Everyone knows that sending a thank you email after an interview is extremely important, but what about a more personal handwritten note? In some cases, handwritten thank you notes can be extremely valuable in helping you stand out to a prospective employer. If you’re lost on where to start, use this after interview thank you note sample to really impress your hiring manager.
Tara Cassady, the executive vice president of Americas Client Services at Cielo, said that sending a handwritten after interview thank you note isn’t necessary in every interview situation, but can be a useful practice to differentiate yourself from other candidates.
How to write a thank you note after an interview
Who?
While sending a thank you email to anyone who helped you through the interview process is encouraged, it’s not necessary to send each an every person a handwritten note.
Handwritten thank you notes should be considered for people who took time out of their schedule to sit and chat with you about the company, position, and your past experience.
That being said, if there was someone in the office who didn’t interview you but really helped you out in some way, like a human resources manager, sending a handwritten note never hurts.
According to Cassady, it’s a great way to create a buzz about yourself in the office. The more people that view you favorably, the better your shot at securing the job.
Deciding to whom you should send a handwritten note also depends largely on timelines. Candidates should send a quick email to a recruiter or human resources representative to thank them for keeping them moving in the hiring process, according to Cassady. If candidates meet with hiring leaders and they know that the decision won’t be made within the next day or two, putting a note in the mail that night is a good idea.
What?
Your thank you note should contain different content from the thank you email that you sent a few hours after your interview. With that being said, you should make sure you have enough to say to be able to differentiate your email and note before sending both. If you only had a brief conversation with someone and can’t think of anything different to send in a note, just an email will suffice for that particular person.
Thank you emails have a pretty set structure that includes thanking the person for their time, complimenting the company, commenting on a topic you discussed, and restating why you’re the best fit for the position. In contrast, handwritten thank you notes give you the opportunity to get a little more personal. Sending a handwritten note is a thoughtful gesture, so be thoughtful with what you include in it.
It’s a good idea to pick a subject that you discussed during the interview and expand on it. You’ll have more time to write this note than that the email, so take your time to think deeper about the topic and try to come up with something insightful. The action of going above and beyond will impress the hiring manager and help them feel more secure in choosing you.
When?
As you’ll be sending this thank you note via snail mail, it won’t get there as quickly as an email, which actually works in your favor. According to Cassady, a candidate who really wants to stand out can send a thank you email a few hours after an interview and also drop a thank you note in the mailbox that night.
Is it overkill to send both? No!
This system is beneficial because the email will add on to a good first impression later that day. The thank you note, which will arrive a few days later, will then remind the hiring manager of your skills, manners, and thoughtfulness later that week.
“There’s one thing that you probably won’t do and that’s over-communicate or over follow up,” Cassady said.
Where?
Send the thank you note to the hiring manager at the office’s address. If you hadn’t been corresponding with the hiring manager in order to set up the interview, ask for a business card during the conclusion of the meeting. This ensures that you’ll have all the necessary information to contact them.
In terms of where you write the note, it should be a professional thank you note card that you can pick up in stores. When choosing a card, make sure to keep in mind the atmosphere of the office. If the office is more formal, choose a plainer, more proper thank you card. If the office is more creative and relaxed, feel free to have some fun while picking out the card, while still keeping the office tone in mind.
Why?
Sending a handwritten thank you note is not a practice every candidate does, making it one that helps candidates really stand out when done correctly. Creating a handwritten thank you note takes more effort than typing up an email, showing you have the thoughtfulness and effort to go the extra mile.
How?
The tone of your article should match the company culture, which you should have a strong grasp of after one or two interviews.
“You have to step back and assess the culture because you want to be able to mirror what you experienced during that day,” Cassady said.
Just like the after interview thank you email, your after interview thank you note shouldn’t be a novel about why you want to work for the company. Writing a note that’s too long will show you don’t value their time, you don’t understand the company culture, and you don’t know how to edit.
“You want to keep it concise enough that it can actually be on a note card,” Cassady said.
Sample after interview thank you note
Hi (Hiring manager’s first name),
I wanted to write to say thank you so much for meeting with me on (the day you met). I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me more about the (title of the position you’re applying to), (name of the team you’re applying to), and (company name) in general.
I was thinking more about what you said regarding the restructuring of the (name of the team you’re applying to) and I realized that it’s similar to changes made on my team at (past company). It’s a great idea to switch things up, and I think I could be a beneficial member during this transition.
This is definitely an exciting time for the (name of the team you’re applying to) at (company name) and I’d love a chance to be a part of the growth we discussed. I hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
(Your First and Last name)
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Originally published on Ladders.
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