UVM Career Center Blog

So you passed the interview stage.  Now what??

Send a thank you message within a few days of the interview.

In addition to being courteous, a thank you demonstrates enthusiasm, reiterates interest in a position, and provides another shot at selling yourself for the job.  Plus it demonstrates strong communication skills!

It’s always beneficial to add more than just “thank you.”  But what should be included?

• Start with the pleasantries. Thank the employer for taking time to meet with you.  Tell them you enjoyed your conversation.  Discuss interest or excitement about this position and the company.
• Get specific. Talk about a key moment or expand on an answer.  Discuss personal skills and experiences and how they would be assets for the company.  If there was an important detail left out of the interview, highlight it—briefly.  If part of the interview didn’t go as well as planned, address that here (but don’t make excuses).  Make a connection to information the employer gave during the interview.  Say something like, “When you told me about x, I thought about y.”
• Sign off. Let the employer know how you’ll follow up, and thank them again.

Whether to email or mail the thank you depends on the preference of the employer or on the type of interview (phone vs. in person).  The time frame for notification could also dictate how it should be sent. (You don’t want the employer to receive your the note—by mail—the day after they’ve made their decision, right?)

Here are a few more tips:

• If the interview was with more than one person, send each one a customized note.
• Keep the thank you concise.  It doesn’t need to be as long as a cover letter.
• As always, remember to proofread… Don’t send a note that reads “thanks you.”

After the thank you has been sent, wait.  If you haven’t heard from the employer by the time they specified, follow up by phone or email and express your continued interest.

You’ll find a lot of different advice on how to say thank you.  The most important thing is that you do it – one way or another.

~Abbey, Career Peer Mentor