Thank You Notes

When should you send a thank you note?

Always send a thank you note immediately after any interview, including interviews conducted via phone, video, in-person, on- or off-campus.  Aim to send a thank you note as quickly as possible, aiming for the same day or the following day. 

Is email or postal mail appropriate?

If the employer notes a quick turn-around time for additional interviews or a final decision, email may be preferred. Use a subject line, such as "Thank You" or something similar that will be easily seen in a busy in-box. 

If there is a longer timeline or postal mail feels more in line with the specific employer, a mailed note may be preferred.  Contact your career counselor with specific questions about the appropriate method. 

What is the appropriate format and length?

A thank you note should be concise.  Approximately two short paragraphs should be sufficient to thank the employer for their time and consideration.  Address the note properly and double-check the spelling of the employer and recipient's name.  

Your note should show appreciation for the interviewer's time, reference key parts of your conversation, and reiterate your interest in the position.  You may also invite requests for additional information and provide grounds for follow-up.

Be sure to proofread!  A thank you note with a grammatical or spelling errors does more harm than good! 

Review these Thank You Note Samples for a general template. 

How do you handle a thank you note for a panel interview and/or multiple consecutive interviews?

Following a panel interview or multiple interviews with the same employer (such a firm call-back interview), you have a couple of options. You can either send several thank you notes, thanking each interviewer for his/her time, or you can compose a collective note for all.

Remember to note the name of each interviewer and locate their contact information.  If possible, request a business card from each participant.  Do not send a generic thank you note to each individual participant.  Instead, be sure to draft a thoughtful note to each individual.  If you elect to send one collective thank you note, address your note to your primary contact and reference the other participants.