Tips to Writing Thank You Letters

Write a thank you letter immediately after the interview.

Thank you letters should be sent after someone has given you helpful career advice or a job interview. If you wonder whether you should send one, do; it is not going to hurt anything to send a letter of thanks. These letters do not have to be extensive; in fact, shorter is often better.

Make it Timely

Thank you letters should be written as soon as you have gotten home from the interview. Your thoughts and experience will still be fresh in your mind, and you will have an easier time of writing the letter. Be sure to mail it out right away, as well. It doesn't do you any good to be saved on your computer for two weeks. Put it in the mail the same day or no later than 24 hours after your interview.

Make it Short

A thank you letter is not your resume, although it should highlight an item or two you think are important. Keep the letter to one side of one page. You want the person reading it to read the entire thing. Ideally, have three paragraphs --- thank the interviewer in the first paragraph, talk about your thoughts and experience at the company and how you believe you will be a good fit in the second paragraph, and thank the interviewer once more in the final paragraph.

Make it Professional

Type your thank you letter on your computer and print it out on nice paper. Do not hand write your note; it will look rushed and they may not be able to read your handwriting. Be sure that you use the spell check feature, and go over every word yourself. There is nothing worse than a spelling mistake when you are trying to make a good impression on a potential future boss. Do not use a nickname for yourself when signing off, or try to make a joke in the middle of the letter; there may be a time for that later once you are hired, but not now.

Make it Unique

Don't write a form thank you letter where you fill in the blank with the company's name and address. People can spot form letters a mile away. Instead, write a letter for each company. It will take longer, but these letters will also get a better response from the hiring manager. Make sure to mention something you liked about the company, and include any information you feel the manager might need that didn't get passed along earlier at the interview.

References

• Work Tree: Tips for Writing Thank You Letters
• Resume Help: Thank You Letter Tips
• Write Express: Thank You Letters