On average, the interview process lasts 22.9 days, according to Glassdoor. During this time, it is vital to make a positive impression on the hiring manager to increase your chances of receiving a job offer.
While putting in the effort to clean up your resume and learn about your potential employee is a given, so should sending a thank you email after your interview. However, 57% of candidates still don’t send a thank you email, even though it’s likely their potential employer is expecting a thank you email.
Sending the best thank you email after interviews you attend is also a great way to showcase your soft skills, which include your written communication skills. According to a study by Wonderlic, over 40% of employers feel that soft skills are essential in the hiring process.
To help you get started writing, we’ve put together tips on what goes into the best thank you email after an interview.
How to Write the Best Thank You Email After an Interview
1. Start With a Thank You
As this is a thank you email, it makes sense to start the email off with an expression of gratitude! This expression of gratitude can be featured in the email body, email subject line, or both!
Regarding your subject line, the message should be clear and concise. An example subject like can look like the following:
- Thank you for today’s opportunity
- I appreciate your time, [interviewer’s name]
- Great time talking with you today!
- I enjoyed learning about [company name]!
- Thank you
If you decide to make your thank you the first lines of the email, try to make it a personal thank you. Addressing your interviewer by name can go a long way! It makes the email feel genuine, and thus, your interest in the position will come across genuine as well.
2. Reiterate Your Interest and Fit For the Position
The first section of your email should be a brief reiteration of your interest in the job, as well as why you’re the best candidate for the position. In addition, this section is a great place to address any compelling notes that you took during the job interview.
For example, if your interviewer mentioned a need the company currently has, you can state how you can fill that need with your skillset. Remain true to yourself, and don’t try to claim a skill you don’t possess.
Additionally, after your interview, you have a better grasp of the inner workings of the company. Therefore, you can write the best thank you email after the interview that aligns with the values of the company.
In the end, don’t overthink your email too harshly. According to a study published in the journal Psychological Science, people tend to overestimate how awkward their recipient will feel reading their email.
3. Refer Back to the Interview’s Discussion
It’s good to bring up anything that was discussed during your interview. This tactic can show another example of a soft skill, which is an attention to detail. Additionally, this tactic is a strong indicator that you found the interview conversation important.
It’s important to note here that these references don’t always have to be about the business itself.
An example of a topic to use can refer to a moment the interviewer and you spent getting to know one another. In that time you spent getting to know one another, perhaps you found a shared hobby between the two of you.
In the end, referring back to your similarities such as this hobby or other topics will make for a more personal touch. This is a great way to write the best email after an interview that feels genuine.
4. Keep the Lines of Communication Open
With your email, you want to make it clear that you intend to remain active in the interview process. A simple way of doing this is to offer to answer any outstanding questions that may remain after the interview.
Another example can include a line stating that you look forward to hearing from them again soon.
Regardless, by staying engaged with your interviewer, you show the necessary follow-through that 86% of employers find lacking in candidates who don’t send a thank-you email.
5. Send the Email at the Right Time
According to CareerBuilder, it is best to send a thank you email after an interview within 24 hours of the interview itself. By doing so, you remain fresh in your interviewer’s mind.
In addition, you show the initiative to stay active in the interview process. Remember, you aren’t going to be the only candidate they interview, so you want to stand out!
Sending a thank-you email will set you apart already, but sending it at the right time will make for a more successful impact.
Make a Lasting Impression
Finding ways to stay motivated during your job search can be difficult, especially if you’re getting turned down for job offers.
To keep up your motivation and help shorten your search, you can take a more active stance with your job search. One of the easiest ways to stay active is by sending a thank-you email after your interview.
In fact, 68% of interviewers shared that receiving that thank you email after an interview affected their decision-making process.
So, if you want to get fewer rejection letters and more call-backs for second interviews, consider sending a thank-you email after your interviews. The benefits you can get from doing this will add up in the long run!
As a trusted recruitment source with over a decade of experience, TruPath has the industry knowledge and successful process to help our partners feel comfortable in their search for a candidate.
Contact TruPath today and let us help with your staffing needs.