How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview

Quick Navigation:


An after-interview thank you email is a professional courtesy where you show appreciation for a prospective employer considering you for a position. You can write a timely and well-crafted message to leave a good impression with your interviewer and help them better remember you while making their decision. This article explains how to write a thank you email after an interview and provides tips and a sample to help you write your own.

Why you should send a thank you email after an interview

You can send a thank you email after an interview to demonstrate your professionalism and your respect for the people you may work with. It also helps you to stand out from other candidates by reminding the employer of the connection you built during your interview.

How to write a thank you email after an interview

You can use these steps to write an effective thank you email:

Send the email quickly

Standard turnaround time for a thank you message is within 24 hours of the meeting. It’s best to send your thank you email a few hours after your interview to remind them of your positive interactions as they consider their hiring decision. If your interview is in the afternoon, you can send the email the next morning at the beginning of the business day to make your message one of the first your interviewer reads.

Write an email to each interviewer

If you interviewed with more than one person, you should send an email to each interviewer separately. Emailing each interviewer gives you the opportunity to customize your message and impress each person with your personal interest and attention to detail. You can even include specific details from your individual conversations or topics they asked you about in the group interview to further personalize your thank you.

Use a professional subject line

You should always write a subject line that clearly indicates why you are writing to draw attention to your message. A simple and compelling subject line includes the words ‘thank you,’ the job title or position you interviewed for and your name.

Keep the email brief

A short, concise thank you email takes only a few moments to read, making it an effective strategy for getting your reader’s attention. The most effective messages are no longer than four short paragraphs.

Use a professional greeting

Post-interview thank you notes are forms of professional communication, so it’s best to use a title, such as ‘Mr./Ms./Dr.’ and their last name to address your email. If your interviewer requested to use first names, then you can use their first name in your salutation. Consider using ‘Dear’ or ‘Hello’ to ensure your communication remains professional.

Express gratitude first

Use the first paragraph of your thank you email to thank your interviewer. You can express your gratitude for the interviewer taking the time to discuss your qualifications and the position in person. You can also thank them for the opportunity to get to know them and the company better. Mention the position title you interviewed for and the company name. This method further personalizes your thank you by showing that you are invested in this specific opportunity.

Write key details in the body of your email

The body of your thank you email should be one to three paragraphs that express your interest or excitement in the position and reinforce that you want the job and are qualified for it. Refer to key details from the interview to show that you were interested and invested in the conversation. Here are a few topics you could briefly discuss in this section:

  • Mention certain aspects of the company or position you are eager for.
  • Highlight how your talents or experience align with the role.
  • Follow up or elaborate on an interview question.
  • Bring up an important topic that the interviewer did not discuss.
  • Provide sample work to show how well you can contribute to the company.

Close the email

In the final paragraph of your email, you should offer to answer any additional questions or to meet for a follow-up interview, and be sure to express that you look forward to hearing back from the interviewer. If the interviewer mentioned a specific time frame for making a decision, you may use it by saying something like ‘I look forward to hearing from you in the next few weeks.’

Use a polite closing word such as ‘Sincerely’ before you sign your name. Under your name, include your phone number and email address. You can also include any links to a professional profile or online portfolio as part of your professional email signature.

Edit and proofread

Error-free messages can promote your professional image and demonstrate your attention to detail. Consider asking a friend or colleague to proofread your email before you send it.

Example thank you email

Use this sample thank you email to help you compose your own:

Subject: Thank you: Marketing Associate position, Alvin Demarco

Dear Ms. Alvarez,

Thank you again for meeting with me earlier today! I appreciate you taking the time to tell me more about the Marketing Associate position and to discuss my qualifications.

After learning more about Definition Marketers, I am excited about the opportunity to join a company whose core values of honesty and bold creativity align with my own. I believe that my degree in business and my previous experience interning at B&W Marketing make me a perfect fit for this role.

I was thinking about the upcoming marketing campaign for a new client that you mentioned during the interview, and it made me think of the campaign I did during my internship. I wrote the copy for that campaign’s billboard ads posted in the city last spring. I’ve attached my drafts to this email for your review.

If you have any additional questions, I would be happy to answer them via email or come in for a second interview. I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you again.

Sincerely,
Alvin Demarco
123-456-7890
ademarco@emailaddress.com
www.professionalprofile.com/alvindemarco