College Student Etiquette: How To Write a Thank-You Note

You just finished up an awesome interview for a potential internship. You dressed the part, managed to smile, and composed your thoughts intelligently and eloquently.

Finally, you’re done!

No, you’re not. You still need to write a thank-you note.

Thank-you notes are basic, yet often forgot.

For those who have learned to write them all throughout their life, good for you! You’re officially a better person than I am.

For those who are just learning to write them now, look no further than this blog entry.

Below are five easy steps to remember when writing a quality thank-you note:

Whether you are thanking someone for an interview, meeting or Christmas sweater, you should always remember these rules when writing out your card.

1. Greet.

Don’t just jump right into the “thank you”, but remember to greet the recipient of the note first. It’s a subtle form of acknowledgement and everyone loves being acknowledged for a good deed. So do it.

Also, including the word “dear” is an important thing to remember; do not simply state the person’s name!

2. Thank.

Obviously, thank the person, but don’t beat around the bush. Say “thank you” and not some permutation of “I was just writing to say…” or “I thought that it would be a good thing if I…” You’re taking up space and just stating the obvious.

All you need to say is “thank you for x, y or z.”

3. Mention why you’re thankful.

Let the recipient know why their action (an interview, a gift) has made an impact on you that is great enough to write a thank-you note. It will make them warm and fuzzy and, consequently, more likely for them to hire you/buy you another gift.

4. Thank again.

Who wouldn’t like being thanked again? Restate your thankfulness briefly (“thank you again…”) and get ready to finish up.

5. Close.

Sincerely, yours truly, with love… the closing remark is up to you. Make it appropriate, sign the letter and you’re done. Bam.

A few reminders:

• Black or blue ink only, please. I like green sparkle gel pens as much as the next girl, but there’s a time and place to use them. That time and place is not on a thank-you note.
• Write neatly and try not to smudge. I wouldn’t want your beautiful prose to be illegible.
• Date the note.
• Send out the note as soon as possible and don’t leave it on your desk to chill for a couple of days. The sooner it gets sent out, the better.

If everything works out, feel free to drop me a thank-you note for the thank-you note tutorial.