I’m not sure how many people actually send thank you notes after they interview for a position, but I’ve been told that it’s not common. Which is a surprise to me, just because I was taught to follow-up with an employer. And, I suppose it’s not a surprise, since so many people are applying to jobs, and perhaps people either forget, or they just don’t believe it’s necessary.

For your own sake, it’s better to send a thank you, because the interviewer took the time out of their schedule to speak with you. Not to mention, it shows that you are grateful that they considered you as a good candidate for their company, and you can include anything that you were not able to talk about in the interview. Thank you notes can be sent as a simple email, so make sure you have the interviewer’s business card to get their email address! You can also send a hand-written thank you if you want to be more personal. These follow-ups should be sent out as soon as possible (no more than 48 hours after the interview). The sooner you do this, the better it will look on you!

A thank you note could look like this:

Include the address if your sending a note
Dean Thomas, Gallery Owner
3 High Street
Hedle End
Southampton
SO31 4NG
United Kingdom

(Start here if you sending an email)
Dear Mr. Thomas (aka Interviewer’s Name),

Thank you for meeting with me earlier today on May 23 (or whatever the date is). It was a pleasure talking with you about the Gallery Assistant position (position you applied for) at DT Galleries (the company name).

(Now, think of at least three things that were highlights of the interview. They could be about the company, or something that interests you about the position. For example, you might learn the company is thinking about expanding internationally, or that they are creating a new product that will be on the market soon. Maybe you found out more details about what the position you are applying for entails).

(This next part is reserved for anything else you would like to tell the interviewer. There may be a few things you didn’t get to mention, so now is the time to affirm your skills and knowledge to prove that your a good candidate for the position. If you have HTML/CSS skills, bring that up and say how those skills can help the company. Make sure that it is clear to the interviewer that you are still very interested in working with the company and for the position).

Again, thank you for considering me as a candidate for your company. I really appreciate it, and I hope to hear from you soon. Have a good day!

Regards,

(Your name, and titles you want to add)
Seamus Finnigan
University of Oxford 2010,
Art Administration

You don’t have to make it a long note, just enough so that the interviewer knows that you are interested in working for their company, and that you are willing to build a relationship with them. Gratitude will make you stand out from other applicants.

So the next time you have an interview, make sure you follow-up and say THANK YOU! The interviewers will appreciate it, and that extra courtesy might get you another interview, or even better, a job offer!