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How Do I Write an Interview Thank You Note?

By on February 18, 2024
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Sending a thank you note after a job interview is an excellent way to help yourself get ahead in this world.

It can be difficult to stand out in the job market, but one great way to get a little extra attention is to send a hand-written thank you note after you have an interview.

People so rarely get a hand-written card or letter these days that it is often a welcomed surprise. It also shows a prospective employer that you are thoughtful, considerate and genuinely interested in the job.

Selecting a card is usually pretty easy. You can find thank you notes available at dollar-type stores, grocery stores and Hallmark stores. Be sure to find ones that are glitter-free and not waxy, so you can use your favorite fountain pen. Not only is glitter deadly to your favorite nib, people–especially in a business environment–really hate getting it all over their hands, clothes and desk. Glitter just never lets go and can seemingly hang around for eternity. For the design of the card, keep it simple and business-like…not too frilly.

Writing the message is the easy part. Take your time and use your best penmanship. Address it to the person you interviewed with who will most likely be making the decision to hire you and be your boss. In the first sentence, thank them for the interview, while reminding them what position you applied for. Then personalize it by saying something nice about your discussion, referencing a specific moment during their interview that you hope they remember. Start wrapping up the note by stating your desired outcome for the interview. Close with “Sincerely,” and by signing your name under it.

Below is an example for a rather amusing job. You might want to write a slightly more serious thank you for a more serious job.

Dear Ms. Fowler,

Thank you for letting me interview for the position of whoopee cushion injection-mold supervisor at The Wacky Factory. I had a gas demonstrating my expertise at whoopee cushion inflation and activation. I look forward to your decision and hope to be working with you soon.

Sincerely,
F. Artemis

Don’t Forget Your Thank You Notes

By on December 26, 2013
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Pen afficianados are a pretty polite group of people, but in case you weren’t sure to do about all the great gifts you got this holiday season, don’t forget to write your thank you notes.

Even notorious murderer and thief Clyde Barrow was courteous enough to write a thank you note. He made sure to take a quick break from life on the run with Bonnie in 1934 to thank Henry Ford for building superior getaway cars!

Even notorious murderer and thief Clyde Barrow was courteous enough to write a thank you note. He made sure to take a quick break from life on the run with Bonnie in 1934 to thank Henry Ford for building superior getaway cars!

The three-sentence thank you note is rapidly becoming a lost art form, and that is a shame. If someone goes through the trouble to find you a gift or do a favor, you should thank them. While an e-mail might be sufficient these days, a handwritten note or card is the ultimate way to go if you want to brighten their day. How often does anybody get happy mail in their mailbox these days?

Little thank you cards are ideal, as it is easy to fit in a 3-sentence message.

There is no great trick to composing the perfect thank you. Thank them for their gift, which you should name. Tell them why you like it. Tell them how you are going to use it. Sign it, and you are done!

Don’t limit your thank you notes to gifts. Write them for job interviews and other business matters. Job candidates who send actual thank you notes after an interview are statistically far more likely to get a call back or job. If it comes down to you and a less grateful job candidate, who do you think is getting the job? There are tons of reports out every year about this phenomenon.

You just closed a large business deal…send a thank you note. Thank yous help you stand out in other people’s memories. Who do you think they will turn to when a new product or service is needed? The guy or gal who sends a thank you note will stand out better in their memories.

If you need inspiration for a good thank you note, check out this link to 11 famous thank yous at the Mental Floss website. Notes range from personalities as big as President Reagan’s to Marilyn Monroe’s. My favorite was a missive written by notorious thief and murder Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie and Clyde fame) to Henry Ford! Barrow thanks Ford for making his V8s so fast and durable that they are the vehicle of choice when a getaway car is needed.