Topics we cover in this article:
Why should a candidate write a thank you?
How should you deliver a thank you message?
When should you send a thank you message?
Tips on how to write a thank you
Templates for post-interview thank you messages
How to decline a position after an interview
Templates for thanks but no, thanks message
Why a candidate should write a post-interview thank you
• Demonstrates to the interviewer that you are extremely interested
in the role
• Stand out amongst other candidates
• Keeps you in the interviewer’s awareness
• Demonstrates skills with written communication
• Show the interviewer good mannerism and professional courtesy
How should a thank you message be sent?
• Email – most preferred
• Snail mail – provides an individualized touch. However, there is
less chance that the interviewer will read the thank you message
between the timeframe frame of a couple of days.
• Phone call – This should be your last resort. Although a phone
conversation could be seen as more personal, this could take up the
interviewer’s time or appear to be too aggressive.
• Do not send a thank you message through social media or a text
message!!
What is the best time to send a thank you message?
A suitable time to send a thank you message is usually at the end of the
business day or the beginning of the next. This will allow the interviewer
to read the thank you message when the day is less busy. Never send a
thank you email immediately after an interview- it may be interpreted as
an automatic response or obligatory by your interviewer. Place some
considerable thought about the role within the company in the letter.
How to write a thank you message:
Always make sure your message is customized to the person you are
sending it to. Be sure to avoid informal tones such as emoticons, slang
terms, and acronyms or abbreviations such as “TGIF.” Be sure to
reference the position discussed and why you are the perfect candidate
for the job. Mention something specific that was discussed during the
interview and make an offer on the skills and experience you will utilize
to show the interviewer how you are going to help the company get what
they want.
•
o Use proper business letter etiquette:
o no puns or jokes, straight to the point!
o open with a personal greeting by addressing the hiring
manager by name (if you interviewed with more than one
person send personalized thank you letters to each of them).
o Express your appreciation – thank the interviewer for the
opportunity to discuss the position
o Reference some key components of the interview – reminds
the interviewer of the conversation
o State the fit for the position – include the attributes that
make you the candidate for the job
o Keep it simple – only a paragraph or two
o Ask questions that you missed during the meeting – Any
other questions you may have forgotten or run out of time to
ask in the interview
o Finalize the message with another thank you
o Close with a professional sign-off
• Use a synonym for “sincerely” e.g., respectfully, thankfully, best
wishes, and follow it with your full name
• Provide contact details below (phone number and email address)
• It is optional to include extra links such as LinkedIn or a personal
website).
• PROOFREAD – have someone peer edit the thank you response!
Source: The Astrix Blog
Helpful templates for your next thank you message!
EASY
Hi [Interviewer Name],
Thank you so much for meeting with me today. It was such a pleasure to learn
more about the team and position, and I am overly excited about the
opportunity to join [Company Name] and help [bring in new clients/develop
world-class content/anything else awesome you would be doing] with your
team.
I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps in the hiring process,
and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide additional
information.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Standard
Hi [Interviewer Name],
I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to your office today. It was great to
hear about [Name of company] goals for [company’s goals]. [Name of
company] seems like a wonderful place to work—and not just because you
mentioned [positive things mentioned about the company/role]! I really
admire the mission that drives your business and looks forward to the
opportunity to work with your team to implement some of the ideas I
mentioned around redesigning the homepage.
Please let me know if there is anything else you need from me to move the
process forward.
Have a great rest of your week,
Kyle Triston
Advanced
Hi [Interview Name],
Thank you so much for meeting with me today. I really enjoyed learning
more about your business trajectory at [Name of company] [something the
interviewer shared about the company] and where you see the company
going in the next couple of years.
To follow up on our conversation about [challenges the company faces and
how you plan to be an asset or provide solutions for the company.] I am
happy to discuss it further if you see it being a helpful resource.
I can tell [Name of company] is a special place to work, and I would be
thrilled to join such an innovative, hardworking, and passionate team of
individuals. Please let me know if there is anything else I can provide to make
your hiring decision easier.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Sources: Zety, The Muse
Why you should send a thank you, but no thank you message to a company if
you’re not interested
If you decide not to move forward in the process, out of respect, you
should respond after a couple of hours to be respectful of the hiring
manager’s time, and priorities to prevent insults. It is important not to
ghost an interviewer and withdraw from an opportunity on a bad note so
that you can still be considered for potential future openings you might
be interested in down the line. Also, keep in mind that many employers
have applicant tracking systems that keep records of permanent notes in
the candidate profiles.
• Always show your appreciation for being considered for the role
and thank the interviewer for their time
• Be Honest: Give a brief, good reason for withdrawing from the
hiring process – do not go into detail! -e.g. The pay was not
enough, need for flexibility for your current needs, the commute is
too arduous, not the right fit for the role
• Keep it positive! Leave the door open for other opportunities by
referencing something pleasant about the company or discussed
during the interview
• Wish the interviewer well and the best of luck in their search
Standard Template
Dear [Interviewer’s Name],
I am grateful for the opportunity to interview at [Company Name for Job
Title]. Since I initially put in my application for this position, I was offered—
and accepted—a job at another company, so I am respectfully declining this
offer.
I wish you all the best in your search for a candidate.
Thank you again for considering me for this position. Please do not hesitate to
get in touch if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Email
Phone
Advanced Template
Dear [Insert the name of the interviewer or hiring manager]
I am grateful that you offered me the position of [insert job position] and
trusted my suitability and experience for the role. However, after considerable
thought, I have concluded that I will not be able to accept this offer.
I was very much looking forward to being a part of [insert company name]
due to [insert areas you were excited about]. Unfortunately, I feel I have to say
no because [insert primary reason for declining the position – this can stretch
to a few sentences if needed].
It was a pleasure to talk to you and the rest of your colleagues during the
interview process. I wish you the best of luck.
Once again, thank you very much for the job offer.
Yours sincerely,
[Insert your name]
Sources: The Muse, WikiJob, The Balance Careers