Thank-you letters – Tutorial

Managers Say Thank-You Letters are Essential. They are very important. And they are expected in many situations. For example, nearly 15 percent of hiring managers would reject a job candidate who forgot to send a thank-you letter after the interview.

Some useful tips
  • Write clearly
  • Be sincere--most people can feel when you aren't honest.
  • Stick to the point
  • Write the thank-you letter as soon as possible after the event (for a job interview, this should be within 24 hours of the interview).
  • Be specific and include details from the event. Make your letter stand out (be something special). Don't send a generic letter that could be to or from anyone.

Dear Mr./Ms.

Opening Paragraph

In your initial paragraph, compliment the interviewer or his company. Express your appreciation for his time/offer/help. In case of interviews/meetings, it’s good to be specific about the dates of the interview/meeting. Remember that "yesterday" is only yesterday while you are writing the letter!

Middle Paragraph (1 or 2)

Write more details about the meeting/interview/offer. Specify what you liked about it. You may write some more information associated (in case of a job interview, write more about your background, skills, and personality matching the needs of the potential employer.

Closing Paragraph

In the closing paragraph, thank the partner/client/employer again for their time.

Sincerely,
...

Study two sample emails:

SAMPLE 1

Dear Mr. Jenkins,

Thank you for the time you and your staff spent with me on Tuesday, November 18, to discuss the Sales Representative position currently available. This is exactly the type of opportunity I am seeking.

I am very impressed with what I learned about the J.R. Johnson Company’s six-month training program, especially the combination of classroom and on-the-job training.

As we discussed, I have two summers of sales experience. This has taught me the importance of goal setting, identifying customer needs, and organizing my time effectively.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to talk to you in more detail about a sales career with J.R. Johnson. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

John Jackson

SAMPLE 2

Dear Ms Dobbson, Your offer of help is truly appreciated at this time. I believe if we can get our cost estimates down, we should be able to have this proposal ready to send by the June 1st deadline. I know that by accepting your kind offer, we will both be having a difficult week and a half, but I would not be able to complete this within the time limit without your help. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Paul Wolton