TCW #030 | A definitive guide for interview thank you notes (with examples)

Avoid sending over a generic note (it can hurt more than it helps). And send it quickly. With example notes for all kinds of scenarios that you can borrow or adapt.

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This week, I’ll teach you how and when to write interview thank-you notes.

It always surprises me how few candidates write thank-you emails, especially when it’s so darn easy in the world of automation, AI and LLMs, Bard and ChatGPT, etc.

Even with those tools, we need to do a little bit more than just write a prompt and copy+paste the output.

My hunch is that’s what stops candidates from writing interview thank-you notes. We know they need to do better, but how much better? And what makes one interview thank-you note “better” than another?

Consider this your modern guideline for writing thank-you notes for tech roles. I’ll teach you how to balance effort, personalization, and timing to give you the best competitive edge in your job search.

Let’s dive in.

Why write interview thank-you notes

Let’s get things straight. Thank-you notes can’t reverse bad interview performance, nor will they get you from 5th place to 1st place in a competitive candidate pool. However, if you performed well in the interviews and are a top contender, they can help you with:

Metacognition. Reflecting on our experiences and what we can improve is a powerful way to improve your learning and long-term capabilities, and it has been shown to increase the number of job interviews a candidate lands. The process of writing a thank-you note forces metacognitive questions like “how did that go? what could have been better? where can I increase my knowledge or skills to perform better in the future?” The foundation for growth is understanding where you can improve, and metacognition (reflecting on what happened) is one of the most effective tools.

Standing out. Marketers know the value of having your brand and name out there in the collective subconscious. By writing thank-you notes, you get your name in front of their eyes one more time. If you write an excellent thank-you note, you can get a true competitive edge.

Connecting with interviewers. If you do end up working at this company, writing thank-you notes will leave an impression on your interviewers. It also gives you a starting point for your initial connections at work. Interviewers (now colleagues) become your go-to people for lunch in your first weeks. They can also answer quick questions to unblock you during onboarding and ramp-up.

When to write interview thank-you notes

After interviews, within 2 days (sooner is better)

Thank you notes have the strongest impact the sooner they are sent. This is especially true in a soft talent market, where interviewers may interview a new candidate every day for a full week or more, and then candidates start to blur together. Stay in focus and be memorable by reminding them of the positive experience you shared and by subconsciously tagging your name to it.

⚠️ While 1-2 days is the ideal time to send a thank-you note, you should not trade speed for quality. see the How to write interview thank-you notes section below to get specific details on how to write high-impact thank-you notes, rather than generic quickies (“Thanks for your time today”).

After offer acceptance (to key contacts)

Another great time to write thank-you notes is after you accept your offer. People you’ll want to include in your thank-you note victory lap parade include:

• your recruiter or HR contact

• the hiring manager

• friends and family who have made intros or helped you in your job search

These thank-you notes aren’t as critical for your job success, but they pay off big in other ways. For one, they provide cognitive and emotional resolution for people who went out of their way to help you be successful. Trust me — those people will remember your thoughtfulness for a long time.

Some examples you can use for inspiration:

Brief thank you note for your recruiter acknowledging their efforts.

Brief thank you note acknowledging the manager’s support in the hiring process and reiterating your enthusiasm for the role.

Brief celebration and thank you note to a friend or family member who helped you in your job search.

How to write interview thank-you notes

The four characteristics of powerful interview thank-you notes:

• Authentic and colloquial

• Brief (but meaty)

• Non-automated

• Non-generic

Here’s what that looks like: