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How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview?

Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview

Anxiety around job interviews can be really detrimental to your progress. The stakes feel extremely high when your own financial security is on the line!

The internet will give you a lot of conflicting advice about interview etiquette; however, it is best practice to follow up with the company after your interview, and this can be disguised as a thank you email.

So, here’s an in-depth look at how to write a thank you email after your phone interview.

how to write thank you email after the phone interviews

Why You Should Send a Thank You Email?

Sending a follow-up or thank you email after an interview in any format, be it in person, on the telephone, or via Skype, is non-negotiable. It shows the employer that you want the role, and companies want candidates that want them.

Not only this, but sending a thank you email will make you stand out from other candidates, with only around one-fifth of candidates sending a thank you note.

When to Send a Thank You Email?

You have decided to write the email, so the next question is when to send it? Try to send your thank you email within 24 hours. The trick here is to make sure your email is not lost in the inbox so, time it accordingly.

If you know the interviewer has a full day of interviews, wait until the end of the day or first thing in the morning to send it. You want the interviewer to see your name pop up and be immediately reminded of who you are, so leaving it too long or sending it when you know they will be away from their computer all day is far from ideal.

As soon as possible…

If you are unsure what their schedule is like, then just try to send the email as soon as possible. This will give them plenty of time to see it before they decide on their preferred candidate.

How to Write a Thank You Email After Your Phone Interview?

Three aspects must be included in your email to make it a successful one, gratitude, enthusiasm, and most importantly, personalization. The content of your letter should be direct and specific. Whilst it is a good idea to reference personal things that were mentioned in the interview, make sure you use a professional tone.

Example 1

Dear X

It was lovely to speak to you today. Thank you for taking the time to explain more about this role and its team dynamics. I’m very excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to hearing about the next steps.

Yours Sincerely,

Example 2

Dear X

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today. I hope you have a lovely time at the Lake District this weekend, and I look forward to hearing from you next week.

Yours Sincerely,

Interview Amendments

A thank you letter also allows you to mend an interview that didn’t go as well as it could have. You can correct any misunderstandings you had during the interview or any questions you were not able to answer on the spot. It is unlikely that it can fix an interview gone bad, but it is always advised to end on a good note just in case another position within the company is advertised.

how to write thank you email after phone interviews

Restating your Skills

Another strategy for creating a thank you note is to restate any key skills you feel are important or maybe mention some that you missed in the interview. This is the unique value that you offer the employer and should go into the second paragraph of your email after you have thanked the interviewer for their time.

Example 3

Dear X

I wanted to thank you again for your time during our phone interview today. After our discussion, I am confident that I would be a great fit in your team, and the role aligns with my abilities and interests.

During the interview, you stressed your need for someone who can work flexible hours. I wanted to reiterate that I am more than happy to work overtime and during the holidays to ensure the success of the sales team. In addition to my enthusiasm, I have strong sales skills, and I am excited to take on this new challenge.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

What Not To Say?

Writing a thank you email should be a simple task, but it is easy to get wrong. So, let’s take a look at the things to avoid in your thank you email.

  • While adding a personal touch to a thank you email is encouraged, do not go overboard. Make sure to keep the email professional and concise.
  • Check your spelling and grammar. This seems obvious but is a mistake often made! If you have mentioned how detail orientated you are in your interview, then make a spelling mistake in your email; it is not a good look.
  • Get your interviewer’s name correct! Do not address them by their first name unless they were introduced to you by that name. Double-check their honorific title.
  • If you had multiple interviewers, send multiple unique emails or just one email to the main interviewer and thank the team within it. Do not CC multiple people or copy and paste the same email; it will look lazy.
  • Double-check your email signature. You may have noted your social media handles within your email signature; this is okay if your accounts align with the job position but keep personal accounts away from potential new employers.

Subject Line

This can be a little tricky; the easiest solution is to reply to a previous email they sent you. By doing this, the chain of emails is nicely together, you are instantly recognized by the interviewer, and your email does not accidentally end up in the spam folder! If this is not an option, pick a simple subject line, for example:

  • Thank you
  • Interview for Sales Position
  • Bob Smith – Sales Manager Interview

What If You Don’t Get A Response?

You have crafted your perfect thank you email and sent it accordingly, but what happens if you do not get a response? Well, no response is completely normal, so do not worry! If a week passes and you still have not heard anything, then consider writing a follow-up email. This is only recommended if it has passed the date specified for hearing back.

Many interviewers have a busy schedule and have a constant workflow of emails and projects, so they do not have the time to email you back. Additionally, communicating with candidates outside of the interview may go against the company’s norms.

Need More Career Info And Advice?

If your writing skills aren’t up to par, then you’ll want to read up on the Business Email: Write to Win, Writing That Works; How to Communicate Effectively In Business, the HBR Guide to Better Business Writing, the Wait, How Do I Write This Email?, Email Writing: Advanced, the 7 Steps to Better Writing, and The Executive Guide to Email Correspondence all available online in 2023.

Of course, if you’re still busy with your interview prepping, then the Amazing Interview Answers: 44 Tough Job Interview Questions with 88 Winning Answers, Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent, Get That Job!: The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview, INTERVIEW with DESIRE and GET HIRED!: How to Ace the Interview, Sell Yourself & Get Your Dream Job, and lastly How to Answer Interview Questions: 101 Tough Interview Questions online guide books are just what you need.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now feel more confident in why writing a thank you note can be beneficial to your career. Recruiters want someone who will go the extra mile, so taking a few minutes after an interview to send a thank you note could make all the difference.

You now know the best way to write a thank you email after a phone interview. But never forget, always dress to impress and act professionally at all times.

All the very best with your Interview!

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