Check out our article where we explain how to write a thank you email after an interview!
Sometimes, the most important part of your interview comes after you leave. It might sound unrealistic, but a strong thank you email after an interview can be a deciding factor on an offer. We have helped 700+ people land great jobs and we know that these emails are some of the most important you will send in your career.
So, how can you make sure that your emails will wow the recruiter? Here are our data-backed tips on how to write a strong thank you email after an interview.
1. Make sure to personalize
This is not the time to cut corners. This email has a few different purposes. The first is, of course, to thank the interviewer for taking time to talk to you. But, it is also to remind them of the conversation so that they can write a stronger assessment of you. If they don’t remember what you talked about, then they are likely not going to fight for you if it comes to that. Therefore, your email should be extremely personalized based on the conversation you had and the role and team of the interviewer. You should have a notebook handy during the session so that you can take notes as well. This will help you craft the perfect email afterwards.
When you personalize the email, make sure to keep it as positive as possible. Tell them how much you enjoyed learning about their role, team, and the company mission from their perspective. Include specifics about what you discussed to jog their memory.
Template for a personalized thank you email after an interview:
Hi [interviewer name],
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today!
It was great to learn more about the exciting work you are doing at [company] to [solve problem – ex: use machine learning to revolutionize the grocery store shopping experience]. I especially enjoyed our conversation on [specific topic and how it relates to you/your experience].
I’m looking forward to continuing on in the process with [company] and hope to meet more folks on the team soon.
All the best,
2. Correct any mistakes
If you struggled in one of your technical interviews, you can make it up in the thank you email. Fellows in our program have had a lot of success when they follow up on problems in these messages.
This is a tricky email to get right, so keep these points in mind:
- Still start the email by thanking the interviewer for their time and bringing up a few key topics that came up in the session.
- Then, you can touch on the issue you had during the interview. Make sure you do not sound defensive. This is not an argument, it is just a follow up.
- Explain that you were thinking about the question after the session ended and you realized that you could have solved it differently/gone about it in a different way.
- Briefly describe the new answer and thank them for their time again.
Template for a thank you email where you are correcting a mistake:
Hi [interviewer name],
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today!
It really enjoyed learning about all of the interesting work that the [role] team is doing at [company] to [achieve company mission ex: use machine learning to revolutionize the grocery store shopping experience].
I was reflecting on the interview process after I finished the session and I realized that I could have [solved the problem in a more optimal way]. [More info – ex: The systems problems were very interesting and I’m researching more in-depth details of segmentation faults [other things]. [Optional: I also loved solving [problem] and wanted to write up working code].
One thing that I found particularly exciting during the session was that the team has the opportunity to [do something interesting – ex: work with real shopkeepers to ensure the platform meets their needs]. I am confident that I can use my past experience [in xyz – ex: as a hybrid product manager and software engineer] to make an impact on this team and this goal.
I’m looking forward to continuing on in the process with [company] and hope to meet more folks on the team soon.
All the best,
3. Don’t forget to thank the recruiter too
Sending thank you emails to the interviewers who met with you is important, but it is also a good idea to thank the recruiter who set up all of the sessions. This email is beneficial because it brings your name to the top of their inbox, which can be helpful in expediting the process. Plus, if you were not able to get the email addresses for your interviewers, you can use this email to get the information from the recruiter so you can send thank you emails.
Here is a template you can use for your thank you email to the recruiter:
Hi [recruiter name],
Thank you so much for organizing the interviews today! It was a long day, but I had a blast.
It was great to chat with [names of interviewers] and learn more about what they are each doing on [teams]. I am really excited about all of the important work being done at [company] in the [space]. I really see how my background and skills can help accomplish their goals.
I’d like to send emails to [interviewer names] to thank them for chatting with me. Can you please give me their email addresses? If not, would you pass along my thanks to each of them?
Please let me know if you need anything else from my end. Looking forward to hopefully continuing along in the process and meeting even more folks at the company.
Best,
Using these templates and being polite to the recruiters and interviewers will help as you move through the process with companies. Personalizing your messages will also show that you are thoughtful and interested in the company and the work that they do.
With these tips & templates at your disposal, we hope you have learned how to write a thank you email after an interview so you can end your sessions confidently. For even more help with your follow up emails, check out our article.
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