Email Reference Thank-You Letter Sample

It's always important to take the time to say thank you, especially when someone writes a reference for you. Manners matter, especially in professional life. The single best way to keep your career network strong and growing is to be polite and treat people as you'd like to be treated.

People like to know they are appreciated, and a quick email message to thank them will help cement your relationship with your reference writer. Perhaps it will make them even more willing to help you again in the future.

Why It's Important to Say Thank You

Nowhere is this more important than when someone has done you a favor, for example, by writing you a professional or personal letter of reference. Writing reference letters takes time and energy, and most of us have precious little of either.

A contact who makes an effort to write you a reference is making you a priority on a crowded to-do list. It's important that you acknowledge this and thank them for taking the trouble.

In doing so, you're not only making your mom proud that she taught you how to behave all those years ago; you're also solidifying a connection with someone who's already shown that they are willing to put forward some effort on your behalf. That's good business as well as good manners.

The good news is that these thank-you letters don't require much investment on your part—certainly not compared with the reference letter they're intended to acknowledge. Often, you can send your thank-you via email, taking advantage of technology's speedy turnaround time and saving yourself a stamp in the process. 

When to Send Your Thank-You Message

When you're sending an email thank-you message, time is of the essence. Sending an email as soon as you can after receiving your letter of reference shows that you appreciate the favor and that your interest lies in thanking them as quickly as possible. (Also note that a thank-you email isn't always the best option—more on that in a minute.)

What an Email Reference Thank-You Letter Should Include

Email thank-you letters can be short and sweet. There's no need to spend paragraphs explaining your gratitude, but you do want to make sure that your note contains the following:

• A clear subject line mentioning the referral specifically.
• An acknowledgment of the importance of the referral, e.g., "I know your good word went a long way toward getting me the job."
• Your thanks.
• All the standard parts of a business letter email, including a salutation and a closing.
• Accurately spelled, grammatically correct writing. Pay special attention to spellings of proper names. A thank-you that misspells the recipient's name feels considerably less genuine.

When Not to Send an Email Thank-You Message

Email has come a long way in terms of acceptance as a means of sending a semi-formal business communication, but there are times when a physical thank-you note is a better choice. Generally speaking, you should go with good old-fashioned paper and ink if:

• The letter of reference was also written on paper and in ink.
• It was a reference for a job, and your industry is somewhat traditional.
• The person doing the referring tends to send physical thank-you notes.

Even in this case, email can be useful.

You'll hardly ever go wrong by taking that extra step. In an era when most of us pay our bills online and send out party invitations over email, an actual note can say a lot about your appreciation. It'll also stand out in the recipient's mind as something special.

Reference Thank-You Email Examples

Here are some sample email messages saying thank you for a reference. The first sample also informs the reference writer that the person was hired.