Sending a thank you email after a job interview is a great way to keep the connection going with the interviewer. It shows your appreciation, positions you as a strong candidate and makes a good impression.
1. Why consider sending a thank you email after a job interview?
2. What to include in a thank you email after a job interview
3. Things to consider before sending an interview thank you email
4. Thank you email templates
Why consider sending a thank you email after a job interview?
There are a few ways a post-interview email can benefit you, including:
Demonstrates enthusiasm
Employers are aware that some candidates will be interviewing for multiple roles, so a thank you email is a great way to assure them of your enthusiasm for and commitment to the role.
Not all candidates do it
With only 24% of candidates following up after an interview to say thank you, being one of the interviewees that does is an easy way to stand out from others and create a personal touch.
It makes you more memorable
After a day of interviewing, it can be hard for hiring managers to keep a clear picture of each candidate’s performance. A follow up email builds on the good connection you created with the panel during the interview and creates a positive lasting impression.
Extra opportunity to showcase your personality and skills
Use the email as a chance to briefly restate your education, employment history and personality, and why these make you a great choice for the role.
What to include in a thank you email after a job interview
Every job and organisation is different, so every interview email you send will change slightly depending on the role. But there are a few things to include in every post-interview thank you email:
1. Professional subject line
The subject line is the first thing the hiring manager or recruiter will see, so keep it short, professional and friendly. Something like ‘Thank you for your time’, ‘Great to meet you’, or ‘Thank you for the interview’ would work for any kind of role.
2. Personalised greeting
By the job interview stage, you’ll know the names of either the recruiter or hiring manager (or both), so include them in the first line of your email. You could say ‘Hello [their name]’ or ‘Dear [their name]’ depending on how formal you’d like to be.
3. Thank the panel for their time
Let the interviewer know you appreciate them taking time out of their working day to interview you. You could also mention that you’re grateful they answered your questions or gave additional information about the role and company, if this is something they did during the interview.
4. Reiterate your suitability for the role
The bulk of your thank you email after the interview should reiterate the qualifications, experience and knowledge you can bring to the job. This doesn’t need to be in depth, as they will have enough detailed information from your application and interview answers, so a sentence or two should be enough.
5. Attach anything you brought to the interview
If you were asked to prepare something for your interview, such as a portfolio or presentation, it’s worth attaching a version of these to your thank you email. This way the interviewers can remind themselves of what you prepared when deciding who to hire or bring back for a second interview.
6. Willingness to answer additional questions
One of your closing lines should mention that you’re happy to answer further questions. A line like ‘If you have any more questions about my application, feel free to get in touch’ or ‘I’m happy to answer any other questions you may have’ demonstrates your willingness to help and that you’re an amenable and flexible person.
7. Contact details
Make it easy for the recruiter or hiring manager to get in touch with you by including your contact details at the end of the email. Make sure the email comes from the email address you’d like to use for further communication and include your phone number too, so that they have more than one way of contacting you.
8. Professional ending
When it comes to signing off the thank you email, choose a professional phrase such as ‘Best wishes’, ‘Kind regards’ or ‘Looking forward to hearing from you’ followed by your name. If you’re writing a formal post-interview email, consider ending it with ‘Yours sincerely’.
Things to consider before sending an interview thank you email
Now that you have the basic structure to your email, there are a few extra things to consider when constructing it.
- Email length – aim for no longer than 3 short paragraphs (around 2 – 3 sentences) or 2 longer paragraphs (around 4 – 5 sentences). They don’t need a retelling of your cover letter or interview answers, so keep it concise.
- When to send – send the email no more than 24 hours after your interview finishes.
- Formal vs informal – base the formality of your email on how formal the interviewer was with you during previous communication. Try to mirror their tone of voice and level of professionalism.
- Who to address it to – if you have their details, address the email to the person you know is going to manage the role. If you don’t have this information, send it to the person who led the interview or the recruiter who put you forward for the role.
Thank you email templates
Use the samples below as a basis for your thank you email. Remember to make it your own and adjust it so that it feels like something you would write.
1. Concise email
Subject line: Thank you for the interview
Dear/Hello Natalie,
Thanks again for taking the time to meet with me this morning about the Junior Graphic Designer role. I enjoyed meeting the panel and learning more about the position.
It sounds like a creative and collaborative role with opportunities to learn from others and develop my skills. I think my degree in Graphic Design and freelance design experience would make me a great candidate. I have attached my portfolio of previous design work for you to take a look through.
Please get in touch if you need any more information from me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards,
Bethany Mathers
[Email address]
[Telephone number]
2. Informative email
Subject line: Thank you for meeting with me
Dear/Hello Natalie,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning about the Junior Graphic Designer role. It was great to meet the panel, get to know more about the role and discuss my application further.
It sounds like a creative and collaborative role with opportunities to learn from others and develop my skills. I think my degree in Graphic Design from Nottingham Trent University and the design work I have created for my university’s student radio, as well as event venues and independent clothing companies in Nottingham make me an excellent candidate. I have attached my portfolio of previous design work for you to take a look through.
Please get in touch if you need any more information from me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards,
Bethany Mathers
[Email address]
[Telephone number]
3. Informal email
Subject line: Great to meet you
Hi Natalie,
Thank you very much for meeting with me earlier. I really enjoyed meeting you and the panel and learning more about the Junior Graphic Designer position.
The job sounds creative and I would love the opportunity to work with and learn from others in the team. I think my degree in Graphic Design and freelance experience would make me a great addition to your team. I’ve attached my portfolio of design work so you can see the experience and skills I have.
Feel free to contact me if you need any more information.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Bethany
[Email address]
[Telephone number]
4. Professional email
Subject line: Thank you for the interview
Dear Ms Lyons,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the Design Lead position this morning. Our conversation about marketing and design trends was valuable, and I appreciate the insight you gave into the company’s goals and how the Design Team’s work will support them.
I believe the scope of the role is an ideal fit for my knowledge and skills. With a master’s in Graphic Design and over 10 years’ experience in leading teams to execute large-scale projects, I believe I would make a valuable contribution to the Design Team and the wider company.
Please find attached my portfolio which outlines the projects I’ve worked on throughout my career.
If you require any more information from me, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
Bethany Mathers
[Email address]
[Telephone number]
After sending an interview thank you email, you may hear back from the hiring manager or hear nothing at all until they get in touch about the outcome of the interview. But no matter the response, thank you emails don’t take a long time to write and, as we’ve outlined above, can benefit your job application in many ways – so they are worth investing some time into sending.
Looking for a new job? Whether you’re on the lookout for a permanent position, or a flexible role that works around your other commitments, Unitemps offers a range of job opportunities across the UK. Browse our current vacancies.
This article was written by Becky Marrow.
Last updated on 22 May 2025
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