So, you applied for your dream job, landed an interview and totally nailed it. You’ve worked hard up until this point, but you’re not yet done impressing your hiring manager. Let’s talk about the post-interview “Thank you letter”.

Some of the best career advice I’ve ever received was from a hiring manager who told me, “When I’m interviewing candidates, I’m really looking for someone who is a good fit culturally. In terms of hard skills, most of what I need to know is in their resumé”.

The thank you letter is an opportunity to continue showing off your glowing personality and the soft skills that employers are looking for throughout the hiring process. We’re going to talk about what your letter should look like, what it should include, who to send it to, when to send it and finally, we’ll send you off with the perfect post-interview thank you Letter template that everyone should have in their career toolkit.

If you can, send a handwritten note. Who doesn’t love receiving an old-fashioned letter in the mail? A handwritten letter shows the kind of care to details, and an “above and beyond” attitude that is very attractive to hiring managers. With many companies now working remotely, this may no longer be an option, in which case, no one is going to dock you marks for sending your thank you letter via email.

If you’re sending via email, include your name and the position you were interviewing for in the subject line. Avoid generic subject lines like “Thank you!” Or “Following Up on My Interview!”. Make it something that will draw an immediate connection to you and the role, to keep you front and centre of the candidate list.

The content should be thoughtful, but not too verbose. Remember, hiring managers are busy people, show them you respect their time by sending something short and sweet. Follow this simple structure: express your gratitude, show (don’t tell) them why you’re a good fit for the role, reiterate your interest and include all your contact information.

Start preparing for your thank you letter in your interview. Firstly, if you interview with multiple people, make sure you get the names of everyone, not just the hiring manager, or person you were in communication with to set up the interview. It’s important to show your appreciation to all of them who took time out of their day to give you an opportunity to interview. It also shows that you are thoughtful, detail-oriented and can remember people’s names – a very likeable quality!

Secondly, you should always prepare some questions for your interviewer(s) – remember, you’re trying to figure out if they are a good fit for you, as much as you are a good fit for them. In your interview, ask a thoughtful question that you can later reference in your letter. Ideally, ask them for something that is actionable that you think your skillset would suit. This is how you SHOW them why you’re a good fit for the role.

For example, ask them about the goals for the role over the next six months, or the team goals for the fiscal year, or ask them what they think has been the most challenging thing for their department.

I once asked an interviewer about the biggest challenge the eCommerce marketing team was facing. When they told me that with the team working remotely, they felt as though there was a disconnection between the eCommerce Marketing team and the rest of the brand’s teams (i.e.. product development, operations, etc.). I used this as a moment to show my team-leading skills by offering a thoughtful solution that I would implement if chosen for the role.

By including something like this, you are not only continuing to show off your fit for the role, but also your thoughtfulness, that you were paying attention, that you are invested in what really matters to the company and that you are a problem solver!

When should you send your thank you letter? If you interviewed in the morning you can send your letter later in the workday, maybe the afternoon, especially if you’re sending a handwritten letter, the sooner, the better. If you’re sending an email, don’t let 24 hours go by without hitting send. You want to show that you get things done in a timely fashion and as always, stay at the top of the candidate list. Remember, this is a thank you letter, not a follow up letter.

So, what help would this post be about designing the perfect thank you Letter if we didn’t offer you a template to get started with?

You can use the below letter below as a template to get you started! Keep in mind, use this template a rough outline, let your personality shine through and get creative, that’s why they are hiring you!

The perfect Thank You Letter template:

Subject Line: Thank You from [Your Name Here]! | Re: Job You Were Applying For

Dear [Employee First Name],

Thank you for meeting with me today at my interview for the [insert job] role. It was wonderful to learn more about your company culture and what you are looking to achieve over the next six months from this job role.

You mentioned that one of the challenges you were having is [insert challenge you asked about during your interview]. I gave a bit more thought to this dilemma and was wondering if you had considered [insert your amazing idea to help solve their problem!].

I would love the opportunity to join the [insert company name] [insert team name], to help [insert the goal of your prospective role] and feel confident I’d be a great addition.

Please let me know if you need anything else from me. I look forward to hearing about the next steps in the interview process.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Email]

[Your LinkedIn]

[Your Phone Number]

Tip: Pay attention to the tone of communication you have with your prospective employer along the hiring process. If they are a bit more causal and relaxed, mirror their tone. If you find them hard to read, always air on the side of more professional.

And there you have it, an easy thank you letter to follow up your interviews with and help you land your dream job!

Good luck candidate, you’ve got this!

Are you currently working on your thank you letter, but want to confirm something before you hit send? Email our founder Christie Lohr your burning question, so you can send your letter with confidence!

Sheila O’Neill is a curious, forward-looking fashion writer and results-driven digital marketer.

Feature Image: Adobe Stock