A New Graduate Nurse’s Guide to Writing a Thank You Letter After an Interview

• Sending a thank you letter after an interview could help you stand out among another candidate. After an interview, send a thank you letter to the interviewer and other candidates.  
• Be sure to include an appropriate greeting and share what you enjoyed about the interview experience.  
• Send your thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. 

Hello Nurse! Exciting times are ahead of you! You may have been studying for the NCLEX and have begun receiving calls to set up interviews. You may have already crafted the perfect cover letter and resume. You may have started to practice your interview responses. You are ready to go! But don’t forget a crucial step in the interview process — The Thank You Letter. You might ask why you should write a thank you letter after an interview. Though not required, it is highly recommended. Interviewers have the challenge of choosing from many strong candidates. A brief letter might be just the thing that makes you stand out.

Benefits of a thank you letter include, but are not limited to:  

• It lets the interviewers know you appreciated the opportunity to meet with them. 
• It emphasizes your excitement about the position.  
• It provides another chance to highlight the qualities and experience that make you a great candidate for the position.    
• It helps to refresh the interview panelists’ memories of who you are.  

Greet Appropriately

Your greeting will depend on the number of individuals who were involved in the interview process. If there are two or three people, you can list their names in your greeting. For example, “Dear Dr. Hireling, Dr. Firstchoice, & Ms. Gradpicker.”  A general greeting such as “Dear Interview Panelists” is acceptable if there you met with a significant number of interviewers. 

Start with Gratitude

Thank the interview panelists for taking the time to interview you. Specify the position you were interviewed for and the interview date. 

Express Your Post-Interview Feelings

How did you feel when leaving the interview?  Did you understand the department, organization, and role better? Did you have a sense of excitement about the position? Did you feel welcome? Did you think you had established a good rapport with the individuals who interviewed you?

Express What You Appreciated About the Interview

What stood out to you in the interview? Did any of the panelists share their experiences as an employee of your desired unit of hire? Be specific. 

Reflect on Your Qualities and Experience

Reiterate why you are a strong candidate for the position.  

Close the Letter with Gratitude

Reemphasize your interest in joining the team. Express your excitement about being notified of decisions regarding the position. Provide contact information. Thank the interview panelists once again.  

To Whom Do I Send the Thank You Letter?

Pay close attention to introductions during your interview. Write down the names of all the people who interviewed you. They may provide their business cards with their contact information.  If not, you can ask the recruiter for their email addresses. You could also send a letter to the recruiter to forward to the appropriate people. An example of that email will be provided below with an example of a thank you letter. 

When Should I Send the Thank You Letter?

As soon as possible. Ideally, you should have a template drafted before your interview. That way, you can fill in details specific to that interview. It’s recommended that you send the thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. If your interview was in the morning, sending a letter in the afternoon or evening is acceptable as well.

Thank You Letter Samples

The following is an example of an email to a recruiter if you do not have the contact information for the interview panelists. Attach the thank you letter to the email as a Word document or PDF:  

Good afternoon [Name of recruiter],  

Attached is a letter to express my gratitude to the interview panelists. I do not have all their email addresses. Below are the names of the people I did get the opportunity to meet with:

• Frances Hireling
• Elizabeth Gradpicker 
• Patricia Nurseteacher 
• Pamela Onboarder

I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward this letter to them.  

Best Regards,  

Katrina A. Newnurse  

The following is an example of an email to interview panelists if you have their contact information. Attach the thank you letter to the email as a Word document or PDF:  

Good afternoon [Names of interview panelists], 

Attached is a letter to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interview on April 2, 2024.  

Best Regards,  

Katrina A. Newnurse  

The following is a sample thank you letter:

Dear Interview Panelists,    

Thank you for meeting with me to interview for the Registered Nurse position in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) on April 2, 2024.  It was an enriching experience to dialogue with each of you. I left each meeting feeling like I gained more understanding about the CICU and First Gig Health System, clarification on what this position entails, and a sense of excitement about it.  You were all very welcoming, and I felt we had a good relationship. I appreciated the opportunity to shadow Shawn to better understand the environment and workflow. I also appreciate everyone sharing their own experiences as employees of First Gig Health System. It is evident that you are genuinely enthusiastic and enjoy working in this setting.  

After speaking with the team and reflecting on my experience and qualities, I believe I would be a strong candidate for this position. I am motivated, organized, autonomous, skilled in decision-making, and highly adaptable to ever-changing environments and temperaments. I can function and communicate effectively in a team setting to achieve common goals. I am open to direction and constructive criticism. I am also willing to accept new challenges and learn new skills through training and researching policies and procedures. My academic accomplishments, professional experiences, personal experiences, and passion for nursing have built the commitment, perseverance, and skill set required for success. I feel there is always more to learn daily, and I have a sincere passion for growing as a nurse.  

I look forward to being notified once decisions are made regarding this position. Thank you once again for further confirming my desire to be part of the First Gig Health System CICU team.   

You may reach me at (000) 000-0000 or Knewnurse@myemail.com.  

Thank you again for your time and consideration.    

Best Regards,  

Katrina A. NewNurse 

The Bottom Line

The interview process can be challenging. All the steps, from the cover letter to the resume to the interview, are vital for success. Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be interviewed brings focus to the joyous moments of the interview process. The thank you letter pulls everything together and brings you to the forefront of the interviewers’ minds. Be confident in your ability to become part of a fantastic nursing team, and take the opportunity to emphasize further just how strong of a candidate you are. I wish you all the best!  

Read More