How to Write the Perfect Thank You Note to Help You Land That Coveted Job
- Author: William Asher
- Posted: 2024-06-20
Once you walk out of the job interview room, there is one last thing that you need to do to increase the chances that you receive an offer. While it may seem antiquated, writing a solid thank you note can go a long way in making you stand out from the pack. A good thank you note will help you to keep the positive momentum going so that you can cross the finish line with an offer in hand.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you to write a winning thank you note.
What Type of Format to Use
A nice hand-written note is the gold standard of thank you letters. A hand-written note will certainly help you to position yourself ahead of the other candidates. However, in today's fast-paced work environment, this may not always be the best way to get your message across quickly. This makes an email a perfectly acceptable form of a thank you note.
Because time is of the essence, you should get that note out as soon as possible. Delaying even one day or two may cost you the job if the hiring manager is deciding between a host of qualified candidates.
Subject Line and Greeting
You should also assume that the hiring manager receives a significant amount of emails each day, making it important that you craft a subject line that will grab their attention. The formality of the interview process should dictate how you word the subject line. If the interview was more casual in nature, you can get away with a less formal greeting. For example, a subject of "good to meet you today" may be more appropriate if the interview was casual in nature while "thank you for your time" is better if the process was on the formal side.
When writing your greeting, it is important to use the person's formal name. You want to make this letter as personalized as possible so that it does not feel overly produced.
Show Appreciation
The first thing that you should write is a sentence of appreciation. The goal of this letter is to express gratitude for the interviewer's time. In this greeting, you should also include the position that you had interviewed for so that the recipient is able to easily recall the meeting. This is especially important if you know that the hiring manager interviewed for multiple positions recently.
A good example of an effective greeting would be, "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me on Wednesday to discuss the open software engineer position. I appreciated the opportunity to meet you and learn more about this position and your organization."
Recap Qualifications and Skills
After you have expressed your appreciation, it is time to recap your qualifications and skills. This may be highlighting your educational background or reminding them of your specific skills that would be of use in the position. You do not need to provide a full list of qualifications. Instead, you simply want to remind them that you have the skills needed to be successful in this role.
Next Steps and Closing
As you wrap up the letter, it is always a good idea to trigger a next step. For example, you may want to say, "Please do not hesitate to reach out to my references or schedule another time that we can meet." You want to impart to the interviewer that you are willing to do more to be in serious consideration for the role.
Lastly, you need to close the email by providing your contact information once again. Even if you know that the manager has this information, it is still good practice to make this easily accessible for them. You may also choose to include the contact information below your name as you sign off. Be sure to provide both a phone number and an email in case the interviewer has a specific preference.
A thank you note should not be another regurgitation of your resume or what you discussed in the interview. The purpose of this note is to express appreciation and hammer home that you are the best fit for the job.
