Professional Thank-You Letter Examples and Writing Tips

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Saying thank you can go a long way. A thank-you note or email message, in addition to showing your appreciation, can boost your career, help you get a job offer, and cement a relationship with a client, vendor, or networking contact.

The Value of Thank-You Notes

Consider your job interview thank-you letters as follow-up "sales" letters. This is an opportunity to say why you want the job, what your qualifications are, and how you would contribute to the company. Your thank-you letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer didn't ask or that you didn't answer as well as you could have.

Note

When writing other business and work-related thank-you emails and letters, keep in mind that every time you say thank you, you are not just showing your appreciation—you are also reminding the person you are writing to of who you are. These letters are great relationship builders.

Here's information on when to say thank you and whom to thank, different types of professional thank-you letters, and when to use them. Also see sample thank-you letters, thank-you notes, letters of appreciation, and thank-you email messages for a variety of professional, business, and employment-related circumstances.

Thank-You Letter Examples and Templates

It is a good idea to read thank-you examples or templates before writing your own. Examples can help you see what kind of content you should include in your message. Examples can also help you with the layout and format of your letter. Consider reading sample thank-you letters and a formatted email thank-you message to help you prepare your own note.

Thank-you letter templates can also help with the format and structure of your letter. You can select a thank-you letter template and fill it in with information related to your situation.

While examples, templates, and guidelines are a great starting point for your thank-you note, remember you should always be flexible and tailor your correspondence to the circumstances.

Note

Do be sure to take the time to personalize your message so it reflects your sincere appreciation and the reason why you are writing.

Professional Appreciation Letters

It is important to thank everyone who helps with your career, your business, or a job search. Showing appreciation for people is a great way to maintain relationships with employers, colleagues, vendors, and networking contacts.

Here are sample appreciation letters to send to contacts who have provided you with assistance.

Business Thank-You Letters

Thank-you letters are important for a variety of business-related circumstances. Review business thank-you letter samples for professional and employment-related scenarios, including thank-you letters for employees, employers, colleagues, clients, and networking contacts.

Email Thank-You Messages

An email thank-you message is a great idea when you want to send a short note of appreciation as quickly as possible. This is particularly important after a job interview.

Read here for email thank-you letter examples, with a focus on emails for employment-related situations, including job interviews and more.

Employee Thank-You Letters

Sending a thank-you letter to an employee is a great way to recognize someone’s hard work, boost morale, and maintain strong relationships in the office.

Read here for examples of thank-you letters and email messages to send to an employee who has done a good job. Also, read example thank-you letters to a boss, to team members, to colleagues, and to others in the workplace whom you wish to thank for their assistance or performance.

Job Interview Thank-You Letters

It is important to say thank you to an employer after an interview. This is a great way to emphasize your interest in a job, remind the employer why you are an ideal candidate, and address any remaining concerns that came up during the interview.

Read here for a list of sample thank-you letters, and more tips on when and how to send an interview thank-you letter.

Handwritten Thank-You Notes

It takes some time to write and mail a handwritten thank-you note. However, many executives surveyed prefer handwritten notes to email messages. If time permits, mailing handwritten thank-you cards can make a great impression.

Networking Letter Samples

Saying thank you after meeting or receiving help from a contact is a great way to maintain your network. Here are sample job search and career networking thank-you letters including a thank you for an introduction, a thank you for a referral, and more.

Thank-You Letters for References and Recommendations

Always write a thank-you note for the people who write letters of recommendation or provide references for you. This is a great way to show your appreciation for help with your job search.

Here are sample thank-you letters for people who provided you with references and letters of recommendation.

Thank-You Note Samples

When you need to say thank you, it is important to use both the right words and the right format. Sometimes a handwritten note is best; other times, a quick email is ideal.

Here are a variety of samples of thank-you emails, notes, and more.

Thank-You Letter Writing Tips

Review tips for writing and sending professional thank-you letters, notes, cards, and email messages, including whom you should thank, when you should say thank you, and the best way to send thank-you notes and emails.

Sample Professional Thank-You Letter and Template

Review a sample professional thank-you letter, and download a template to use as a starting point for your own letter.

Eva White
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
eva.white@email.com

March 23, 2021

Bob Smith
3 Oak Street
Anytown, CA 12345

Dear Mr. Smith,

I want to thank you for being a loyal CBI Designs customer. As one of our first clients, you helped our company get off the ground. It was a real pleasure helping you bring your vision to life in what was then your new home.

Since then, we’ve worked together on numerous home renovation and design projects, and I’m always excited when I see that you’ve emailed with ideas.

In addition, I’m grateful to you for recommending other customers. You’ve helped make my part-time hobby into a full-time job, and I can’t thank you enough.

Sincerely yours,

Eva White
CBI Designs

Download the Letter Template: Professional Thank-You Letter Sample

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