Showing your gratitude is always a good look, especially after a job interview. Sending a thank you note after the interview can set you apart from other candidates and weigh positive on a hiring decision.

Some say it is old school, but in our eyes, sending a thoughtful thank you note shows your continued interest in the role and solidifies a positive impression with the interviewer and/or recruiter.

When to Send:
Now that you know thank you notes are imperative to a successful job search, when is the best time to send them? Time is of the essence since hiring decisions can happen quickly.

Be sure to send your interview thank you note within 24 hours of your interview or call. Your goal is to remain fresh in your interviewers’ minds during the window of time that they’re thinking about their hiring decision.

How to Send:
While mailing a handwritten note used to be the expectation, hiring managers agree it’s okay to send a thank you note via email.

What to Say:
What you say and how you say it are even more important than the way you send it. A thank you note is your final chance to make yourself stand apart from all of the others who want the same position.

A thank you note should accomplish:

• Thank the person for the opportunity to interview with the company
• Plug your skills: “The job is a good fit for me because of XYZ and my past experience in XYZ.”
• Recap some of the conversational highlights

How long should it be?
Keep it short. After a day of interviews, when your interviewer opens their email and sees a page long novel, they’re probably won’t read it.

We have put together two sample templates you can use:

Sample #2:

Dear [Name of Interviewer],

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. It was such a pleasure to learn more about the [job/position name here], and I’m very excited about the opportunity to join [name of company] and help your team reach the goals we discussed.

I look forward to hearing from you about next steps. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information.

All the best,
[Name]
[Contact info like email, phone and LinkedIn]

Sample #2:

Dear [Name of Interviewer],

Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me about the [job/position name here] and for giving me additional insight into the role responsibilities.

Our conversation today only increased my interest in the role. I would be excited to use my [skills discussed in interview] to benefit [name of company] and their goals.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have additional questions. I look forward to having another conversation with you soon!

Regards,
[Name]
[Contact info like email, phone and LinkedIn]

A thank you note sets you apart. So, whatever you do: Don’t skip it. Use the templates above to remind the interviewer/hiring manager what a great candidate you are, and to show how much you care.