you some insight into the interviewer’s decision, but you can send them a gentle follow-up email if it doesn’t.
Here’s an example of a follow-up email for the associate editor position. The interviewee mentioned the interview date and recalled what the interviewer had communicated.
He even sends a second follow-up email when the first one remains unanswered.
