How to write the perfect post-interview thank you email

You landed the interview, researched and prepared your answers and had a great conversation with the hiring team. Things are looking good! But the interview doesn't end when you walk out the door (or end the Zoom call). There's one more step you can take to set yourself apart and move closer to landing the job: a well-crafted thank you email!

When written properly, a thank you email can:

• Highlight your excitement about the opportunity
• Set you apart from other candidates
• Reiterate your experience
• Showcase your personality
• Give you the chance to share your portfolio or expand on any answers you may have stumbled on in your interview

If you're unsure where to start, we've got you covered. These are our three top tips (plus 3 samples!) to write a job-landing thank you email.

1. Be Timely

Don't wait to send your thank you email! The hiring team is likely meeting with other candidates, so it's best to send your email while your interview is still fresh in your interviewer's mind. The ideal timeframe is 12-24 hours following the interview. To make it easier, draft a template that you can tailor and personalize for each interview. And make sure you proofread before hitting send! You want to be sure you've spelled the interviewer's name properly, as well as the name of the organization and the role.

If you don't have the interviewer's email address, see if you can find them on LinkedIn! Send them a thank you note directly through LinkedIn Messenger. This will show your excitement for the roll and highlight that you're willing to go the extra mile to make a good impression.

2. Showcase Your Personality and Excitement

The thank you email is your chance to remind the interviewer why they should hire you. What makes you unique? What stood out in your interview? How can you differentiate yourself from the other candidates? Be authentic in your writing, letting your personality shine, rather than being overly formal or scripted. When writing, think about what you would want to read from a person who might soon be your colleague. To show your interest, try to highlight something that was discussed in the interview. Did you learn that the company is on a growth trajectory? That they have a unique corporate culture? Find a way to include something that stood out to you. And make sure to share how excited you are about the opportunity. Everyone wants to feel wanted--including employers! You'll stand out by emphasizing how excited and passionate you are about this role.

3. Cover Your Bases

The thank you email is also your chance to either reiterate your value as an employee or touch up any answers you may have fumbled when speaking. Highlight how your experience will lend itself directly to the role (I.e., "After speaking with the team, I can see how my 5 years of project management experience will be a valuable asset"). If you feel like you could have answered a question better, this is your chance to address it. Radical honesty is appreciated! If you fumbled because you were nervous, say so. Being honest can build empathy and transparency early on in your relationship with your future employer.

Thank You Email Samples
Okay, now the fun part: writing the actual email. To help you get started, we've provided some samples below. Use these as the foundation and tailor as you see fit--don't forget to personalize them!

Sample 1: Short and Sweet!
Consider this your thank you email starter pack. It's short, personal and memorable! Designed to make you stand out.

Dear [INTERVIEWER NAME],
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I really enjoyed learning more about the team and thought it was fascinating to hear about [SPECIFIC EXAMPLE]. This is an amazing opportunity and I'm incredibly excited to build my career with [COMPANY NAME].

I'm confident my experience [DETAILS] coupled with my passion for what you do [PERSONALIZE TO THE COMPANY] make me the ideal candidate for this role and I would be thrilled to join your team!

[IF APPLICABLE] I also wanted to share work samples to give you a snapshot of my experience. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions for me.

[SIGN OFF]

Sample 2: The Extra Mile
This sample can be used when you want to go the extra mile. Did you discuss a specific challenge the company is facing? Expand on the solution you shared by presenting tools, designing a webpage, building a deck or elaborating on tangible actions you would put into place to solve it.

Dear [INTERVIEWER NAME],
I wanted to extend my thanks for meeting with me today. [ORG] sounds like a truly special place to work and I enjoyed learning more about your vision for this role [PERSONALIZE]. I wanted to reiterate how excited I am about this opportunity. I can see myself growing my career in this role and leveraging my skills [EXPAND ON THIS] to help you reach your goals.

In our call you shared that [XYZ] was a challenge for you. I know I mentioned that I would implement [SOLUTION] to address this. This is an area I'm really passionate about so I've outlined what this solution could look like in this [DECK, WEBPAGE, FLOWCHART, PDF]

I’m looking forward to hearing from you about the next steps. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to support you in the hiring process.

[SIGN OFF]

Sample 3: The Fixer Upper
Was there a question you didn't feel like you answered as well as you could have? That's where this sample comes in. Use your thank you email as a way to expand on any answers that may not have captured your value accurately.

Dear [INTERVIEWER NAME]

Thank you for taking the time to connect with me yesterday. It was fascinating hearing more about the growth of the company and learning about this role. I wanted to reiterate how passionate I am about this position. I also realize in my excitement that I didn’t answer your third question as thoroughly as I could have.

To ensure you have a clear picture of my background and skills, I wanted to elaborate a bit further [DETAIL WHAT THEY ASKED AND WHAT YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FROM YOUR ANSWER].

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I am confident my passion and skills will help [company name] achieve its goals. I look forward to connecting again soon!

[SIGN OFF]

And remember, don't forget to spell check! Happy job-hunting.