3 Tips for Sending a Thank You Note

We’re seeing fewer thank you notes these days and we feel this is attributed both to millennials, who aren’t being taught that this is still part of a formal interview process, and also to the increase in laid back office environments that give the impression that thank you notes aren’t necessary. We urge our clients to go the extra mile and believe that sending a note of appreciation still makes a difference. Here are 3 tips for sending a thank you note:


1. Send it quickly.
Speed matters. If an employer is torn between multiple candidates, you need every bit of an edge that you can get. If you let a lot of time lapse, the note won’t be a factor in whether you’re considered or not. Both handwritten and email thank you notes should be sent within 24 hours of an interview—if not sooner.

2. Take thank you notes with you to your interview.
One way to avoid delays is to buy thank you notes ahead of time and bring them with you. After your interview is over, find a quiet place to fill them out while everything is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Then, pop back into the office and leave them with the receptionist or drop them immediately into a mailbox.

3. Keep it short but sincere
Your note should be short and customized—in other words, it should be obvious that you wrote it after the interview, and that you tailored it to a specific person and a specific job. If you met with multiple people, each one should receive a note. Thank them for taking the time to meet with you and mention something specific that you discussed in your interview. If you’d like to see a couple of sample thank you note templates, click here:

Ask us your job search questions via the online chat tool in the lower left corner of your screen. We are passionate about helping people find career success and we love to share what we know!