The unemployment rate in the United States has spiked dramatically over the last few months, and lots of people throughout the country are busy looking for work. Are you part of this group? Are you having a hard time getting past the interview stage of your job search?

If you said "yes" to either of these questions, one way to help yourself stand out as an applicant is to send a thank-you email after a job interview. Not sure what to include in this email or how to format it? Keep reading. Listed below are some great tips that will help you write an excellent thank-you email.

Why Your Thank You Email Matters

If you've never sent a thank-you email after attending a job interview, it might seem like overkill. It's beneficial, though, to make yourself memorable and increase your chances of getting hired.

Here are some specific reasons why you'll want to send these emails after each interview:

Stand Out

A lot of people fail to send thank-you emails after they've interviewed for a job, more than you would think. They might feel like it's unnecessary or might not even know that it's something they should think about doing.

When you make an effort to follow up and send a thank-you email, you can stand out from your competition. Your interviewers will be more likely to remember you as the person who went the extra mile, and this never hurts when there are multiple applicants for the job.

Overcome Objection

A thank-you email also provides you with an opportunity to overcome any potential objections that the interviewer might have had about hiring you. For example, let's say they expressed concern about your lack of experience with a specific aspect of the job.

You can use your thank-you email to emphasize your qualifications for the position and explain how you will benefit the company, which may cause the interviewer to reconsider their concerns about hiring you.

Demonstrate Motivation

When you send a thank-you email, you can demonstrate your motivation and desire for the job. You're showing the interviewer that you want this position and are eager to hit the ground running.

No matter what kind of position you're applying to, hiring managers want highly motivated employees. If you take the time to write an email and let them know how excited you are to work for them, this can make a great impression and increase your chances of landing the job.

Continue Dialogue

Your thank-you email allows you to continue a dialogue with the interviewer. It reminds them that you haven't forgotten about the position and helps them not to forget about you. It also gives them a chance to see how well you communicate outside of a job interview, which may help win you some extra points.

How to Write a Thank You Email

Okay, you're convinced that a thank-you email matters. You might be wondering what you should include in this type of email. Here are some essential tips that will help you write a great one:

Content Matters

The most important thing to consider when writing a thank-you email to your interviewer is the email's content. Here are some essential items to include when drafting your email:

• A "thank you" to the interviewer for their time
• A brief reiteration of why you're interested in the job and why you're a good fit
• A short restatement of something you and the interviewer discussed during the interview (to make your email more personal)
• Relevant examples of your work
• Examples of how you might help to address specific problems within the company

Finally, you should thank the interviewer again for their time and consideration at the end of the email.

Time It Right

Don't wait too long before sending your thank-you email. Generally speaking, it's best to send an email within 24 hours of your interview.

Sending an email within this time frame ensures that your name and interview will still be fresh in the recipient's mind. It also shows that you're motivated and are taking your job search seriously, both of which are likely to work in your favor.

Send an Email to Each Interviewer

If yours was a group interview or met with multiple representatives from the company, it's essential to send a separate email to each person.

Be sure to send unique emails to each person, too. You never know when people will compare emails as they're deciding between different interviewees. If they see that you sent them all the same message, they'll likely be less impressed with your initiative.

Remember, if you're already setting aside time to write emails, you might go all the way and make sure they count.

Always Customize the Email

Be sure to customize your thank-you email to the interviewer(s) for each position you applied to. Again, if you're going to write thank-you emails, go all out and make them count. People can tell when they're receiving a generic email, and they're not going to be impressed when it arrives in their inbox.

Also mention topics that you and the interviewer discussed, including ideas about how you're, specifically, going to use your skills to improve certain aspects of the company.

Keep it Short and Sweet

As a general rule, it's best to keep your thank-you emails short and sweet. Your interviewers are busy people, after all, and you don't want to bog them down with a massive wall of text.

Limit the email to a few paragraphs, as much as you need to make it personal without being too wordy. By doing this, you show that you're respectful of their time, but you also have a chance to emphasize your desire to reach out again and touch base.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Finally, don't forget to proofread your thank-you email. Then, before you hit "send," proofread it one more time.

Depending on the recipient, typos might not automatically disqualify you from the job, but they're not going to work in your favor. It's worth it to take a little extra time to ensure your email is well-written and doesn't contain any grammatical errors, spelling errors, or other potential issues.

Be sure to double-check the spelling of each interviewer's name, too. That would be off-putting and could potentially cost you the job, especially if you're applying for a position that requires attention to detail.

Improve Your Emails, Improve Your Job Search

If you follow this advice, you'll have no trouble putting together emails that make a great impression on your interviewers and help you land the job.

If you're on the hunt for a new job, chances are you're going to be sending a lot of emails. Do you need help streamlining your process? If so, check out Postbox today. We can't wait to show you what separates us from the rest!

Image source: Unsplash