What to Say In Your Interview Thank-You Email or Call

What to Say In Your Interview Thank-You Email or Call What to Say In Your Interview Thank-You Email or Call You just returned from the job interview and you know you need to thank the hiring manager for the meeting. But what exactly should you say? Here’s what you need to know. When it comes to following up after an interview, a survey by Accountemps found that managers prefer an interview thank-you email or call by an 8-1 margin over a text. So, save that overly casual “nice 2 meet with U 2day” text for conversations with your friends. Here are some tips for an effective interview thank-you note or call: Get moving. Whatever form of communication you choose, you want to offer your thanks within 24 hours of the interview. Keep it brief. An interview thank-you email should be no more than two paragraphs long and a phone call should only run a few minutes. Remind the person why you’re great. Bring up points from the conversation you had with the hiring manager. For example, if a prospective employer stressed that the position calls for knowledge of PowerPoint, use your thank-you to remind the person that you’ve worked with this application before. For example, “My experience updating PowerPoint presentations for our sales team the past four years would be an ideal match to your need for PowerPoint expertise.” You might also personalize the thank-you to mention any commonalities, such as a shared business connection or personal interest. Smooth over any issues. The interview thank-you note or call is your chance to address any concerns the hiring manager expressed, especially if you were unable to do so in the interview. Perhaps the interviewer was worried about your lack of industry-specific experience, and during the interview you forgot to mention a temporary position you held in the sector. You can bring it up, along with a few points about how that experience contributed to your knowledge of or interest in the field. Thank everyone. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, you’ll want to thank each person. Send emails to or call specific individuals, even if you have to do some research to uncover the spelling of someone’s name or locate his or her contact information. Also make sure you don’t say the same thing to everyone; hiring managers often compare notes. What is your preferred method of contacting interviewers after you meet? Do you call or send an interview thank-you email? Or perhaps you prefer the more traditional handwritten note? Related Articles: A Recruiter Tells All: Why You Didn’t Get the Job Want Your Writing Skills to Impress? Use This Checklist! The Write Stuff: 5 Steps to Building Your Written Communication Skills