'I wanted to take a moment to thank you again...'
You've got up at the crack of dawn to prep, sweated in a coffee shop around the corner for an hour, sat nervously in reception, managed not to fluff some of the toughest job interview questions and then returned home to the office to pretend you've been at the dentist. Now you just have to wait to hear, right? Wrong. Apparently, the thank you email for a job interview is almost as key as the interview itself.
According to Business Insider, Whitney Purcell, associate director of Career Development at Susquehanna University says the optimum time to send your thank you email is '24 hours after your interview.' And even if it means you might need to send it from your current job, Purcell says the email must go 'during business hours – no 3 a.m. emails that make your schedule seem a little out of whack with the company’s traditional hours.'
But what should you write? Dr. Deborah Good, a professor at the University Of Pittsburgh Katz School Of Business, says the ideal thank you email for a job interview should read roughly* as follows:
Dear Ms. Gamble,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you again for the time you spent with me this afternoon. Interviews can be stressful, so I am very grateful for how comfortable you made me feel throughout the process. Your willingness to provide me with additional information on the Compensation Assistant position convinces me that this is a job I would enjoy, as well as one where I can be successful and make a valuable contribution to Major Bank.
It was very helpful to understand how your compensation assistant duties are similar to tasks I fulfilled during my internship at XYZ Bank.
Our conversation comparing the cultures of the two banks was most beneficial to me in recognizing the similarities and differences between the two, and convinced me that Major Bank is the place where I want to begin my career.
As a native Pittsburgher, the opportunity to begin my career at home is very exciting to me. The fact that I might begin that career at Major Bank makes this situation perfect.
Again, I appreciate the chance to interview with Major Bank, and the time you spent with me. You suggested that a decision on this position will be made next week. I look forward to hearing your choice. In the meantime, if there is any additional information you need from me, I will be happy to promptly provide it for you.
Sincerely,
John Doe
According to Professor Good, this thank you email ticks a number of boxes, including an attention-grabbing intro, professional language, tight wording and a direct tone. It also summarises the interview points, as well as providing a clear outline of the deadline so the interviewer is reminded to respond in time.
(*Though if you're planning a copy and paste job, just make sure you change ALL the details. You don't want your interviewer left wondering why you keep going on about 'Major Bank')
