A lot has changed throughout the years with the job interview process, and what steps are taken to be hired into a new position.

In today’s day in age a lot of people are asked to do phone interviews or video interviews rather than an in-person interview, which  you can do from your phone or laptop in the comfort of your own home. 

One thing that has not changed over the years is the advantages of sending a thank-you note after your interview, except now it is more common and effective to send a thank-you email.

Sending a thank-you email is a great chance to show your appreciation for the opportunity to interview, and to express your interest in the open position and the company. 

It can also help to aid their decision making if they are closely considering you and another candidate, if you take the extra time and effort to send a thank-you email after the interview. 

Here is how to write a thank-you email after an interview, so that you can leave a positive impression on the employers and stand out against other candidates.

 1. Begin with a clear subject line 

The first step in writing a thank-you email after an interview is to start with a clear subject line. It is important to be short and straight to the point. 

It is beneficial to include the phrase ”thank you” and the title of the person who interviewed you with their name, or your own name. 

This allows the employer to know exactly what the email is about, which increases the chances that they read the email. 

Some examples of email subject lines are:

2. Start with a personalized greeting

It is best to begin the thank-you email with a personalized greeting. 

Address the person who interviewed you by name, and if more than one person interviewed you, make sure that you send a separate email to each person.

Start by saying something such as Hello [interviewer’s name] or Good Morning [interviewer’s name] so that it is kind and personalized.

3. Show your appreciation for them

After you start with your personalized greeting, then it is time to show your appreciation for them and for their time. 

Start by saying “thank you!” and express your gratitude to them by saying that you really appreciate the time they spent to interview you.

Make sure that you sound genuine and sincere while doing this, so that it does not come off as forced. 

4. Reference something specific from the interview

The next step in writing a thank-you email is to reference something specific that was spoken about during the interview, so that the interviewer knows that you wrote the email specifically for them. 

This makes your email more personalized as well, and lets them know that you spent the time and effort to write this email after the interview. 

It is best to bring up something about the position that was discussed in the interview and address how you will be a good fit for the role, but if you want to be even more personal, you can bring up a different topic as well that was spoken about in the interview.

Either way, make sure that the topic you bring up and the response you give in the email is respectful and appropriate, and provides more reason to choose you for the position.

5. Restate your interest in the position 

It is important to restate your interest in the position during your thank-you email, so that the interviewer and hiring manager has no doubt that you would take the job if they extended an offer to you.

Hiring managers do not want to waste time on candidates that are not a good fit, and that might not even want to take the job.

Explain why your skills and qualifications will make you a good fit for the role, and will help you to excel in the position.

It is also beneficial to let them know what you are excited to hear about the next steps moving forward.

6. Say that they can contact you in the meantime

Make sure that you let the interviewer know that they can contact you at any time if they have any questions or concerns throughout the hiring process.

Let them know that you can also provide any additional information that they may need to make their final decision.

7. Wrap it up professionally

After your email is complete, make sure that you end with a professional wrap-up. 

Thank them again for their time, and for considering you for their open position. 

Make sure that you close the email by using phrases such as “Best Regards” or “Sincerely”, with your full name below it. This is the most professional way to end an email.

Put your basic contact information below that sign-off, including your telephone number and email address. This will make it easy for them to contact you when needed, and hopefully to extend you an offer for the position!