A lot of you might ignore the importance of a job interview thank you letter but it is a really important step if you wish to ensure that you get the job. Sending a thank you note is both a polite gesture and a way of expressing your interest in the job you interviewed for. A recent study showed that hiring managers are more inclined to offer jobs to people who follow up with a thank you note. Thank you notes could, however, be tricky. You should know how to write it well so as to capture the attention of your hiring manager.
Let us take you through the steps of writing a job interview thank you letter that can help you secure the position you interviewed for.
- Send it within the first 24 hours– You must send the thank you letter within a day of your interview. Hiring managers interview several candidates in a day. You need to send the letter while the memory of the interview is still fresh in their minds.
- Keep it short and simple – You must keep the thank you note precise and to-the-point. Do not exceed more three paragraphs and keep the paragraphs short.
- Tiny details of the interview – Skillfully add details of the interview in your thank you note. Try and mention something specific that you might have discussed with your interviewer during the interview.
- Separate thank you notes for each interviewer – Customize your thank you letter and send separate emails to each interviewer. You should first send an e-mail and follow it up with a handwritten thank you note within the next two days.
The goal of your thank you letter is to remind your interviewer of you so that you are considered over other candidates who have interviewed for the same position. Now, there are certain things that you must avoid while writing the thank you letter.
- Do not ask questions in the letter – Your thank you letter should be exactly what it is, a letter thanking your interviewer for their valuable time and the potential opportunity to work for their company. This is not a follow-up letter and you should never ask about how the interview went or when should you expect the call in that letter. Your thank you letter should be a genuine expression of your gratitude.
- Do not apologize for your mistakes during the interview – Do not remind your interviewer of anything negative that could have happened during the interview. Your letter must only highlight the positive aspects and not point out the things that went wrong. You could lose the opportunity altogether by doing this.
- Do not make typographical or grammatical errors – Your thank you letter should be short and simple. This should also make it easier for you to keep it free of any errors. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes in your letter. Go through the note again and again and send it only when you are sure that it is error-free.
- Do not talk about salary – Once again, you need not include any details that you haven’t been asked to furnish. Do not bring up salary or talk about what you did not like about the interview.
Refrain from paying generic compliments to your interviewer in your thank you letter as you might come across as someone desperate. A short and simple thank you note is all you need to seal the deal after a job interview. Make the most of it.
