It’s common courtesy to send the hiring manager a thank-you letter after a job interview. The letter also reinforces your interest in the position. However, following up too often may cause him to view you as pushy or impatient. After the interview, you should send one thank-you letter. You may then follow up with a phone call or email.

General Time Frame

The basic function of a thank-you letter is to express your gratitude to your interviewer. Therefore, there’s no need to send more than one note. If the hiring manager did not give you the company’s follow-up guidelines and you didn’t inquire, you may ask in your thank-you letter. You can also briefly include pertinent information you failed to provide during your interview or reiterate important points about your qualifications. Send the letter within 24 to 48 hours after your interview.

Phone or Email Follow-Up

If the hiring manager gave you a specific follow-up time frame, do not call or email beforehand. If you do not hear from her after one week or within 10 business days, courteously call or email her once. Try to call during the afternoon, such as after lunch or one hour before the close of business, as mornings are usually busier. Introduce yourself by stating your name, the position you applied for, and the date, time and place of your interview. Say you’d like to know whether the company has made a decision about your application, and, if not, when it foresees doing so. If you don’t get a response, move on.

Group Interviews

Send one thank-you letter to each of your interviewers if multiple people interviewed you. Customize the note so it speaks to each person individually. Send each letter separately to the respective person. Refer to your interviewers’ business cards to confirm the spellings of their names. If you don’t have their business cards, contact the receptionist at the company to confirm the spellings. After sending each thank-you letter, follow up once by phone or email with one of the panelists who interviewed you. During your interview, you might ask who you would be reporting to and follow up with that person.

Considerations

If you interviewed multiple times for the same position, send a thank-you letter after each interview. Follow up with a phone call or email after completing your final interview.

Delivery Method

You may write your thank-you letter on hard copy paper or a note card. Though an email is quicker and easier to send, it lacks the lasting and personalized effect of a handwritten card or hard copy letter. You may use email if it’s your contact’s preferred method of communication or if circumstances could prevent him from receiving your mailed letter in a timely manner.