How to Write a Thank You Email After a Job Interview

Date Posted: 04/26/2016

Everyone likes to hear “Thank You” or “Salamat”.  When you hold a door open for someone and you hear them say “thank you”, somehow it makes you feel good.  If you don’t hear it you feel bad, unappreciated even.  To hold a door open takes a few seconds, an interview on the other hand takes anywhere from ten minutes to an hour.  According to Forbes, 91% of employers have reported that they like to receive an email to thank them for their time.  Further, a jobseeker study showed that 22% of employers did not hire an interviewee because they did not receive a thank you.

Here are some simple things to consider when writing a thank you email after an interview.

Why send a thank you note?

A thank you email will show that you follow-up on your work, interesado ka sa kinalabasan ng interview.  It will also improve how the interviewer feels about you, plus points para sayo!  If they liked you in the interview, they will like you even more!  If you and the interviewer didn’t click, sending a thank you is a great way to make them feel more positive about you.  Isang paraan ito na ma-impress sila sayo.  Finally, sending a thank you note will put you more freshly in their mind when thinking about the position they are filling, madali ka nilang maaalala.  Any time you are in their mind and in a positive light, it helps your chances of getting hired.

Don’t wait too long!

Hindi naman kailangang maging too excited din, you can email back within a day or two after the interview.  Any longer than one to two days, the “thank you” will seem like an afterthought. Kapag nag-send ka naman ng email agad-agad after the interview, baka maging desperado ka naman sa paningin nila.  It would then be best to send a thank you one to two days after the interview.

What should you say?

Include a comment about the interview.  Make sure na ang gagamitin mo lang ay puro good and positive words. This will show that you are attentive and you care about the interview. Make sure you mention the position you are applying for.  It is likely that employers are interviewing for multiple positions with many people. Reminding them of the specific position you interviewed for is definitely a must.  Banggitin mo din na excited ka at umaasa sa magiging trabaho mo sa kompanya.  A line or two mentioning how much you would enjoy the work you would be doing is enough to get the point across without being overly excited.

Isipin mo din iyong mga bagay na nagustuhan sa iyo ng interviewer. For example, kung nagustuhan nila iyong past work mo, mention that and connect it to the position you interviewed for.  Maaari mo din i-compliment iyong interviewer on the scope, or how interesting the questions they asked were. Mag-compliment ka din sa mga achievements ng company, magpapakita ito na interesado ka sa kompanyang ina-applayan mo.  It is always a good idea to pay a sly compliment when possible.

What not to say!

Do not use the thank you email as a way to talk about points you missed in the interview.  Hindi ito pahabol sa details ng interview mo, remember this email is to thank them for their time only. Write in a professional manner, no matter how well the interview went it is important to be professional.  ‘Wag gumamit ng mga smiley, text abbreviations katulad ng LOL, YOLO, or replace ‘you’ with ‘u’.  Hindi mo naman sila chat mates so please avoid these.  It is critical that you write in a full and articulate manner.

How will your interviewer feel?

When they read through your email, your interviewer will once again have you fresh in their mind.  Sana you really made a good impression at siguradong maaalala ka agad.  Next they will see how interested you are in the position.  Further, the email is your way to show-off your writing ability!  Ipakita mo ang kakayahan mo sa pagsusulat.  Be articulate and direct to the point in your writing. Showing these skills will make you more impressive and employable.

Before sending the email!

Double or triple check your spelling and grammar!  Nothing could be more disastrous than having a great interview, sending a great thank you email to follow up and having your possible employer find a spelling or grammar error.  Nakakahiya ito at baka ito pa ang dahilan na hindi ka matanggap sa trabaho.  It will totally destroy how they felt about you. So double and triple check your spelling and grammar!  Aside from misspelled words and wrong grammar, text message jargons, cyber slangs are definitely a big NO! Okay?

Attach a copy of your resume or CV to the email for them and if possible include a small picture of yourself, if your resume does not have it. Siguraduhin mo na ang attached resume ay ang katulad ng resume na na-submit mo. The picture you send should be a professional one. In it you should be clean and dressed professionally. The picture should be from just above the top of your head to the top of your shoulders with a smile. ‘Wag gumamit ng informal pictures like selfie pictures, outing pictures, graduation picture mo 5 years ago, at pictures na na-upload mo galing sa mobile phone mo, unprofessional ito.

Important note: if you were interviewed by multiple people, you should send them each a unique email if you have their email addresses. It would be best to comment in each person’s email about a particular aspect you enjoyed about that interviewer.  Patunay ito na attentive ka sa interviewer at seryoso ka sa trabahong gusto mong pasukan.