You’ve just had your job interview.Bragging aside, you’ve nailed it. You managed to answer each and every question and you hit it off with the recruiter.A few days later, you receive a note from the company that starts with “Unfortunately”.How come?!You didn’t send a thank-you email after the interview.After all, a full 80% of HR managers consider thank-you emails helpful for reaching hiring decisions. Another 57% of recruiters go as far as dismissing candidates if they don’t send thank-you notes.So—knowing how to write a thank-you letter is critical. This guide explains how to do it and offers a sample you can copy, tweak, and use.The Logistics Behind Thank-You EmailsBefore we dive into the meat and potatoes of writing thank-you letters, let’s first see when you should send them.As a general rule of thumb, you need to send the email to the employer while you're still fresh in their mind.So—It’s best to do it within 24 hours of the job interview.An exception to this is when you have an interview on Friday. In that case, avoid sending the note over the weekend and do it on Friday afternoon or Monday morning instead.Pen a Strong Subject LineMost HR pros’ mailboxes are chock full of letters.To make sure your thank-you note gets opened, you need an attention-grabbing subject line.Below are two examples:

• Thank you for the interview, [interviewer’s name]

• Thanks for the interview on [12/12/2021]

Open with a Personal SalutationOne of the best ways to catch the interviewer’s attention is to mention their first or last name, depending on the type of company you’re interviewing with. If it’s a startup, you can be more casual and use a first name. But if you applied for a position at a corporate, it’s best to be more formal and go with a last name.Express Your Gratitude and Eagerness to JoinHere, it’s plain and simple:It being a thank-you email, you need to put your best foot forward to express your gratitude for the interview and underscore that you’re genuinely eager to join the ranks. Here, you can mention something that’s particularly exciting to you about the position. Remind the Interviewer Why You’re a Good Fit for the RoleTo make it easier for the interviewer to decide, quickly recap your key skills and/or past experience relevant to the job.

Laptop with screen saying, “I design and develop experiences that make people’s lives simple.” Image by Ben Kolde, via Unsplash.com.

It’ll help prove you fit the job like a plug in a socket.Add a Succinct Note That You Can Provide Additional InformationIf the HR professional has any further questions, remind them that you’ll be more than happy to provide additional information. Close with a Professional Sign-OffLast but not least, you need to end your thank-you email in class.Best way to do it?Sign off with a “best regards” synonym followed by your full name. Then, list your contact information (phone number and email address). Optionally, you can add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a personal site/portfolio.Sample Interview Thank-You EmailSubject line: Thank you for the interview, Emily.Hi Emily,Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me yesterday to discuss the Legal Assistant position at WishesKept. It was a pleasure to learn more about the firm’s history, its legal practices, and future plans.After the conversation, I grew even more eager to join the company. In particular, I like how you provide your employees with strong growth and development opportunities as well as the firm’s commitment to justice. As you’ve mentioned in the interview, the responsibilities for this role will be to optimize the firm’s transfer tax forms system for two estate attorneys. I’d like to underscore that I’ve worked with city administrative bodies to introduce an estate planning purpose process in my previous role, which helped lower the overall preparation time for non-Texas deeds with out-of-state attorneys by 15%. That’s why I’m certain my skillsets and professional experience will translate into similar success at WishesKept.Should you need any additional information, don’t hesitate to contact me.Sincerely yours,Your NameYour phone numberYour email address