You have just finished your dream job interview, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. Most hiring managers expect to receive a thank you email. According to a TopResume survey of 334 hiring managers in 2020, 68% responded that thank you emails were important when it came to evaluating a potential candidate.
If English is not your native language, writing the perfect thank you note may seem intimidating. However, if you follow the right formula, it can be easy. Plus, if you had difficulty conveying some of your skills during the interview either due to lack of English fluency or another reason, the post-interview thank you note is a perfect opportunity to communicate those abilities.
Before you leave the interview, make sure you get the full names and email addresses of the people who interviewed you. (This is information typically found on their business cards.) You should send your thank you follow up notes within a day of the interview. If you were interviewed by more than one person, be sure to send individual emails to each person, rather than the entire group as a mass email.
What You Should Include in Your Thank You Email
Thank you emails should be short, courteous, and to the point. About one to two paragraphs will be enough. Avoid long, complex sentences. When writing emails in English, showing gratitude is essential, but be careful not to overdo it.
Add personal details to the emails to make them more memorable. Recall any informal conversation you had with the interviewer(s). Try to include something you found out that you had in common, as well as how you would work with them if you get the job.
“Incorporate what you can into that note to remind them of the rapport you were building, and also to jog their memory about which candidate you are if they were interviewing a lot of people,” Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach, told CNBC.
Here are some tips:
- Start the email with a formal salute. “Dear Mr./Ms. XX” is the standard formal salute in English.
- Begin the body of your email by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you.
- Include something you learned about the interviewer as a person and potential co-worker, manager, etc., during the interview.
- Restate your interest in the job, and reiterate one or two reasons why they should want to hire you.
- Address any concerns the interviewer had about you and list your strengths.
“If there was something they pulled apart or mentioned certain skills you may be lacking, this is your opportunity to reinforce what you’ve done to fill that gap, or relate to something else you did that shows your strengths,” Augustine told CNBC.
You can also add links to any online sources that reveal more about your abilities and projects you’ve done related to the job.
End your email with a closing. Keep it short and polite. Examples include “Thank you for your consideration,” “I’m looking forward to hearing from you,” and “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.”
Lastly, end the email with a short and formal signature.“ Sincerely, [Your name]” is the standard closing for formal emails in English.
For a better understanding of how to write effective post-interview thank you letters, check out these examples and templates.
A thank you note may seem like a small thing, but it can help you stand out among your competition. By following these easy tips, you’ll be a step closer to landing your dream job.
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Resources
Liu, Jennifer. 9 November 2020. Here’s exactly what to say in your thank-you email after a job interview. CNBC.
How to Write Formal Emails in English. Wall Street English.
This information solved my problems perfectly. With the help of this guide, I was able to write my thank you letter perfectly.