Thank You Email After an Interview: 6 Sample Notes for All Jobs

In 8 minutes you’ll know how to write the best thank you email after an interview. And it matters a lot:

If you’ve made it to the interview, you’re up against 4 or 5 other candidates. It’s safe to assume their qualifications are similar to yours. You’ll need an extra gear to outperform them.

A well-written interview thank you email could be that very gear.

Most candidates don’t send them. Or send out thank-you notes that just don’t cut it.

Thanks to this guide, you’ll do way better than them.

In this article, you’ll find:

• How to write a thank-you email that will dazzle every interviewer.
• Sample thank-you emails after an interview you can copy, adjust, and use.
• What you need to know about the job interview thank-you note etiquette: when to write it, to whom to address it, and how to send it.

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Still waiting to hear back? See:

• How to Follow Up on a Job Application (read this if you never heard back after sending your resume)
• How to Follow Up After an Interview (read this if you never heard back after an interview)

To begin with, see these two very different interview thank you letter examples. Read on for a breakdown of what makes a perfect post-interview thank-you email and see 4 more samples for different types of positions.

Sample Interview Thank-You Email

Here's the perfect thank you email—from subject line to sign off: 

Now, let’s examine the anatomy of the best thank you email after an interview so that you can write yours in no time!

You must always send an interview thank-you email no later than 24 hours after the interview. If you interivewed with several people, send a personalized thank-you note to each of them. Be genuine, thank them for the opportunity, reiterate your interest, and remember to refer to what you discussed during the interview itself.

And here's some data on how critical the thank-you email is to your job search:

Sending any thank you email after a job interview puts you ahead of over half of the competition.

A great, personalized interview thank you email? That’s what will make you the frontrunner.

The bottom line: yes, you always need to send a “thank you for an interview” email.

Here’s how to write a perfect thank you email after an interview in 7 easy steps:

1. Create a clear subject line

No puns, no jokes, go straight to the point. It’s the only way to make sure your thank you email gets opened.

Sample subject lines for a thank you email:

• Thank you, [Interviewer’s Name]!
• Thank you for your time and advice
• Thanks for the interview yesterday
• I enjoyed learning more about [Company Name]
• Thank you!

Simple as that!

2. Open with a personal greeting

• Address the hiring manager directly, by name.
• If you’ve interviewed with more than one person, send personalized thank-you notes to each of them.

3. Express your appreciation

• Since it’s a “thank you email” open with a “thank you!”
• Be sincere and authentic when expressing gratitude or appreciation.
• Show that you care about the time the interviewers spent with you describing the details of your position.

(To see what I mean, check out the wrong example above again. See how many personal pronouns the candidate used. It doesn’t read like a sincere “thank you,” more like “I know I’m awesome.”)

4. Restate that you’re interested in the job

• During the interview, your future employer wants to make sure you’re the right fit for the company. But…
• They also want to know you’re genuinely eager to join. Make sure to mention that in your thank you email.
• If the interview made you realize the job is not right for you, clearly state that in your thank-you email. The hiring manager will appreciate your honesty, plus, you’ll help them save time.

5. Refer to something specific you discussed during an interview and make an offer

• Identify what’s particularly interesting to you about the position and explain why. This way, you’ll make your email after an interview feel personalized.
• Refer to your skills and experience and show how you’re going to use them to help your future employer get what they want.

6. Say you can provide additional information and remind them about the established response deadline

How to end a thank you email after an interview?

The golden rule is, be brief and polite. A succinct paragraph such as the one below will do:

Should you need any additional information from me that could assist with the decision-making process, feel free to contact me. I look forward to our call next week as discussed.

7. Close with a professional sign-off

• Thank them again.
• Sign off with a “sincerely” synonym followed by your full name.
• Below, put your basic contact details: telephone number and email address.
• Optionally, add extra links (e.g. your LinkedIn, Twitter, or a personal website).

By the way… You probably have some more interviews ahead, right? Make sure you’ll come out on top! Read our complete job interview guide: Common Interview Questions and Sample Answers

Alright. Enough theory. See our customizable examples of thank you notes after an interview, choose one that fits your situation best, fill in the gaps with details, and hit “Send!”

All of the below interview thank you note examples vary by length, complexity, and the degree of formality. Give them a read and think about which one is best for you.

But remember:

These sample thank you for an interview emails are here just for reference. Don’t copy-paste them. The more personalization you add, the better!

For starters, a basic, short thank you interview email.

Simple and Short Thank You Letter

A More Formal Thank You Note

Thank You Email after a Second Interview

An Informal Approach to a Thank-You Email

Pro Tip: Don't forget to proofread your email. You can use apps like Grammarly or Language Tool to help you avoid nasty typos or bad syntax.

So, you’ve just written a stunning post-interview thank-you note.

What should you do with it now? When to send it? To whom to address it? Is a thank you email always okay or do you need a handwritten note?

It’s a lot to remember, but don’t worry—

When to send thank you email after interview?

It's best to send a thank you letter while you're still fresh in the interviewer's mind. So you should send the email message within 24 hours of the interview (the same day as the interview or the next). If the interview takes place on Friday, send a thank-you email on Friday afternoon or on Monday morning. Don’t send formal emails over the weekend.

What about sending a thank you email after an interview to multiple interviewers?

• Send a thank you email after every interview to everyone that was in the room with you.
• Each of those thank you notes has to be at least slightly different and personalized because they will share them with one another.
• The exception is a panel interview, especially if many of the participants joined via phone or Skype: in this situation, send one thank you email after an interview addressed to everyone.

Don’t have everyone’s email addresses?

Send one email to the person whose address you have and either ask them to forward your thank-you email to other interviewers, or ask for the email addresses of the other recruiters and email them directly.

Pro Tip: If you interview with multiple people, ask for business cards during the interview, so you don’t have to search or ask for emails later.

Handwritten thank you letter after an interview or an email?

An interview thank you email will be your safest choice.

Why? Because it’s quicker than a snail mail interview thank you letter. Plus, a recent study has shown that 94% of hiring managers find post-interview thank you emails appropriate.

The only exceptions where it’s a good idea to send your thank-you letter via snail mail are:

• Jobs in extremely traditional industries such as wedding planning or stiff, suit-and-tie law firms.
• C-level positions.

Have any extra questions on how to write a perfect thank you letter after an interview? Could use some help crafting yours? Drop me a line in the comments and I’ll reply to all your questions!