Thank you. Merci. Gracias. Dank u.

Whatever language you speak, expressing thanks is always important. When you are job searching, thank you is a common courtesy and professional business etiquette, and might even put you ahead of other candidates.

According to a recent survey on www.monster.com 1 in 5 hiring managers will automatically dismiss an applicant if they have not sent an interview thank you email. The same study revealed that 80% of Human Resources recruiters consider thank you emails helpful for reaching the final hiring decision and yet another survey by www.careerbuilder.com showed that 3 out of 4 job seekers do not send thank you emails. 

Therefore, sending a thank you email after a job interview is a critical piece of your job search plan. Your thank you email might not guarantee you will get the job, however sending a thank you does not indicate that it is not worth sending. A thank you email contributes to the overall picture of who you are as a contender.  It signals interest by showing that you went home, processed everything you learned in the interview and decided that you are still enthusiastic about the position.  This can still matter to a potential employer. 

Here are 7 tips for thank you emails:

1. Use a clear subject line.  Include the phrase “thank you”, your name and the title of the job you interviewed for. For example: “Thank you from Lisa Trudel, candidate for Career Specialist position”.
2. Keep your email brief and polite. Be concise and reiterate your interest in the position and remind the interviewer of your qualifications. Your email should provide links to your online presence such as LinkedIn which might help with a final decision.
3. Refer to something specific from the interview. Identify what is particularly interesting to you about the position and explain why. This helps to make your email personalized and by referring to your skills you are showing how you are going to use them to help the employer achieve what they want.
4. End your email by stating the established deadline. Let the interviewer know you can provide additional information and remind them about the deciding time limit that was hopefully confirmed at the interview.
5. Proofread more than once. Just like your cover letters, resumes, and business emails, thank you emails require perfect spelling and grammar.  Always review your writing before hitting the “send” key.
6. Send it within 24 hours.  Whether your email is to one interviewer or to all the interviewers on the hiring panel, send your thank you as soon as possible.
7. Use a professional thank you email format.  Here is an example of a thank you email. This is only an example; you will need to tailor your email to reflect your circumstances.

Subject Line: 

Thank you from Lisa Trudel, candidate for Career Specialist position

Email body:

Dear Hiring Manager (if you have their name be sure to use it)

It was a pleasure speaking with you today about the Career Specialist position with the Centre for Education and Training. Your job is an excellent match for my skills and qualifications.

The structured and user-friendly approach of your in-house database that you described, confirmed my desire to work with you. In addition to my enthusiasm, I can contribute professional level writing skills, education in Career Counselling, an interest in sharing resources with colleagues and a commitment to help you achieve your annual contract goals.

I appreciate the time you took to interview me and if you need additional information that will assist with your decision-making process, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you regarding this opportunity by the end of next week as discussed.

Sincerely,

Lisa Trudel (your name)

Email address

LinkedIn link

To find out more about how to write a thank you email, and how to make your job search successful, contact your local Employment Ontario Career Centre. 

This article was submitted by Lisa Trudel, Career Specialist with the Centre for Education and Training. She works at their Parliament Employment Services location in the historic Cabbagetown district of downtown Toronto and can be contacted at: ltrudel@tcet.com