#BestofFSCBlog : How to Write a Thank-You Email After an Interview. Want to Stand Out? A MUst REad!

Send your email as soon as possible.

Aim to send your thank-you note as soon as you can after the interview. This gives you an opportunity to seal the interviewer’s good impression of you immediately after your initial meeting, while their memory of you is still fresh, recruiters say. If you interviewed with more than one person, you should email each one separately.

Reiterate why you are interested in the role, and why you would be a great fit.

In your email you can:

• Briefly address any pertinent new facts you gleaned about the role during the interview and bring the point back to how your experience or skill set aligns with it.
• Include examples that demonstrate how you would be an asset to the company.
• Include relevant samples of your work, particularly if you discussed any during the interview.
• Provide a suggested solution to a challenge your employer faces that may have come up during your interview.
• Bring up any insights or examples that highlight your suitability for the role that you might have forgotten to mention in the interview.

Three ways to highlight your qualifications: 

• “With my experience focusing on the intersection of retail, customer experience and technology, I am in a strong position to help the company with its e-commerce launch.”
• “Since you mentioned that the company is currently struggling to establish a business model that embraces technology, I wanted to offer a few ideas that I think might help.”
• “You’ll find a link to a recent UX design study I conducted at the bottom of this email.”

Try adding something personal discussed during the interview.

If there was an anecdote or a shared interest that both you and the interviewer seemed to connect over, you may briefly nod to that in your email, but only if it feels natural and appropriate. This makes for a more personal letter that feels organic and authentic to you and to the relationship you began to forge. If you interviewed with multiple people at the company, adding a personal detail allows each email to feel unique. This also helps your thank-you email stand out.

Three ways to frame a personal detail in your thank-you email: 

• “On a personal note, it was lovely speaking to you about your recent experience on safari. It inspired me to look into taking a trip like that someday.”
• “I took up your suggestion to try that oatmeal-cookie recipe, and it was a hit with the kids. Thanks so much for the tip.”
• “I very much enjoyed talking to you about your home-renovation project. If you have a link to that blog you mentioned, I’d love to take a look. I’m eager to try something similar in my home soon.”

Offer to answer any questions and bring it back to your application.

Bring it back to the hiring process at the end of your email. Gently raising the prospect of the next steps in the process makes it clear you are keen to progress and reminds the interviewer that they should come back to you without being too pushy. Offer to answer questions to give the employer an opportunity to clear up any possible doubts they may have about hiring you. Such an offer also promotes interaction between you.

How to end your thank-you email

• “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and to explain the company’s needs. I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps in the application process, and welcome any questions you may have about my fit for the role.”

Resources

• Grammarly If writing isn’t one of your strengths, this AI-powered tool helps you compose clear, mistake-free emails.
• Readable This tool analyzes the readability of your content, and suggests how and where to make improvements.

What to read next

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• How to Dress for a Job Interview
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• How to Network and Meet the Right People
• How to Build a Career Path in 3 Steps