The New Rules for Thank-You Notes - Updated guidance for career success

Sep 15, 2026

People often question whether thank-you notes still matter, and the answer is a clear yes—especially after formal job interviews and other situations where someone helped through advice, resume support, referrals, or informational interviews. The guidance emphasizes four updated dos and don’ts: send by email, act promptly (with a 12-hour timing guideline), avoid following up too fast or from a phone, personalize messages for each person met, and keep the note brief while staying authentic and specific.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

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The importance of thank-you notes

Four updated dos and don’ts

Send via email

Be prompt (12-hour timing)

Don’t follow up too fast or from your phone

Send separate notes for each person

Keep it brief and specific

Department of Career Services & Testing The New Rules for Thank-You Notes People often ask if thank-you notes are still important. The answer is an unequivocal, absolute, unqualified, deeply passionate YES. You would be astonished at how many people fail to send a thank-you note after a formal job interview, which has been the rule forever. Nothing impresses an employer more than a quick, authentic thank-you note after any situation where a person has been helped in any way. Thank-you notes are incredibly important to career success. Send one to any person who has conducted a formal interview, helped with your resume, referred you to a vendor or client or given you career advice in an informational interview. But even though the need for a note hasn’t changed, some of the specifics have. Here are four“new” dos and don’ts for thank-you notes: DO: EMAIL. The world has moved on and it is now 100 percent appropriate to send that note by email. In Getting from College to Career in 2007, a handwritten thank-you note was required after a formal interview. But, the 2012 update, change making emailing a thank you note totally acceptable. That’s how fast the etiquette has changed. DO: BE PROMPT. Here’s one of the reasons email is OK: The world moves fast, and 24 hours is almost too long to wait to say thank you, let alone the several days it takes snail mail to arrive. Showing your gratitude quickly shows eagerness, and hiring managers are making decisions lightning fast. If they don’t receive a thank-you note from you by email, they move on. That’s why the new rule is 12 hours – so if you chatted in the morning, send it off in the afternoon. If you met in the afternoon, have it waiting when they check email the following morning. DON’T: FOLLOW UP TOO FAST. However, please don’t sit in the parking lot after an interview and send a thank-you email from your phone. In fact don’t send the note from your phone at all; it’s too easy to make an inadvertent error. You want to sit at your laptop and really think about the words since this is your last opportunity to make a fantastic impression and reiterate why you’re the best person for the job. Department of Career Services & Testing Another reason not to dash it off on your phone: If you met with three people, you should send three different thank-you emails. Don’t just use a template that you copy and paste. Make sure each note contains a personal reference, something that only you could have written and only to that person. This demonstrates that you pay attention to details and will be a thoughtful colleague. DO: BE BRIEF. A thank-you note has one purpose: to show gratitude for people’s time and expertise, and that will shine through if it’s authentic. Say thank you, mention a specific fact or detail that was particularly helpful or interesting and then sign off. Your note doesn’t have to be long; it just has to be meaningful.

FAQs

Why are thank-you notes still important after a job interview?

They reinforce gratitude for time and expertise and make a strong, authentic impression. Quick, sincere follow-up helps employers remember you after the interview.

What is the recommended timing for sending an email thank-you note?

Send it promptly—about within 12 hours. If you met in the morning, email in the afternoon; if you met in the afternoon, have it waiting the next morning.

What should you avoid when sending a thank-you note by email?

Avoid sending it too fast, especially from a phone. Instead, use a laptop to think through the wording and avoid careless mistakes.

Sep 15, 2026

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