How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview

You can breathe a sigh of relief! You’re finally done with your job interview. 

But, there’s just one more thing you should do before relaxing and waiting for feedback. You should write a thank you email to your interviewer.

If you want to leave a great impression and improve your chances of getting the job, writing a professional thank you email should be on your to-do list.

In this blog post, we’ll go over:

• Why you should send a thank you email,
• How to properly write a thank you email, and
• How soon after an interview you should send a thank you email.

We’ve also prepared templates you can download and use for your next thank you email.

Let’s start!

Why send a professional thank you email after an interview?

Some believe that thank you letters (or, in this case, emails) are a thing of the past. The truth is that not many people send these kinds of emails. That is exactly why you should. 

We’ll go over some of the most important reasons why you should always send thank you emails after a job interview. 

Reason #1: A thank you email shows your professionalism

Firstly, a thank you email shows your level of professionalism. 

It is simply a polite and professional thing to do.

If you were in the position of an interviewer, with candidates coming in and out of your office the whole day, a genuine “Thank you” would surely lift your spirits.

By thanking the interviewer, you show that you appreciate their hard work and the time they put in to talk to you about a job. 

Reason #2: A thank you email helps you stand out from the crowd

Another reason why you should send a thank you email is that it will catch the eye of the interviewer. 

In this fast-paced world, with millions of jobseekers, you want to stand out from the crowd. Writing a thank you email is so rare in the professional world nowadays that it will most definitely get you noticed. 

Take advantage of this and always send a professional thank you email. 

Reason #3: By sending a thank you email, you leave a positive impression

Furthermore, writing a professional thank you email will leave a positive impression. 

You should take every opportunity to leave a positive impression on the recruiter, and writing a professional thank you email is one of them. 

You will appear professional, polite, and thoughtful with a nicely written thank you email.

Reason #4: A thank you email shows your enthusiasm for the job

A nicely crafted thank you email also shows your enthusiasm for the job.

You can express your interest in the position and your excitement about the prospects of the new job in a thank you email. 

This lets the recruiter know that you are passionate and ready to work. 

Reason #5: A thank you email allows you to add more information

A thank you email is also an opportunity to add on information about yourself. 

If you failed to mention an important skill or if the interviewer asked you to provide a copy of something, you can add it to your thank you email.

How do you say thank you professionally in an email?

What are the important steps and elements that should be included when writing a professional thank you email?

Let’s go over some things you should keep in mind when writing your email.

Step #1: Write an informative subject line

The first step to a professional thank you email is to write a good subject line.

Your subject line should always be short and straightforward. The interviewer should be able to recognize the point of the email right away. 

To make the subject line more descriptive, you can add:

• Your name,
• The position you interviewed for, or
• The date of the interview.

This ensures that the interviewer knows what the email is about. Introducing yourself in the subject line will refresh their memory of the interview, and they will be more likely to open and read your email.

Adding the position you interviewed for is also a good option. 

Providing details such as these in your subject line is better than a generic “Thank you”. It provides context and will make it easier for the interviewer to know who you are and why you’re sending them an email.

Our contributor, Matthew A. Gilbert, Lecturer of Marketing and TedX speaker, agrees that this is an important element of a thank you email, and adds that you should include all essential information, even if it seems self-evident:

So, a descriptive but brief subject line is best when writing a thank you email.

Step #2: Greet the interviewer

The second step is to start your email with a greeting.

Make sure to use polite language and always refer to people by the name they provided when you met. 

If the interviewer was more informal and introduced themselves by their first name, it may be okay to continue using their first name in your email correspondence.

If the interviewer used their last name, you should too.

Here are a couple of options for a greeting:

“Hello, [interviewer’s first name]”,

“Dear Mr./Ms. [interviewer’s last name]”,

“Dear [interviewer’s first name]”.

When in doubt, always choose the more formal way of communicating, lest you offend the reader of your email before getting a chance to thank them. 

Step #3: Show appreciation

The next, and most important, step is to show gratitude. That is, after all, the point of a thank you email.

Make sure to thank the interviewer for their time and point out how appreciative you are of the opportunity. You can also show appreciation for everything you learned during the interview. 

If the interviewer made you feel especially comfortable and relaxed, you can mention it as well. Praising their professional skills will make them feel appreciated.

Show appreciation in the first sentence of your email. Here are a few examples of how you can show gratitude:

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.”

“Thank you for the pleasant conversation about the job of [position] yesterday.”

“I appreciate you taking the time to discuss the role of [position] with me.”

If you decided against including the job title in the subject line of your email, make sure to do it in this part of the email. This way, you avoid any confusion and misunderstanding. 

However, be careful to not step over the line. 

You should express your appreciation, but don’t go overboard. You risk sounding too servile and unprofessional. 

Matthew A. Gilbert also advises against going overboard:

Therefore, make sure you specifically thank your interviewer, but be careful not to overstep. 

Step #4: Include a specific reference

To make sure you grab the attention of the reader, include a specific reference to something you talked about in the interview. 

For example, seemingly small details such as an upcoming product launch, or even something personal like a vacation they mentioned, will let the interviewer know that this message was written specifically for them. 

Our contributor, Chelsea Ashbrook, a Senior Manager at Genentech, couldn’t agree more. She believes that personalizing your email makes a world of difference:

Gilbert shares the same opinion and emphasizes the importance of remembering the people you talked to:

Therefore, the best way to make your thank you email stand out is to personalize it. 

Step #5: Recap your skills

Another way to subtly influence the interviewer is to recap your most valuable skills and experience in your thank you email.

This doesn’t mean you should list out all of your qualifications or brag about your accomplishments, but a short recap can be beneficial.

Chelsea Ashbrook adds that this shows your enthusiasm for the job:

A short recap of your strongest assets is all you need to refresh the interviewer’s memory and showcase your professional abilities.

Step #6: State your interest in the position

A thank you email is a great way to reaffirm your interest in the position.

You can express this by simply stating your excitement or enthusiasm for the position. Here’s how you can do that:

“I’m excited for the chance to join the team and gain new skills and experience.”

A thank you email is not a required step in the interview process, so the fact that you’re sending it sends a strong signal that you are interested in the position. However, highlighting that fact in your email will let the interviewer know that you are very passionate about the position. 

Going that extra mile will make sure the interviewer knows you’re passionate and ready for the job.

Step #7: Include additional information

Another essential part of your thank you email is any additional information you may need to deliver.

For example, if you talked about your college education and the interviewer asked for a copy of your degree, here’s where you add it. 

Or, if the interviewer asked for recommendations from previous employers, you can attach that to your thank you email. 

However, keep in mind that you should only add information that was asked of you. 

A thank you email is not the place to go overboard with additional information that wasn’t needed. If you start adding extra information, it will make it seem like you were completely unprepared for the interview and you will look unprofessional. 

Therefore, do add any relevant and necessary information, but make sure to keep it at that.

Step #8: Encourage a follow-up

Toward the end of your email, you should encourage a follow-up. 

It’s a simple but necessary element to include, with phrases such as:

“I look forward to hearing from you.”

“Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.”

“Feel free to contact me at any time.”

By including this simple Call to Action, you demonstrate that you’re willing to discuss any additional questions or concerns. The interviewer will know that if they need anything, you will be happy to provide it. 

Step #9: Include contact information

You’ve come to the end of your thank you email. After urging the interviewer to contact you for any additional information, you should provide them with ways of contacting you.

Include your contact information after you sign off. In different industries and different parts of the world, there are different expectations for professional communication.

In general, it’s acceptable to provide your phone number and email address.

Although the interviewer probably already has your information on file, listing it at the end of your email will make the process of contacting you easier.

Sample thank you email after an interview

Now that you’re aware of what a thank you email should consist of, let’s look at an example of such an email. 

This will be an example of a thank you email after a job interview for the position of Social Media Manager. 

Highlighted are some of the important elements we talked about earlier, such as:

• Descriptive subject line,
• Expression of gratitude,
• Specific reference to something you talked about, 
• Additional information, and
• Invite any additional questions.

As you can see, the email is not too long or detailed, but it does touch on the most important points. It’s concise, professional, and effective.

Thank you email after interview templates

Take a look at our templates below to get an idea of what a thank you email should look like.

You can use our templates as inspiration when writing your thank you email. You can also download our templates for free and just fill out the relevant information before sending your email.

Template #1: Short thank you email

Here’s a template for a short and general thank you email:

Template #2: Thank you email with additional information

If the interviewer asked you to send some additional information, you can do it in your thank you email. Here’s a template for a thank you email with additional information:

Template #3: Informal thank you email

If the interviewer had an informal style of communication and urged you to also be informal in your correspondence, you can write a more informal thank you email. Here’s how that can go:

Template #4: Formal thank you email

For a more formal approach, take a look at this formal thank you email template:

Template #5: Thank you email after a phone interview

If you had an interview over the phone, you should also send a thank you email. Here’s a template for a thank you email after a phone interview:

Template #6: Thank you email after a virtual interview

Here’s how you can say thank you after a virtual interview:

Template #7: Thank you email after an internship interview

An internship interview should also be followed by a thank you email. Here’s a template for a thank you email after an internship interview:

Template #8: Thank you email after a first-round interview

Get noticed among all the other job applicants in the first round of interviews by sending a thank you email. Take a look at our template for a thank you email after a first-round interview:

Template #9: Thank you email after a second interview 

Here’s how you can show your appreciation after a second interview:

Template #10: Thank you email after a final interview

Even though you’re now done with interviews, you mustn’t forget to send a thank you email after your final interview. Here’s a template for a thank you email after a final interview:

How soon should I send a thank you email after an interview?

Another important question many jobseekers have is the timing of the thank you email.

Should you send it right after the interview or wait a few days?

The best practice is to send your thank you email within 24 hours of your interview. If your interview took place early in the morning, it’s acceptable to send your email later on in the day. If you had the interview later in the day, you can wait until the next day to send your email. 

Just don’t send it as soon as you leave their office. It will make it seem like you just copied the message and sent it without a second thought.

So, up to 24 hours is the perfect time to send your thank you email. 

This gives you enough time to craft the perfect message, without seeming too eager.

By doing so, you also give the interviewer time to reflect on the interview, and possibly start the process to the next round of interviews. 

Therefore, with a perfectly timed thank you email, you will be fresh in their memory, and leave a positive impression. 

Harness the power of ‘Thank you’ — Or send a stronger message with Pumble

Writing a professional thank you email is an important step in your job search. It doesn’t take a lot of time to put together, but it serves as a great display of your professional skills. 

That’s especially true if, during the interview process, the company you’re interviewing for added you to their Pumble workspace via guest access.

In that case, you’ll be able to send an even stronger message to them, by sending a personally tailored reply via a DM or a public channel message. 

Maintaining a good relationship with the person in charge of your interview process is vital, as it allows you to:

• Reinforce your interest in the role, 
• Promote your personal brand, and 
• Influence the decision to hire you.

Remember to keep the message polite, professional, and concise, and always send it on time.

Do you want to see how a state of the art communication and collaboration platform can change your professional communication?