Thank-You Letters

There’s a lot more to thank-you letters than cute stationary and wedding gifts.  Business thank-you letters should be used on many different occasions, including job interviews, job offers and rejections, and even resignation.  Writing thank-you letters will really impress employers and it could be just the thing you need to get your next job or leave a lasting impression.

Job interview thank-you letters Interview thank-you letters are probably one of the most important types of business thank-you letters.  They show the interviewer how much you want the job by expressing your enthusiasm and determination.  Here are some key points to remember when writing job interview thank-you letters:

• Keep it short, sweet and to the point – Thank-you letters should only be about three paragraphs in length.
• Be specific – Reference something that happened in the interview.  For example, maybe you enjoyed hearing about a new product line and its success, or you are excited to get involved in the company’s global expansion.
• Sell yourself – Even though these thank-you letters are short, you should still slip in a sentence or two (or an entire paragraph) about why you are the right person for the job.  You can remind the interviewer of your best qualities, clarify something you said in the interview, or mention something that you forgot to tell them.
• Give a point of action – Like cover letters, it is best to end a business thank-you letter by saying what you will do in the future.  You may write that you will call them after two weeks or that you look forward to hearing from them within the next week.  Remember to follow the rules; if HR said they will contact you in a week, then don’t call before then.
• Express your thanks – Showing your gratitude is the most important part of an interview thank-you letter (after all, it is a thank-you letter).  You should both begin and end your letter by thanking the interviewer for the opportunity to interview with him/her.
• Choose your method wisely – Interview thank-you letters can be sent either via e-mail, e-mail with a follow-up hard copy, typed hard copy only, or a hand-written thank-you note.  Choose your method based on the company culture and the formality of the interview.  A typed hard-copy is always the safest route, while email is definitely the fastest method.
• Be prompt – No matter which method you decide to use to send a thank-you letter, you will want to send it as soon as possible (this means within one or two days after the interview).

When writing a job interview thank-you letter, use the standard business letter format.  You may want to take a look at sample thank-you letters to get a better idea of the format, length, and what to say.  Here are some great sample thank-you letters for job interviews:

• Job Interview Thank-You Letter Template
• Sample Thank-You Letter (1)
• Sample Thank-You Letter (2)
• Sample Thank-You Letter (3)
• Sample Thank-You Letter (4)

For more interview thank-you letter tips check out the article “A Simple ‘Thank You’ Can Land the Job”.

Job offer thank-you letters When accepting a job offer, you will always want to send a business thank-you letter.  Even if you accept the offer in person, it is still a good idea to send a letter.  In these letters, you should re-state your new job title, as well as acknowledge the salary and start-date that you agreed upon with the HR manager.  Finally, don’t forget to emphasize your enthusiasm about the new job!  Here are some sample thank-you letters:

• Accepting a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (1)
• Accepting a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (2)
• Accepting a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (3)

Declining a job offer thank-you letters There will be a time when you receive a job offer for a job you don’t want to take.  In this case, it is still very important to thank the company for the time they spent interviewing you.  Be sure to say that it was a hard decision to make and that you appreciate their time.  Be as gracious as possible.  While you may not be accepting their job offer, you never know what may happen in the future – maybe someday you will apply to a different job there or perhaps the VP of this company will switch jobs and become the VP of your new company.  Writing a thank-you letter in response to a job offer is a great way to leave a positive impression on the company.  Here are some sample thank-you letters:

• Declining a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (1)
• Declining a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (2)
• Declining a Job Offer Thank-You Letter (3)

Rejection thank-you letters If you don’t receive a job offer from a company you were really hoping to work for, you should still send them a thank-you letter.  Thank the interviewer for their time and let them know that you are still interested in any future opportunities that may become available.  Again, you never know what may happen a couple years down the road, so it is smart to keep all your options open.  For ideas on how to write an appropriate business thank-you letter in response to a rejection, take a look at these sample thank-you letters:

• Rejection Thank-You Letter (1)
• Rejection Thank-You Letter (2)

Letters of resignation When leaving a company, you should write a letter of resignation.  You should keep the letter brief, focused and positive.  It is important to state the exact date of when you will be leaving the company.  It is up to your discretion if you want to say why you are leaving, but if you do, be careful not to say anything negative about the company.  Letters of resignation can also be business thank-you letters, because they provide you the opportunity to thank your employer for the time you spent at the company.  Here are some sample resignation letters to help you:

• Sample Resignation Letter (1)
• Sample Resignation Letter (2)
• Sample Resignation Letter (3)
• Sample Resignation Letter (4)

Other business thank-you letters Sending a thank-you letter is always a nice touch in the business world.  Whether an outside speaker came in and gave a presentation at a business meeting, a co-worker organized a volunteer event for your department or a client really helped boost quarterly sales, it never hurts to send them a thank-you letter.  These types of business thank-you letters probably won’t be as formal as the interview thank-you letters, especially if you have already established a relationship with the other party (such as a co-worker or boss), and you may also choose to handwrite them on thank-you cards.  These business thank-you letters remind people who you are and show them that you are appreciative of their work.  Taking small actions like writing a thank-you letter may someday be the key to advancing your career.