By Peggy McKee,

What’s one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make when sending thank you notes after the interview (besides not sending one at all)? It’s not using this opportunity for the job-winning advantage that it is.

Job seekers who send generic notes that say, ‘Thank you so much for meeting with me. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to speaking with you again’ are missing a chance to boost their chances of getting the offer.

You absolutely do want to thank them for the opportunity to speak with them. Gratitude is always good. However, this is also your chance to point out things that support hiring you.

Good things to consider including in a post-interview thank you note:

• Remind them of how your skills will benefit the company (this would sum up what you talked about in the interview)
• Say that what you learned in the interview (name 2-3 things) makes you even more confident that you could be successful in this role
• Mention an important point that you forgot to bring up in the conversation (that would help them decide to hire you)
• Clarify a point that you think may have gotten confused or expand on something that you were able to only briefly touch on
• Answer a question from the interview that you needed time to think about
• Say that as you’ve thought about and processed the conversation, you have some great ideas and are excited to discuss them further with them

Whatever you write, write it in your own words. Form-letter thank you notes are why everyone hates them (writers and readers alike). Just write a note to the person you spoke with. Be your professional self.

In general, structure your note like this:

• Address it to the person (Dear Mr. Smith or Mike, depending on where you left the interview conversation)
• Thank them for the opportunity to speak with them
• Mention 2-3 things that support a decision to hire you
• Tell them that you look forward to speaking with them again
• Say when you’ll follow up with a phone call (usually 2-3 days)

This last piece is important. Tell them when you will follow up with them—and then do it. This is an area where many job seekers are uncertain, but don’t be. Don’t be afraid to call to find out the status of the hiring decision. You’re interested, and you need to know. It’s good communication. Use it to keep the conversation moving forward to a job offer.