Thank-you email after an interview
Send it the same day or the next morning, to the person who interviewed you or the person who arranged the interview.
Subject: Thank you – Customer Service Team Leader interview
Dear Ms Imrie,
Thank you for meeting me this morning to talk about the Customer Service Team Leader role. I enjoyed hearing how your team handles complaints, and especially your plan to bring first-contact resolution up to 80% next year.
Our conversation made me even keener on the role. The huddles I described, where we share the calls that went well, are one way I would help the team get there.
Thank you again for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Natalie Dunn
07700 900155
Why it works
- It names the role and one thing the interviewer said, so it could not be sent to anyone else.
- It adds one short point that links you to that thing, without repeating the whole interview.
- It is short: three short paragraphs and a sign-off.
Following up when you have heard nothing
Wait until the date they said they would reply has passed. If they gave no date, a week after the interview or the closing date is reasonable.
Subject: Application for Warehouse Team Leader (ref. OVD-2291)
Dear Ms Dyer,
I applied for the Warehouse Team Leader role on 28 September and interviewed with you on 7 October. You mentioned that you hoped to decide by the end of last week, so I wanted to ask whether there is any news.
I am still very interested in the role and happy to send anything else you need.
Kind regards
Piotr Nowak
07700 900163
Why it works
- It gives the role, the reference and the dates, so the reader can find your application in seconds.
- It says why you are writing now (the date has passed), which keeps it polite rather than pushy.
- It ends by offering help, not by asking for a decision.
Asking someone to be your referee
Ask before you give anyone’s name. Acas advises employers to take up references at the offer stage, so let your referee know who might contact them and roughly when.
Subject: Would you be a referee for me?
Dear Mrs Garside,
I am applying for a Saturday job as a sales assistant at Pennine Garden Centre, where I did my work experience in June. The application asks for a character reference from someone who knows me well, and I wondered if you would be willing to be my referee.
If you agree, the store manager, Ms Karen Whitlow, may contact you by email in the next few weeks. I have attached my CV and the job advert in case they help.
Thank you for thinking about it. I will understand if you are too busy.
Best wishes
Amelia Hughes
Year 11, 11G
Why it works
- It asks rather than assumes, and makes it easy to say no.
- It tells the referee the job, the employer and who will contact them.
- It attaches the CV and the advert so the referee can mention the right things.
Accepting a job offer
Accept once you are sure: as soon as you accept a job offer you have a contract with the employer (GOV.UK). Many offers are conditional on references or other checks and can be withdrawn if a check fails, so wait until the offer is unconditional before you hand in your notice at your current job (GOV.UK: Job offers, your rights).
Subject: Acceptance of offer – Payroll Officer
Dear Mr Oduya,
Thank you for offering me the role of Payroll Officer. I am delighted to accept.
As we discussed, I will start on Monday 4 January 2027, at a salary of £29,500 a year. Please let me know if there is anything you need from me before then, such as documents for my right to work check.
I am looking forward to joining the team.
Kind regards
Zoe Whitaker
07700 900612
Why it works
- It accepts in the first lines, so there is no doubt.
- It repeats the start date and salary you agreed, so any mistake surfaces now, in writing.
- It asks what they need before day one, such as right to work documents.
Before you send any of them
- Use the email address you put on your CV, and a subject line that says what the email is about.
- Check the reader’s name and the job title against the advert or the email that invited you.
- Keep it short. Each email above is under 120 words.
- If you attach anything, name the file clearly, as in how to email a CV.
Accepting an offer matters most: as soon as you accept a job offer you have a contract with the employer, even if nothing is written down yet (GOV.UK: Employment contracts). Your employer must give you a written statement of your main terms, including pay, hours and holiday, on your first day (GOV.UK: Written statement of employment particulars). If the offer depends on references, a health check or other checks, it is conditional and the employer can withdraw it if a check fails, so wait until they confirm the offer is unconditional before you hand in your notice (GOV.UK: Job offers, your rights).
Character reference examplesWrite a cover letterBuild your CV
Updated . Facts from Acas and GOV.UK, checked 14 October 2026; the rules on conditional offers checked 3 November 2026. Every person and employer in these emails is fictional.