5 Details You Must Include in Your Interview Thank-You Note

You already know it’s crucial to send a thank-you note ASAP after interviewing with an employer. But what should you say in it?

Here are five details you need to include in your thank-you note, which will ensure you make a positive impression on your interviewer and distinguish you from other applicants.

1. Appropriate greeting

When starting off your thank-you email, you can address your interviewer with a simple, “Hi [Interviewer First Name].” Reference the business card you collected at the end of the interview to ensure you spell your interviewer’s name and email address correctly. It would be a shame for the interviewer to penalize you in the hiring process because he or she never received your thank-you note, simply because you accidentally sent it to the wrong email address.

2. Expression of gratitude

This one is obvious—you need to thank your interviewer explicitly for meeting with you. Try a line that acknowledges the time commitment your interviewer made, such as, “Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to interview me today.” This phrase both expresses your gratitude and shows that you value the person’s time.

3. Specific details from your conversation

This aspect of the email can really make or break your thank-you note. It’s important to reference specific details from your conversation and show you really listened to your interviewer and took interest in the conversation. You need to create a customized thank-you note for each and every person who interviewed you. Sending a generic thank-you note will make you blend in with other applicants—and it could even hurt your candidacy, as interviewers can sense when a response seems canned. Even worse, if you interviewed with multiple people, they may compare your thank-you notes against one another, so it’s important that they not be all identical.

4. Reiteration of your interest in the position

While you have your interviewer’s attention, it’s a great time to reiterate your interest in the job and company. Interviewing is a two-way street, and candidates should be evaluating employers just as much as employers evaluate them. Yet not all candidates will think to express their desire in the position again, and doing so can help you stand out to your interviewer. For bonus points, tie in something you two discussed in the interview, mentioning how it reinforced your desire to work there even more.

 5. Call-to-action about next steps

End your email with a request for follow-up on the interviewer’s behalf. Say something along the lines of, “I hope to hear from the team soon about next steps in the process,” to remind the interviewer to follow up. Whether that means checking in with the recruiter to see what the next steps are, or responding to you directly, the interviewer will keep you top of mind and most likely get back to you. Thinking ahead shows you're serious about the future of the position and taking the initiative to do everything you can to move along in the process. These kind of traits can distinguish you from other candidates and push you one step further toward landing the job.