Interview Thank-You Note Tips

Thank You LetterInterview thank-you notes are a source of stress for many job candidates. If you just had your interview and need to send a follow-up note, don't be intimidated. They are simpler than you might think.

There has been an ongoing debate about whether to use paper or electronic thank-you notes. While I value the human touch and think that it can often give you an edge, for thank-you notes, speedy delivery is very important. Therefore, I recommend that you send an e-mail instead of a handwritten note, at least for job interviews. For admissions interviews in which a decision is not made right away, you may want to use handwritten notes, as long as you send the note soon after the interview.

Next, if you were interviewed by multiple people, I would recommend that you send each person a separate thank-you note. This will help you connect with those individuals who can become your allies in the hiring process. Furthermore, even if you aren't hired, these people can provide you with introductions to other jobs and companies.

Your thank-you note doesn't have to be very long. Three to five sentences is fine. In this note, you want to express gratitude, re-establish a personal connection with the interviewer, and show enthusiasm for the job.

How do you re-establish a personal connection with the interviewer? Over the course of any conversation, there are some high points. There were some topics that the interviewer seemed most excited about. Often, these are commonalities between you and the interviewer. So, you want to reference this connection briefly in your thank-you note. For example, you might both be hockey players. In your note, you could write something like: "I really enjoyed speaking with you about hockey," or "I'm glad to have found a fellow hockey player."

Finally, be sure to read your thank-you note carefully, and check it for spelling and grammatical errors. In a three-to-five-sentence note, such small mistakes can really stand out.

The subject line of your email can simply be "Thank You". Finally, be sure to send the note soon after your interview.