Following the interview format in the LAND THE JOB YOU WANT training, there are four parts to a good thank you email.
#1 – Validate and acknowledge their time.
i.e. “I appreciate you blocking out time in your schedule for us to talk about the ________ position.
#2 – Confirm you understand their needs.
i.e. “From what I understand out of our meeting, the top the three things you’re looking for in the ideal candidate are…” or “…the top three things you’re looking to accomplish are…”. Then bullet the points and remember, be concise
#3 – Reiterate a few of the reasons why you believe you can help them accomplish what they are looking to accomplish. Be sure to list the things that ONLY apply to their needs. Do NOT list items that you’re proud of but are not applicable to their specific needs.
i.e. “Following are a few of the reasons why I believe I can hit the ground running and help you accomplish your goals:” or “…help make your life easier:” or “solve the big issue you’re dealing with:” or something specific to what you learned in the interview. Then follow with three, no more than five, bullets and if I haven’t mentioned it yet, remember to be concise.
#4 – Show enthusiasm for the position and assume the next step in the interview process. (only show enthusiasm if it’s genuine)
i.e. “I have to be candid; the more I learned today the more excited I got about being able to help your team. I’m really looking forward to the next step to gain a deeper understanding of what you're looking to accomplish and being able to address any concerns you might have. If I haven’t heard from you by _______, I’ll give you a quick courtesy call. (Three business days is a good general rule for follow-up. However, be conscious as to what they shared with you in the interview. i.e. If they are conducting first interviews through next Friday, reference following up on the following Monday. And, yes, you want to be up front about addressing concerns; it shows confidence and that you don’t hide from potential issues.)
The overall theme of the thank you email is that you are aware of their needs and it also reminds them of why you might be a good fit. (Don’t assume they remembered it or even ‘heard you’ in the interview.) The other advantage to this format is that when you go in for your next interview, the person you already interviewed with can simply forward your email to the new interviewer, setting the stage that you understand their needs and it’s clear how you can help them. This will give you a distinct advantage!
Remember to be professional in your tone but feel free to write the way you normally speak. If it’s too rigid or out of character, the email will look like you’re putting on a show to simply get what you want. Companies are already scared to death that the interview is the best they’ll ever see from a candidate and a too-professional style only perpetuates that fear. So, be yourself.
Rather than using the exact words I used in the examples, I encourage you to take a few steps back and look at the overall philosophy of this approach vs. cutting and pasting it. If you make it your own, you will be a lot more attractive.
Hand-written Note
In addition to the thank you email, follow up with a hand-written note and drop it in the mail no later than the next day. This note should be very short and casual.
i.e. “John, Thanks again for your time yesterday. I’m really excited about the position and looking forward to the next step. Sally”
