How do you write a thank you note when you don't get the job or interview?

Even when you don't land the job, you should always send a thank you note and express your appreciation. Here's the thing the person they selected may fall through or they may have another opening. This is an opportunity to forge a networking relationship and even ask if there was anything you could have done differently in the interview. Any advice or direction you an receive can help you prepare yourself for that next interview and also leave a positive impression.

I have just written a 1-page guide for students looking for an internship or work experience. This is one of the sources I drew from, so I'm sharing the results! 1 Say thank you. Thank the person you wrote to or met with. Be specific about what you’re thanking them for – it could be for their time, getting back to you, meeting with you, showing you around, offering insights, introducing you to someone, or connecting with you on LinkedIn. Include a positive comment about the business. You could comment on the environment, the work, the focus or strategy, or the friendly atmosphere.

Remember that you are entitled to nothing, including consideration for the role, a phone call and an interview. They could have been doing other things with that time and probably wanted to be doing other things with that time but instead they decided to spend some of their time on you. That might not mean much to some people, especially job seekers coming out of the military, because we assume 24/7/365 committment. Vets typically don't think about lost production or lost dollars or costs associated with recruiting and interview processes. So begin by thanking them for taking the time to consider you for the role. They could have skipped over you, but they did not.

Really!? I'm not sure this is even required, but sure why not. I would be more inclined to push this advice onto the hiring company.

Thank you notes are a great way of standing out from thr crowd in a competitive job market. So if you really want a role it's a great way to get a step ahead. I always recommend sending them a couple of days after the interview. Always thank them for their time & hospitality. Be specific about what you enjoyed from the interview, I really enjoyed talking about x and I can see how that could further enhance my skills in y.

This company is bound to be hiring people again in the future, so let them know that you feel you are still aligned with the company avlues and that you hope they will consider you for open roles in the future. At least 2 times in my career I got told "no" to the role I had interviewed for only to be invited to consider other roles in the company. So don't burn any bridges!

Strengths but Short & Sweet! Most people get far too much email so you want to cover these elements succinctly.1 paragraph of no more than 5 lines OR a bulleted paragraph of 3-4 one line bullets is sufficient for summarizing your strengths!

For all thank you notes it is important to highlight your strengths and tie back the company's values and mission to yourself. This is also an opportunity to reinforce a key message of why you should be considered and could help you stand out in the future as well.

Reflect on the experience, Mention something positive about the application or interview process. It could be the professionalism of the hiring team, the interesting questions asked during the interview, or the chance to learn more about the company and its values.

Highlight your strengths and your willingness to learn. The latter aspect is crucial as you're demonstrating that you have a growth mindset and curiosity.

If you get rejected from a role, here is a sample template to email a recruiter in order to stay updated about future opportunities: "Hi [recruiter name], Thank you so much for taking the time to consider me for the [role] at [company]. I really enjoyed the interview process and would love to stay in touch about future [role] opportunities at [company]. I'm interested in joining your talent community to be notified of any openings and events. I appreciate all that you do, and I look forward to applying to [company] again next year! Best wishes, [your name]"

One additional nice touch if you were a finalist for the role is to let them know that if the front runner doesn't work out, you'd be open to re-engaging for the role. It reinforces your desire to work for the company, and may end up landing you another position, or even the same position.

Use your thank you note to re-affirm your interest in the opportunity you interviewed for, and to follow-up to any questions you were asked but didn't feel you answered as well as you could've.

One of my clients was one of three finalists for two positions. She was devastated when she wasn't offered the job. During our debrief she was almost inconsolable. The conversation turned to a thank you letter. She reluctantly decided to send one. In it she told thanked them for their time, and asked that they keep her in mind just in case another opportunity arose. Three weeks later, she was asked if she were still interested, as the one of the candidates didn't work out. We concluded that her thank you note made the difference.

Offer assistance, Show your willingness to help or stay connected by offering your assistance in the future. You can mention that if there are any future opportunities that match your skills and qualifications, you would be delighted to be considered.

Short & Sweet! Most people get far too much email so you want to cover these elements succinctly. You can cover all of the elements in 2-3 paragraphs of no more than 5 lines maximum! If you go 3 paragraphs I recommend one of them being bullets allowing the reader to absorb more information more quickly. If you go overboard and write too much, it can backfire and they end up not reading it at all or very little...wasting your time and theirs.

If you're not going to be polite, don't write anything. It's personal brand suicide to treat people badly who could help you in the future.

Being concise is definitely huge! Being able to express gratitude in a professional, courteous, and concise manner is definitely a skill and this could be an easy way to showcase to the recruiter that you have that skillset.

Close on a positive note, End your thank you note by reiterating your gratitude for the opportunity and expressing your best wishes for the company's success. Use a professional closing, such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by your name. Stay positive ,Even though you didn't get the job or interview, maintain a positive tone throughout your note. Highlight any valuable insights or knowledge you gained from the experience and express your continued interest in the company, its mission, or the industry

I disagree with the idea of following up after a rejection thank you note. The note is the last that recruiter should hear from you about that particular job. Going further is rude. The only exception would be if the job post was taken down for a period, and you see it is re-posted. You can restate your interest IF you have something new to offer as a candidate. Otherwise, contacting that recruiter again should only be for another position they might be trying to fill. Also, they don't owe you an update on their hiring process after you've been rejected. And, unless they've specified that you were rejected over something specific that you were able to fix, leave it alone.

Follow up depends on the specific situation and relationship you've built with the recruiter and/or hiring manager. Ideally, you would've asked at your interview when they expected to make a decision - which you could use as the follow-up basis. In these times, follow up once and then move on. It's not beneficial to be a pest. If you're so inclined consider connecting on LinkedIn as that follow-up. But hiring managers and recruiters are busy in ways job seekers can't relate to, nor should they need to. I wouldn't ever let a hiring manager or recruiter know what my status was with other developments - would they do that to you? Doubtfully....

This is important to remember that you don't want to be too pushy. Once you have sent an email or thank you note of some kind, it is important to leave it there as they will come back if they are interested. Chasing them too much can cause annoyance which might put them off coming back to you.

Fortune is always in the follow up. Inboxes get crowded and even the best intended can have something fall off their radar. Space out your follow-ups and create a relationship mapping tool so if you are passed over you have a process in place to stay connected in the future

Indeed rejection is not a failure, and it's not forever. I have interacted with candidates who took the feedback well and came back after developing those skillsets. It has definitely created a memorable experience, also showcasing their self awareness and eager to learn mindset.

Getting rejected can sting. But there is something to be learned from the experience. I suggest job seekers write notes about their interview experience after each interview. Be honest. What questions were asked, and how did you handle them? How was your interaction with the interviewer? What was said, and what did their body language convey? This will give you information to help you understand how to improve.

See rejection as a re-direction. It's a great opportunity to understand why and learn from it. Ultimately, supporting your long-term career goals. Whether working with a recruiter or a hiring manager direct, always follow up and ask for detailed feedback.

I always suggest that job seekers do a post-mortem after being rejected, especially if they have the opportunity to interview. To do this, though, you have to be honest. What did you feel went well in the process? Where did you struggle? What would you do differently if you were to be given a chance to do it again? Write this all down when the information is fresh. Then incorporate what you learned into preparing for your next opportunity.

What makes a good follow-up? Most people don't send them but If you do then take a bow! Here's some take it or leave it advice to help you 👇🏻: ➤ Industry standards say, "You should wait a week before following up" but If you already know it's a short process then email in the morning. Gives you some time to think about what you are going to say. (ADHDers) don't click send before going over it. ➤ When you do reach out, keep it concise, friendly, and positive. Start by thanking them for the opportunity and the conversation. If you have the job reference number use that. ➤ Throw in a specific detail about the interview to jog their memory. I.E "I really enjoyed talking about X"

#BeHuman If someone spent time with you and you wanted to build a relationship with them, what would you next action be? It might be a thank you note. It might be a follow-up call. It might be forwarding a relevant article. It might be suggesting something that is happening which they might want to attend. But, you would be unlikely to forage a relationship with someone without making any effort at all.

You develop professional relationships by interviewing as well as with networking. If there’s someone you interview with who you develop a rapport with why not stay in touch with them? You decide how you wish to engage them. It could be that you find a person thoughtful about your field and your work. If they are more senior than you, they could be potential mentors. “I enjoyed meeting you and would like to run things by you as my search progresses.” You never know if the person the company offer the job to takes the job or works out. Find some way to cycle back to the person you stayed in touch with about a month later.

A thank you note after not getting the job or interview is not just a courtesy, it's also an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and build relationships that may benefit you in the future. So don't be afraid to show your gratitude and enthusiasm, even in the face of disappointment. And who knows, your positive attitude and professional demeanor may just put you at the top of the list for the next opening!

Rejection is self-reflection. If you still want to work there, send thank you email asking them about the hiring process for a similar role in the future. In some companies, you can't reapply for a certain period/which automatically waives the interview. Email tips that got me a job offer later after it was reposted, copy manager and HR both. 👇 Hello xxx, Thank you for the update and speedy turnaround. It is unfortunate that I didn't end up getting offers but love to have feedback(if you can) for me to self-reflect. I am wondering if my application will be automatically selected for a similar role if there is a vacancy in the future. Please let me know how the process works. I wish your team all the best with a new hire.