Have you ever realized, interviewing is a lot like the Cinderella fairytale? You dress up, go to the big event, show your best behavior, and hope the shoe fits at the end. You want to make a regal impression on your interviewers, but instead of leaving a glass slipper, you want to leave a perfectly crafted and unique thank you note. How can you write an interview thank you note worthy of a royal summons?

How to Write a Thank You Note After an Interview

Choose mail or email. How will you deliver your interview thank you message? A professional email is the quickest way to follow up while the interview is fresh, but it runs the risk of getting lost in an overflowing inbox or arriving during the hubbub of the interview process. A handwritten thank you card is more formal and more likely to stand out in this digital age, but may not arrive as timely. (Shortly after her hire, my friend’s boss admitted her handwritten thank you note gave her the edge over another candidate who emailed a thank you—delivery matters!) A longstanding law firm may prefer a handwritten card, whereas an engineering startup may prefer an email. I would not recommend sending an email and a card, which can be overkill.

Thank each of your interviewers. Each person seated on your panel interview should get their own note, personalized for them. (Taking notes during the interview will help you remember who said what.) As you think about each person, ask yourself how you might have connected, remember any laughter or jokes, and try to gauge who was relaxed and friendly versus who was all business. These will give you a starting point for tone and content for each letter, such as Dear Sharon versus Dear Ms. Jones.

Choose what you’ll say. You’ve already pitched your business skills, so no need to “sell” now! Thank the interviewers for their time, and remind them how excited you are about this opportunity. After you’ve chosen an appropriate salutation, write three sentences in that same tone:

• Thank the interviewer for meeting. You could try, “Thank you so much for meeting with me today,” or “Thank you for making my interview so lively!”
• Mention a detail that stood out to you. Choose a humorous moment, something you had in common, or something interesting said about the organization. You could try, “It’s always exciting to meet a fellow Angels fan,” or “I love how your company prioritizes team building.”
• Reinforce your interest. But again, don’t go for overkill. You could try, “I’m even more excited to join the company’s team, and I hope to see you again as a colleague,” or “I am even more interested in working for the company! I look forward to hearing from you.”

Interview Thank You Notes, In Conclusion

It might not turn a pumpkin into a carriage, but this magic will make a polite and enthusiastic thank you note that hits all the right points. When done well, your note will refresh the unique impression you made at the interview—hopefully enough to receive a royal summons, especially if the slipper fits!