Are you a fresh graduate looking for a job to gain experience? Or an applicant that’s been around looking for a position that follows your dreams and passions? Have you recently applied for a job and haven’t heard anything back from the employer yet? Did you know that 75% of job applicants never get a reply from their employer while 60% never hear anything back from a potential employer after a job interview. With that information, what can you do to increase your chances of getting an answer or feedback from the employer? Writing a Thank You Email is one of the few steps you can take to increase your chances of getting a response from the employer. This often serves as a key factor for success as 80% of hiring managers said that they take Thank You Emails into account. While they are expecting candidates to send a Thank You Email after an interview, only 24% of the candidates actually follow through with the email. This can help you stand out to employers and from other applicants. Today, we are going to give you tips on what should be the Subject, Key Points and Timing of your Thank You Email.
There can be two ways to start your Thank You Email. But first you have to know the subject of your email and follow either one of these approaches. The subject of your email should be related to your interaction with the employer. For example, Interview date for a position in the customer service department. In the email, you can start by introducing yourself first. One possible approach is the Formal Approach, which states [Your name] and then the message. This one is an acceptable method that shows professionalism and work ethics. The second approach is the Personal Approach where you introduce [Your name] plus something that can help the recruiter remember you. For example, [John] plus The candidate with international background and then followed by the message.
The next aspect you have to remember are the key points that should be included in your Thank You Email. In writing your email to the recruiter, you may want to start by appreciating their time and effort. This fulfills two functions. First, you recognize their time spent on the interview. The second purpose is that the employers are now aware that you have a work ethic which is always an advantage when it comes to finding employment. Recruiters and employers are more drawn in working with other people that share the same work ethic. They also see potential in applicants that values the effort and time of other people. The next point is to mention specific details that were discussed or mentioned during the interview. For instance, this can include the culture in the company, the employer's plan which can help you make your email more personal, or other values that the company is looking for. Lastly, you can include the relevance between you and the position to emphasize that you’re still interested in working for their company. Keep in mind that you should not include any new topics that were not discussed during the interview with the recruiter.
One final note, timing is the key in a successful Thank You Email. Time really plays a huge role when it comes to recruitment as well as sending your Thank You Email as it can help the employer remember you as an applicant. Ideally you want your first email to be sent right after the interview. This lets the employer know that you are eager to work with them and that you have the work ethic, attitude and professionalism they require. This can help them notice you from the crowd. In case you have not heard anything from the recruiter, the second email could be sent after a week upon sending the first email. If the interviewer told you it takes two weeks for them, then wait for two weeks. Finally, send your third Thank You Email if you still haven’t heard from them after two weeks. After that, you won’t be sending any Thank You Email as three emails is the maximum before you sound annoying to the recruiter and employer. When sending these Thank You Emails, it is recommended to use the same email thread for follow up. Every follow up email, you may mention different things that were discussed during your interview with the recruiter.
In summary, Thank You Emails are not an obligatory action you have to do in the process of job seeking. However, it can immensely help you increase your chances of hearing back from your employer and also developing a work ethic that sets you apart from all the other candidates for the same job position. Just remember to take note of the three main points of writing a Thank You Email. Know your subject and approach, remember your key points in writing your message and lastly, take note of the timing for sending your emails. With this in mind, you will be writing Thank You Emails like a pro.
References:
Human Capital Institute. (2018, October 1). Statistics: Rethink your candidate experience or ruin your brand. https://www.hci.org/blog/statistics-rethink-your-candidate-experience-or-ruin-your-brand#
Madell, R. (2022, October 13). Do you need to send a thank-you note after a job interview? | FlexJobs. FlexJobs Job Search Tips and Blog. https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/do-you-still-need-send-thank-you-note-after-job-interview/#
Do interview thank you emails really matter? (2022, December 15). Modern Hiring Software & Applicant Tracking System | Breezy HR. https://breezy.hr/blog/do-interview-thank-you-emails-matter
This is going to be helpful especially for newly graduates like me, thanks!