In days gone by, post-interview etiquette was more traditional: the candidates who wanted to go above and beyond would craft a physical handwritten note to the hiring managers they met with, which was then mailed to the company’s office. But things have changed of course, and the emailed thank you note has become the norm over the last few years.

When the pandemic began, post-interview etiquette seemed to fall by the wayside – we had more important things to worry about. However, even as the business world has recovered on many fronts, we’ve noticed that the quality of the thank you emails have not. So why aren’t candidates putting effort into their thank you emails? We’re not sure if perhaps they are experiencing digital burnout, simply feel that virtual interviews do not warrant the same type of thank you as an in-person meeting would, or feel that they are in such demand that a mere thank you email won’t be the make or break for them. The truth is though, it can be!

Below is an example of an email that we have seen candidates send after an interview:

Hi X

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I enjoyed learning about COMPANY NAME from your perspective.

Best

Y

Why isn’t this thank you email ideal? Quite simply, there is no personalization or substance to the content. Especially in the fast-moving and often impersonal virtual hiring process, any chance you have to stand out as a thoughtful and interested candidate will put you at an advantage. A thank-you email provides you with the perfect opportunity to reiterate your qualifications and add a personal touch.

We asked Samantha, our Vice President of Talent Acquisition, to share some of her best advice for crafting the perfect thank you email! 

1.       Send the note anywhere from 1 hour after the interview up until about 24 hours later. Remember, we are living in digital world now, so in some instances 24 hours later might be too long and could make it seem like you are not making it a priority. However, sending it too quickly can make you seem desperate – or even worse, disingenuous.

2.       Be concise and be sure to convey your enthusiasm. This is one of those instances where less is more. No one wants to read an overly wordy note (in fact, if your note is on the lengthier side, you likely included something in there that the company will be turned off by). Ensure however, that you are expressing gratitude, excitement, and interest and make sure to speak to the specific job you were interviewed for.  Being too general often may lead someone to believe the note is a generic note reused for them. 

3.       Sell yourself. This is your opportunity to reiterate to the company why they should hire you. Be confident and give them a reason to reinforce why they should bring you on board!

4.       Make it personal and avoid being too generic. It’s always a good idea to bring up something personal you discussed in your conversation. For example, let’s say your interviewer talks about how much they despise that their children are participating in remote school – you can say something along the lines of “I hope you are surviving another week of zoom school!” Additionally, don’t copy and paste a note from the internet or write something overly basic or boring. This is your opportunity to stand out and be memorable!

5.       Proofread. Nobody wants to hire a careless employee. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes, or that if you wrote your note on another platform and then copy and pasted, that the font type, size, and color is consistent throughout.

6.       Master the group thank you note. If you had a group conversation with little personalization between each person, use your discretion if it may be appropriate to send a group note. However, if each person provided you with different context and information, you are encouraged to send each of them a personal (and different) note. Nobody wants to feel like your note was a simple copy and paste. 

Putting all of Samantha’s advice into practice, below is an example of a great thank you note:

Dear X

Thank you for speaking with me about the X position at {company name}. I understand you are incredibly busy, so I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me about this exciting opportunity.

I am confident that my work experience has given me the skills necessary to excel in this job. Specifically, I am proficient in office operations, scheduling, employee relations, and communications. I am a resourceful and entrepreneurial person who is passionate about learning and mastering new things. One of my favorite responsibilities while at {former company} was working on their events, so the potential to help you with your team events is another motivating factor to join your organization.

I hope to have the chance to speak with your team more at length and to learn more about the role and your company. Thank you so much!

 Sincerely,

 Y

PS – I hope your dog feels better soon! Thinking of you and her!

This is a great example because it hits all of the marks: it’s personal, enthusiastic, professional, and the perfect length. The candidate also takes the time to remind the interviewer of their qualifications, and everything is spelled correctly. You could comfortably send this email directly to your interviewer, but feel free to run your thank you email by your JBC recruiter first – we’re always happy to edit, proofread and send it along directly to our client!