Sending a thank you email after a phone interview is something that all serious job seekers should do. But unfortunately, many people aren''t sure where to start and what to include.
This guide will teach you how to write a great thank you letter to send after a phone interview, helping you make a strong impression and move on in the hiring process.
Table of contents
Why You Should Send a Thank You Email After a Phone Interview
Phone interviews are a critical part of the hiring process, and they typically come before face-to-face meetings. While they''re sometimes not as comprehensive as an in-person meeting, it’s still important to make a fantastic first impression.
One way to do that is to send a thank you email after the phone interview. Follow-up emails serve a few purposes.
First, they put your professionalism on full display. While hiring managers hardly expect them, it is a professional courtesy they like to see.
It often sets a candidate apart from the pack. Crafting a well-written thank you email after a phone interview can keep you fresh on the hiring manager’s mind, increasing your chances of getting to the next interview and making a great impression on decision-makers.
Furthermore, these emails serve as an opportunity to express your interest. Because the phone interview often occurs early in the hiring process, employers expect a certain number of people to lose interest or move on to other opportunities. When you send a thank you email, you’re letting them know that you’re eager to move forward in the interview process. It shows that you’re serious about the opportunity and genuinely want the chance to prove yourself to the company.
Finally, thank you emails are a great time to address aspects of the phone interview you didn’t get to cover. Phone interviews are typically short, and they can feel somewhat rushed. The recruiter has to call a long list of candidates, so they don’t have time to get into all of the details.
If there was anything you didn’t get to say, you could do so in your thank you email. It’s the perfect way to address issues or provide clarification, all while expressing your continued interest in proceeding with the hiring process.
How to Structure the Email
There are a few key elements that you should include in every thank you email you send after a phone interview. While you may have written a million emails in your lifetime, this is one that you want to spend extra time perfecting. It reflects your professionalism and could impact what hiring managers think of you moving forward.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how you should structure it.
1. Attention-Grabbing Subject Line
Before you write the body of your email, create a strong subject line. It needs to convey the purpose of your email and be compelling enough for the recipient to open it. Typically, the best approach is to include the position the phone interview was about and a brief “thank you” message.
For example, something as simple as this works well:
“Thank You – Marketing Manager Position”
It’s clean, shows the reader what your email is about, and has a professional touch.
Here are some other options:
'Phone Screen Follow-Up – Marketing Manager'
'Thank you for our conversation about the Marketing Manager role'
2. Friendly Greeting
The first thing in your email should be a warm and friendly greeting. This doesn’t have to be long and outdrawn. A simple “Hello [INTERVIEWER NAME]” is all you need.
Address the person you spoke with by name to create a personal connection. It’s important to open with a greeting. Jumping into the meat of the email will come off as cold and may seem like you are using a canned or template message.
3. Opening Message of Gratitude
As we hinted at before, it''s important to show appreciation in the thank you email you send after a phone interview. Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. You can also provide a few quick details to jog their memory.
For example, it’s wise to include the date and time you spoke, and perhaps a few unique topics you discussed. You want the interviewer to remember you immediately, giving them context as they read more.
4. A Statement of Your Qualifications
Your next paragraph should concisely explain why you feel you’re the best person for the job. This is your opportunity to reiterate your interest and remind the interviewer of your qualifications.
Keep it short and to the point. Be sure to address the qualifications the interviewer brought up during the conversation. You don’t want to overdo it or create a list of qualifications. Instead, craft a strong statement that shows the interviewer why you deserve a job offer.
5. Missed Detailed You Didn’t Address
If there are any other details you didn’t get to provide during the interview, now is your time to offer them. You can ask follow-up questions, give clarity to topics of discussion, or expand on something you touched on during your interview to provide more context.
Again, don’t make this section too long. You can go into more detail about the additional information, but try not to ramble or provide unnecessary extras. Writing a huge wall of text will likely turn the reader away instead of compelling them to see what you want to say.
Any additional information concerning your skills and qualifications are good to bring up as well. You don’t always have the chance to speak about capabilities relevant to the job during a phone interview. Adding a short section about additional skills or experience not covered can significantly improve your chances of moving forward.
6. Closing Paragraph
After a phone interview, you should end your thank you email with a closing statement reiterating your interest in the job. Let the hiring manager know you’re eager to hear back from them, and thank them for taking the time to read your email.
7. Signature and Contact Information
Finally, provide your signature and contact information. Make sure you’re providing the correct email addresses and phone numbers. It''s also a good idea to include your LinkedIn URL. If the hiring manager wants to reach out for additional information, they may refer to your email.
Additional Tips
Knowing what information to include in the thank you email you send after a phone interview is only half the battle. Here are a few tips you can use to make the process a bit easier.
Take Notes
During your phone interview, have some pen and paper available to jot down notes. This is something you should do regardless of your plans to write a thank you email. It’s wise to keep track of who you speak with and what you talk about during the entire hiring process.
Pay close attention to the interviewer’s name and any contact information they provide. Ask for clarification and spelling to ensure you address the interviewer correctly.
Then, create a list of questions you have or things you want to discuss. If there are any points you want to make but don''t have time for due to the fast-paced nature of the conversation, write them down. You can refer to that list later to cover all your bases.
Write Your First Draft as Soon as Possible
The best time to write a thank you email after your phone interview is right after you finish! The details are still fresh in your mind. You’ll have your notes to guide you, but the freshness of the conversation can help you remember facts you might lose later.
Send the Email Within 24 Hours
You don’t have to send the email immediately after writing the first draft. In fact, it’s best to wait several hours.
Sleeping on it will allow you to reflect on the conversation. You may think of additional points you want to add. Plus, it will enable you to reread your message with a fresh perspective.
Ideally, you should send the thank you email no more than 24 hours after the phone interview.
Keep Things Short and Sweet
You must remember that interviewers speak to a lot of people. Phone interviews are among the first things hiring managers do to screen potential candidates after reviewing resumes. They use it to decide who moves on to the next round.
Recruiters might spend a few weeks talking to well over 100 possible candidates! The last thing you want is to take up too much of their time.
Keep your email short and to the point. You can add those necessary professional pleasantries, but avoid going overboard. Succinct messages are more impactful and don’t waste the hiring manager’s time.
Example Emails
We have a few examples you can use as a guide when writing your own email. Of course, the thank you emails you send after a phone interview will be personalized based on your experiences and the jobs you interview for. However, our samples will give you a good idea of tone, structure, and overall professionalism.
Example 1
The first example is a straightforward one that meets all the interviewer’s expectations. It’s a special message of gratitude that provides additional information the hiring manager may use to push this candidate further through the hiring process.
Subject: Thank You for the Marketing Assistant Interview
Hello Sarah Johnson.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me yesterday about the marketing assistant position at [COMPANY]. I enjoyed our conversation and was happy to learn more about this role. After speaking to you, I’m confident that my education, experience, and marketing skills make me a great candidate for the job.
Not only am I passionate about marketing, but I believe that my communication and collaboration skills would be an excellent asset to your team.
During our conversation, I noted that you emphasized the need for your next marketing assistant to have flexible work hours and possibly work overtime during peak roll-out periods. I didn’t get the chance to mention this, but I’m more than willing to be that person. I worked many odd hours during my last job, and I do well when having to adapt my schedule around work. I’d be happy to “go the extra mile” and work overtime when necessary.
I appreciate your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you about this opportunity and possibly meeting with you in the future.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR LINKEDIN URL]
Example 2
Our second example is on the simpler side. The candidate didn’t have much additional information to provide. So, they use this thank you email as an opportunity to reiterate their interest after the phone interview and tell the hiring manager why they are the best person for the job.
Subject: Thank You – Receptionist Phone Interview
Hello Mr. Johnson.
My name is [NAME], and we had a phone interview yesterday about the receptionist position at [COMPANY]. I wanted to thank you for speaking with me and helping me learn more about this opportunity.
After our discussion, I’m even more excited to work for [COMPANY]. I’m confident that my past experience as a receptionist makes me a great fit for the role. I’ve spent many years perfecting my organizational skills and putting my best professional foot forward with clients and colleagues.
I believe that I can successfully represent [COMPANY] as your front-desk receptionist, and I’m eager to apply my skills in this role.
I’m thankful for your time and appreciate your consideration. I sincerely look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Best Regards,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR LINKEDIN URL]
Example 3
Our third example shows how you can use your thank you email to provide additional information that may improve your chances of getting a job offer. While this email is on the longer side, it’s still concise and focuses on relevant information the hiring manager would want to know.
Subject: Thank You – Marketing Lead Interview
Hello Sarah Dubpont,
I wanted to thank you for speaking with me yesterday about the marketing leadership position at [COMPANY]. I learned a great deal of information that only cemented my interest in this role. I enjoyed learning more about what [COMPANY] does and its unique approach to meeting client needs.
I wanted to provide additional information about my background that I didn’t get to bring up during our conversation. You mentioned that [COMPANY] likes to take a data-backed approach to run campaigns.
I have extensive experience working with analytics and currently lead a team of marketing professionals I personally trained. I focus heavily on the data side of marketing, and I’ve taught my team how to harness the power of analytics to gain actionable insights that lead to measurable improvements. We currently use many industry-leading tools to track campaigns after launch.
I also have years of experience with techniques like A/B testing and performing relevant market research in a campaign’s early stages.
From what we discussed, I’m confident I’d be a great addition to your team. I’m eager at the prospect of bringing my skills to [COMPANY] and guiding your marketing department on future endeavors.
Thank you for your consideration and for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with me. I look forward to hearing from you and possibly meeting in person soon.
Respectfully,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR EMAIL]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR LINKEDIN URL]
Conclusion
As you can see, the thank you email you send after a phone interview doesn''t have to be fancy. In fact, it''s usually best to be straightforward.
If you''re stuck, use our recommendations and examples to help you get started. You''ll get the hang of it!
The post Thank You Email After A Phone Interview: Tips & Examples appeared first on Career Sherpa.
