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Original poster

To write a thank you email after interview?

79 replies

TillyMouse7 · 11/12/2018 19:26

I had an interview today. The job is great! The interview went well, I did my best - although now I'm thinking back at the interview I realise I should have said things other ways maybe but during the interview with the nervs I think I did pretty well and I am proud of myself. I did a lot of prep for it and I hope it will pay off.

Now obviously the waiting game... I know they are interviewing this week. I should know an answer by next week Tuesday/Wednesday.
I obviously want to stay on the loop and thought I might just drop a thank you for the interview email.
Is it something people still do?

OP posts:
DrinkingTeaLikeTonyBenn · 11/12/2018 20:12

I've always done it when I've had the interviewer's contact details, and I've always got the job.

Cherries101 · 11/12/2018 20:13

If you are in the UK then don’t. It will make you look desperate for attention and many recruiters may be put off. If, however, you are in Europe / USA / Asia it may be okay.

E20mom · 11/12/2018 20:14

Don't do it. You'll come across as hard work.

TheFaerieQueene · 11/12/2018 20:20

No. Please don’t. I have interviewed more people than I care to think about and I wouldn’t want an email from a candidate. It is completely inappropriate.
The interviewer/panel will already have a good idea about you being suitable or not for second interview.

thighofrelief · 11/12/2018 20:25

I would have sent a hand written thank you note in the past and I would expect a thank you/here's a link to the topic we discussed email now. It's courteous and shows interest.

lisasimpsonssaxophone · 11/12/2018 20:31

I remember when I was interviewing for my first ever ‘proper’ job post-uni, every single article I read about interview tips insisted that a hand-written thank-you note posted straight afterwards was absolutely essential.

Thank goodness I called my dad on the way home from the interview. When I told him I was just on my way to get some thank-you notes he told me that this was definitely not the done thing and that they would most likely find it very odd if I did it.

Ten years later and I’ve never ever come across a hiring manager who would find this appropriate, or heard of anyone doing it. I think it must either be really outdated advice, or a very American thing that never really caught on over here.

Unless you’ve genuinely got something important to add (e.g. if you agreed during the interview that you’d email a link to a paper you wrote or something) then I really wouldn’t do it.

I do work in the public sector though, where everything has to be done really strictly and ‘by the book’ so a hiring manager who received a thank-you email from a candidate would probably just forward it straight to HR without replying. Obviously not every industry will be the same!

loubluee · 11/12/2018 20:36

Nope, please don’t do it!!

Itsear · 11/12/2018 20:45

I cannot believe that people are suggesting that a hand written thank you note is a good idea. It sounds very weird/creepy.

EnglishRose13 · 11/12/2018 20:46

I recently had an interview through an agency I'd never used before.

The agency advised me to give the interviewer a presentation that I'd prepared (not a requirement of the interview) on my I should be given the job and follow it up with a thank you letter!

I refused.

Seniorcitizen1 · 11/12/2018 20:52

Do not send it. If I got one from someone I’d just interviewed I am not sure they’d get the job

happyinherts · 11/12/2018 20:54

Sending a thank you note after you've definitely been awarded the job is a far different thing to sending one after an interview though.

Original poster
TillyMouse7 · 11/12/2018 20:55

Okay thanks for the advice.
I wasn't going to do a hand written note just an email.
There was no recruiter included the job was advertised and I was picked by this small business. They are tiny, I mean tiny 5 people in England- more globally though.

I have a think I feel like the interview was very informal and my email wasn't going to be cringy or desperate.
I am too from a foreign country but been living in the U.K. for some time now.

OP posts:
Truckingonandon · 11/12/2018 20:58

No! It's a bit kiss ass. I've seen you, I'm making my decision, I'll let you know. It'd make me think you're a pita and will be bothering me all the time if you work for me.

Croibeag · 11/12/2018 21:00

I've always sent a thank you email and confirmed I was really interested in a role (if I actually was). I've always been hired, guess you have to make a call on whether it's appropriate in the situation. When hiring I've always thought well of people who emailed to thank me.

runforthehillsandscream · 11/12/2018 21:28

I always send an email if I come away from the interview thinking that I want the job.

It doesn't have to be cringy like people are suggesting, just something like

"Thank you for your time today and providing more information about the role. I am still very interested in the role and company and look forward to hearing any feedback."

It's just polite and professional surely?

BatPie · 11/12/2018 21:30

A different perspective

My DD went for a job last month. A graduate position with a huge company type thing. She was one of over 2000 applicants. She didn't get it

She followed up with an email to thank them for their time and the opportunity to interview anyway, wished all the best to the chosen candidate and said she would continue to take a great interest in the company (not weird as it's a company a lot of people would follow!)

A week later she got a phone call. They were so impressed at her follow up email that they had decided to extend the positions to two and they offered her it

So I'd personally do it. It's polite, it's nice. You're just thanking them for their time and saying you enjoyed meeting them aren't you? No harm at all

BoringSoup · 11/12/2018 21:38

I normally thank the interviewer for their time at the end of the interview.
That should suffice.

BoringSoup · 11/12/2018 21:41

Sorry if that seemed a little short.
If you thanked them straight after the interview , that should be enough 🙂.
Good luck op.

Bellatrix14 · 11/12/2018 21:51

I’ve done this once (teaching assistant job at an independent prep school, if it’s relevant) as they’d rearranged days to interview me on my day off from my existing job and I’d meant to thank them again for that in person, but forgot.

They offered me the job, I had no idea it was considered by so many people to be weird Blush

Jazzybeats · 11/12/2018 21:56

I’ve done it a few times. Usually keep it brief, day thanks, recap one or 2 points and restless enthusiasm. In all cases I’ve been given a 2nd interview... so it’s worked well for me!

90mammasophie · 11/12/2018 21:56

Wow I had no idea so many people don't do this / advise against it.
I've always sent a very short thank you note after any interview. Thanking them for their time and saying it was interesting to find out more about the position.
I have got most of jobs I have interviewed for, so it hasn't done me any harm.

90mammasophie · 11/12/2018 22:00

and by note I mean email **

Bippityboo2 · 11/12/2018 22:11

I always drop an email reiterating my interest and thanking them for their time, I make sure to keep it short and brief, and I've usually gotten a job offer.

willowtree66 · 11/12/2018 22:23

Many years ago (before email!) I sent a brief thank you letter following an interview and expressing that I was still interested in the job. I got the job and my employer said that my letter clinched it. What harm can it do?

DorisDances · 11/12/2018 22:28

UK HR person here and thank you emails perfectly normal. Just a quick thanks and still interested type - nothing cringey or desperate.