Tips for the Best Formal Thank You

It is recommended that after going through an interview, it is an excellent idea to send one or more thank you notes or thank you letters. Employers appreciate receiving thank you through email, as well as, thank you letters that you place in an envelope, stamp it and mail through the Post Office.

A thank you note is a personalized piece of writing that communicates your appreciation for the interview opportunity you got. To complete a thank you note after an interview, prepare in advance and treat the note as a duty you must undertake to demonstrate a sample of your work.

The following steps will help you determine how to thank someone for an interview:

Have the correct name and addresses

Having the correct information about your interviewees is the essential aspect of writing a thank you letter for a job interview. Ensure that you collect business cards from your interview panel after the interview is over so that you can have the correct emails, addresses and correct spelling for each of the individuals. If you forgot to get their information, you can consult Google by searching for the business, and look through its directory for the addresses of your recruiters.

If looking up their contacts online proves unhelpful, humbly and apologetically contact the human resources manager or the recruiter and request for this information. Also, be aware that your interviewer may have traveled from a different location from the one you took your interview thus; avoid forgetting to ask for their business cards.

Use quality thank you notes or paper

The paper you use to write a thank you note is as important as the message you are going to write on it. Hence, if you choose to compose a handwritten note, use the recommended thank you notes available in stationery or card stores. Avoid the fancy cards or those containing flowers for when the thank you note is for formal job employers, but you can use them when writing to businesses such as a florist; as well as a resume.

When buying thank you note pads or papers, avoid the small ones as this limits the information you will write on it. Typically, thank you notes fold into two. Write your thank you letter after a job interview on the bottom half of the card to make your message visible to the reader, without having to turn it around. Also, try as much as possible to match the quality of the paper you write your thank you note on with the envelope.

Do not just copy your thank you

The genuineness of your thank you letter matters a lot to the reader. If you send a thank you letter in the form of an email, you should not use the same draft for your physical thank you. The two must be different as copying one from the other shows how lazy and unconcerned you are about appreciating others. A perfect sample thank you letter after interview should be real and communicate your genuine feelings towards the interview panel. You do not have to be dramatic and over creative, stick to how you feel and you will produce a perfect letter.

Write address correctly

The worst mistake you would make in writing a thank you letter is making simple mistakes. Such errors are unappreciated as they portray you as careless and inattentive. Be keen when writing people’s names to ensure you get the spelling right. Do not assume that just because you know how to spell a particular name that is how the individual you are writing to spells their name.

For example, the name Jennifer can be spelled Jenifer and Jon as John. Also, some individuals may have two surnames and using one instead of the two is a mistake you should avoid.

Put the right letter in the same envelope

Matching the right letter with the right envelope is essential. You do not need to do all this work of composing perfect notes, only for them to end up to the wrong recipient. Ensure you put the thank you note belonging to Mary in the envelope addressed to them and not into the envelope meant for Bill. It is a mistake that you cannot take back once you have mailed the letters thus; double check every correspondence before sending them.

Do not forget about the return address

Your return address is vital for the following reasons. One, in case your letter is not delivered to the person you intended it for, the Post Office can return the letter, and you will know it was not delivered. Two, in the instance the recipient does not remember you, your address and business can refresh their memory of you. Three, your address plus your contact information makes it easy for the recipient of your thank you letter to contact you without having to dig for your information from your resume.

Mastering the ability to draft an honest thank-you note is an important skill for any professional despite the career you are pursuing. Ensure you review all the information you need to write a thank you letter such as the name and address of the recipients, the message to write, and quality note or paper. Also, write original notes and emails, address the recipients correctly, match the letters and envelopes and always include a return address. Most of all check your spellings to avoid embarrassment.