A thank you email after an interview is a short note you send to the people who interviewed you, thanking them for their time and reminding them why you're a good fit. It takes five minutes, it's expected in many industries, and it gives you one last chance to leave a clear impression.
This guide covers when to send it, what to put in it, and eight examples you can adapt for phone screens, video interviews, panels, final rounds and more.
Should you send a thank you email after an interview?
Yes. It's polite, it shows you're interested, and it keeps your name in front of the hiring team while they decide. Some interviewers notice when one isn't sent; few will mind receiving one.
A thank you email won't rescue an interview that went badly, and it won't win a job on its own. It's a small, professional finishing touch.
When should you send a thank you email after an interview?
Within 24 hours, and the same day if you can. Aim for a few hours after the interview, once you've had time to note what was discussed.
| Interview timing | When to send |
|---|---|
| Morning interview | Same afternoon |
| Afternoon interview | That evening or first thing next morning |
| Friday interview | Same day, rather than over the weekend |
| Several rounds in one day | One email to each interviewer at the end of the day |
| Interview with a decision due the same day | Within an hour or two |
Avoid sending it from the car park two minutes after you leave. It can look automatic.
Sent the thank you? Get ready for the next round
Practise job simulations of the real work in your target role and see where you lost marks before the next interview. Free to start, no card.
What should you include in a thank you email after an interview?
Keep it short. Four parts are enough:
- Thanks. Thank them for their time, using their name.
- One specific detail. Mention something you discussed: a project, a challenge the team faces, or a question they asked.
- Your fit. One sentence linking your experience to what they need.
- Close. Say you're happy to answer anything else and that you look forward to hearing from them.
Subject line options (examples):
- Thank you, [Job title] interview
- Thank you for today, [Your name]
- Great speaking with you about the [Job title] role
Thank you email examples
Replace the bracketed parts and make each one sound like you.
1. Standard thank you email after an interview (example)
Subject: Thank you, Marketing Coordinator interview
Hi Priya,
Thank you for taking the time to meet me today. I enjoyed hearing about the plan to bring the newsletter in-house, and it's exactly the kind of project I led at Brightline, where I rebuilt our email calendar from scratch.
I'm very interested in the role and would be glad to answer any further questions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes, Sam Taylor
2. After a phone screen (example)
Subject: Thank you for the call today
Hi Marcus,
Thanks for the call this morning. It was helpful to understand how the support team is structured and what success looks like in the first few months.
My experience handling escalations in a busy contact centre feels like a strong match, and I'd welcome the chance to talk to the hiring manager.
Kind regards, Aisha Khan
For more on this stage, see our guide to the phone screening interview.
3. After a video interview (example)
Subject: Thank you, Data Analyst video interview
Hi Elena,
Thank you for speaking with me over video today. I appreciated the walkthrough of how your team uses customer churn data, and I've been thinking about the dashboard question you asked.
I'd be glad to share an example of a similar analysis I built if that would be useful. Thanks again for your time.
Best, Jordan Lee
4. After a panel interview (example, one per panellist)
Subject: Thank you for today's panel interview
Hi David,
Thank you for being part of the panel today. Your question about managing stakeholders across time zones stuck with me, and I enjoyed discussing how I kept a three-country rollout on schedule.
I'm excited about the role and happy to provide anything else the panel needs.
Best regards, Chris Morgan
Change the specific detail for each panellist. Our panel interview guide covers the interview itself.
5. After a final-round interview (example)
Subject: Thank you, and looking forward to next steps
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for meeting with me today and for introducing me to the wider team. Hearing about the plans for next year confirmed how much I'd like to be part of it.
I'm confident I can make a quick start on the onboarding redesign we discussed. Please let me know if there's anything else you need from me.
Warm regards, Lena Fischer
6. Adding a point you forgot (example)
Subject: Thank you, and one more thing
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the interview this afternoon. One thing I didn't mention: I completed a project last year automating our weekly sales report, which cut the time it took from a day to an hour. It seemed relevant to the reporting work you described.
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best, Nikhil Rao
Keep this short. One extra point, not a second interview.
7. To a recruiter (example)
Subject: Thank you for arranging today's interview
Hi Grace,
Thank you for setting up my interview with the operations team today. It went well from my side and I'm keen to move forward. Please let me know if they need anything else from me.
Best wishes, Omar Haddad
8. Follow-up when you haven't heard back (example)
Send this only after the date they said they'd decide has passed.
Subject: Following up on the Project Coordinator role
Hi Sophie,
I hope you're well. I wanted to follow up on my interview on [date] for the Project Coordinator role. I'm still very interested and would be grateful for any update on timing.
Thanks again for your time.
Kind regards, Ben Carter
What mistakes should you avoid in a thank you email?
- Copy-pasting the same email to everyone. Panellists compare notes. Change the detail for each.
- Writing an essay. If it doesn't fit on a phone screen, cut it.
- Spelling their name wrong. Check the spelling from the interview invite or their email signature.
- Sounding desperate. "I really need this job" puts pressure on the reader. Keep the tone confident.
- Re-arguing a weak answer at length. If you want to clarify something, one or two sentences is enough.
- Typos. Read it out loud before you send.
- Chasing too soon. Wait until after the decision date they gave you before following up.
Is it better to send an email or a handwritten note?
Email, in most cases. It's quick and arrives while you're fresh in their mind. A handwritten card can be a nice extra in a small business or a more traditional sector, but send an email first so timing isn't an issue.
What if you don't have the interviewer's email address?
Send your thank you to the recruiter or the person who arranged the interview and ask them to pass it on. You can also ask for the interviewers' contact details at the end of the interview: "Could I have your email in case I have any follow-up questions?"
What should you do after sending the thank you email?
Keep your search moving. Don't pause other applications while you wait.
- Note what you were asked and how you answered, so you're sharper next time.
- Prepare for the next round now. Many employers add a work task or skills test later in the process. You can practise on a job simulation of the real work in your target role and get a scored report showing where you lost marks.
- Run a mock interview on any question that tripped you up, using the STAR method for behavioural questions.
If the interview included a question about why you left your last role, our guides to the reason for leaving a job and how to explain being laid off in an interview give you better wording for next time.
FAQs
How long should a thank you email after an interview be?
Three to five sentences. Short enough to read on a phone in under a minute.
Should I send a thank you email after a virtual interview?
Yes. The same rules apply to video, phone and AI interviews with a human reviewer. If no person was involved, thank the recruiter who invited you.
Is it too late to send a thank you email after two days?
Late is better than never. Send it, keep it short, and don't apologise at length for the delay.
Should I send a thank you email if I don't want the job?
Yes, it's still courteous. You can thank them and politely withdraw if you're sure.
Can a thank you email hurt my chances?
Only if it's careless: typos, the wrong name, or a pushy tone. A short, specific note won't hurt.
What next
Write your thank you email today using the examples above, then shift your focus to the next round. If you're job hunting after a layoff, our guide on what to do when you get laid off covers the bigger picture. When you want to walk into the next interview with proof of your skills, Cohesyve lets you practise simulations of real work and see your gaps in a scored report. Free to start, no card.