How to stand out with a game-changing thank you note

Oftentimes, the most overlooked aspect of the interviewing process is the post-interview thank you note. Whether it’s the first or final round, someone you know or just met, a well-written thank you note can set you apart from other candidates.

While your resume and interviewing prowess can surely do that for you, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to the individuals you just talked to.

If you really want the job, you can spare the five minutes it takes to curate a personalized thank you note. Even if you don’t want the job after the interview, don’t be rude — express some gratitude for them taking time out of their day to speak with you.

Here’s how you can kill it with your post-interview thank you notes:

We all like to feel important and prioritized. By simply addressing your interviewer with “Hello, Mr./Mrs. (insert last name).” or “Mr./Mrs. (insert last name):”, it shows you’re still being formal and professional, but made a connection with them. If there are multiple interviewers, personalize separate emails for each of them. It shows that you genuinely appreciate both of them.

Do NOT copy and paste previous thank you notes with someone else’s name on there. It shows carelessness and could derail your chances of getting another interview or consideration for the job itself. It’s always best to freshly-compose an email to your interviewer(s) so it feels more personalized. Better yet, you won’t accidentally send them an email with the wrong name on there. That’s a biggg yikes.

For your introductory paragraph, go into thanking them for their time and stating how you enjoyed your conversation. Bring up specifics about what you enjoyed talking about, whether it be the company culture, the company’s vision for the position, or anything of the sort.

If you made a personal connection through your university or a common interest such as a movie or sports team you’re both fans of, lighten the mood by putting a quick note in there about that.

If you talked to multiple people, don’t say the same thing to both of them. Remember what you talked about with each individual person and bring that up only for them.

Once you’ve gone through that step, now is absolutely not the time to hype yourself up and say “how great of a fit” you’d be. Of course you think that — everyone applying for that same job does, and will probably give the hirers that same spiel.

This doesn’t mean you can’t provide an example or two of what you can bring to the company. Come up with clear, concise examples of what you could do if given the opportunity, based on your conversations.

Lastly,  leave a little something asking them to let you know if they need anything else moving forward. Then thank them again for their time, wish them a good day or weekend depending on the time of the week, and express how you’re looking forward to speaking with them soon.

Boom. You’ve done it. A well-executed thank you note! You can thank us later.