Thank You Letters For Jobs Key Terms

Learn how and when to send business Thank You letters

By Laurie Edwards

Writing a business Thank You letter is more than a common courtesy; it can make the difference in getting a job, maintaining good customer relations, making a sale or smoothing over a difficult situation.

Some of the many situations when you might send a Thank You letter include after a job interview, sales meeting, informational meeting or tour. Understand these key terms and situations to help in writing an effective Thank You letter.

Job-interview Thank You

Fewer than 10% of all job candidates send Thank You notes following an interview. Those that do make a good impression on potential employers. Sending a Thank You letter to the interviewer(s) also puts your name in front of them again, providing an additional opportunity to stand out from other candidates.
Try: For more information on when and why to send a follow-up letter after an interview, check out wiseGEEK. Many websites offer sample Thank You letters to send to employers after an interview, including Career Services Group and My-Thank-You-Site.

Career-assistance Thank You

When another business or a colleague assists you in finding a job, providing a lead or helping with a project, a Thank You note is in order. These notes let other people know that you value their assistance and can ensure that it will be provided again in the future.
Try: WritingHelp-Central.com provides a copy of a letter suitable for thanking another company for assistance in a fund-raising effort. Quazell.com and Resume-Resource show Thank You letters sent following tours of company facilities.

Omission or damage-control Thank You

When an interview or other business situation does not go as smoothly as you expected, a Thank You note can provide the opportunity to correct misinformation or make a better impression.
Try: Money-Zine.com offers samples of Thank You letters to help improve your image with a prospective employer. Quintessential Careers also has a Thank You letter template aimed at damage control.

Sales-visit Thank You

After visiting a prospect, sending a Thank You note can keep the meeting fresh in the customer's mind and lead to closing a sale. Similar to job interviews, the customer has a choice and a Thank You letter can keep your name at the top of the list.
Try: Tips for writing a Thank You letter after a sales call can be found at eHow.

Elements and formatting

Formatting a Thank You letter correctly makes the best impression. Most senders type their Thank You letters using the usual business correspondence format.
Try: Writing-Business-Letters.com has a chart that details each part of a business letter.

Block and indented layouts

Business Thank You letters are usually laid out in block style, in which all the elements are justified against the left margin, because it is considered the most formal layout. Indented forms that have the paragraphs or the signature indented are considered less formal.
Try: WriteExpress compares samples of both block and indented layouts. UW-Madison Writing Center has a sample of the indented layout.