How To Say Thank You For Your Time (With Examples)

Showing gratitude is an integral part of social, personal or professional interaction. Saying thank you can increase job performance, help elevate morale, and be all-around beneficial for any organization. When working in any professional environment, it is essential to notice others’ work and show appreciation for their achievements.

Here you will learn when it is appropriate to thank someone for their time and some alternative ways to do so without sounding too generic.

Key Takeaways

• Letting a recruiter know how grateful you are after an interview or even an interview invitation can increase your chances of getting a call back from a recruitment manager.

• Sending a prospective employer an email shows that you acknowledge the value of their time during the hiring process.

Why it’s Important You Thank Someone For Their Time

Being courteous is something that we should never stop doing. With all the hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget that time is fleeting. Thanking a hiring manager for their time shows them a level of gratitude they will appreciate, and help you stand out among the other applicants.

Expressing your appreciation can help make you feel happier at work. It can also help strengthen your relationships with your coworkers. People generally tend to feel good after others take the time to notice their hard work. It motivates them and improves their overall mood in the office.

Professionals are busy people and acknowledging that their time is a resource you’re grateful to have shows that you’re considerate, empathetic, and just plain polite.

Examples Of When To Say Thank You For Your Time

When you are thinking about writing to a recruiter, timing is everything. Ideally, you should be sending your response within the first 12 to 24 hours after the interview.

Keep in mind that saying thank you for your time is not exclusive to only applicants thanking prospective employers. You can also thank a coworker for helping you with a project, professional advice, and even for taking the time to take care of things while you were on leave.

Here is a list of distinctive moments in time when a person should express their appreciation.

1. Thank you for the opportunity to interview. When you get an invitation for an interview, there’s a whole lot of work going on behind the scenes. Hiring managers and recruitment teams spend hours looking through applications, only a small percentage of which actually meet the criteria.

   When you send a follow-up email thanking the employer for their time in inviting you for an interview, you’re thanking them for all the prep work they went through to find a good final pool of applicants that includes you. This can help you stand out as a considerate individual who already understands that collaboration is key for a successful professional relationship.

   Aside from that, you might need to confirm the interview details anyway, so you might as well include a thank-you in your message.

   • Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the [job title] position at [company name]

   • Thank you for the invitation to interview

   • Thank you for considering me for the [job title] role

2. Thank you for the lead on an available job. Your network is a valuable tool in hearing about job opportunities and even landing jobs. When someone goes out of their way to help your career in this way, you should always acknowledge their efforts with a thank-you email.

   • I appreciate you keeping me in mind for the [job title] position at [company name]

   • Thanks for reaching out about the [job title] position

   • Thank you for the time spent researching this role and sharing it with me

   • I’m grateful you remembered my job search when you heard about this opportunity

3. Thank you for your consideration. After an interview, remember to thank the person who is interviewing you. If you have had multiple interviews with the same company, try to make each message contain points discussed in every meeting.

   You will want toavoid sounding too generic–doing so can make it sound cold and impersonal. Remember, the goal is to stay fresh on their mind and stand out among other applicants.

   • Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the [job title] role earlier today

   • I appreciate the time you took to inform me more about the [job title] position

   • Thank you for telling me more about [company name]’s unique approach to [interview-specific detail]

4. Thank you for your help. When in a professional setting, thanking someone for taking the time to help you can help strengthen your professional relationship. When you thank your coworker, remember to offer them to return the favor sometime in the future.

   • I want to thank you for the help you gave me with [project details]

   • I really appreciate you taking the time to help me [whatever they helped you with]

   • Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to lend a hand with [project details]

5. Thank you for the advice. When taking someone’s professional advice, you should thank them for their input. You will want them to know that you value their opinion.

   No matter how small or straightforward this advice might be, they still took time out of their busy schedule to help you out, and you should let them know you are appreciative.

   • I appreciate you taking the time to help me learn from your experiences in the field

   • You always have the best advice on these topics, and I want to thank you for spending time giving such a detailed framework to go off

   • Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me

6. Thank you for your recommendation. If you ask a friend or former employer to write you a letter of recommendation, it is only common courtesy to thank them for their time. After all, they are under no obligation to write this letter for you.

   • I appreciate you helping out with my job search by responding to reference requests

   • Thank you for taking the time to write such a great recommendation letter for me

   • I wanted to thank you for making room in your busy schedule to help out with my job search

7. When you are thanking a mentor. When you start out in a professional environment there is almost always someone who will take you under their wing. It takes a lot of hard work and patience to mentor someone.

   They will need to take time away from their job to make sure you succeed. Be sure that you let you know how thankful you are for helping learn the rope at the office.

   • You always have great career advice, and I appreciate that you take the time to share it with me

   • Thank you for meeting with me today to discuss my career goals

   • I always value your opinion on [topic]; thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me

8. Thank them for taking care of business. There comes a time when you might need to take a leave of absence. It is entirely understandable. There are many reasons why you might need to take time.

   For example, falling ill, caring for your family, losing a loved one, the need to further your education, or feeling burnt out and overworked.

   But what happens to your work during this time? Most likely, it will be reassigned to a coworker. Be sure to reach out to them to let them know how grateful you are to them for taking on the extra work.

   • Thank you for covering for me the other day

   • I appreciate you taking the time to handle [project details] when I was out the other day

   • Thanks for taking time out of your day to help out with [project details]

9. Thank you for the favor. Businesses are built on personal relationships. When anyone does you a solid and takes time out of their busy schedule to help you, acknowledge it. In these cases, it’s also essential to say thank you and offer to return the favor.

   • Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me with [project details]

   • I’m grateful for [favor details] — if there’s anything I can do to help with [project details], don’t hesitate to ask

   • I appreciate you [favor details]; let me know if you need help with [project details]

10. Thank you for volunteering. If anyone deserves to be shown gratitude for taking time out of their busy lives, it is a volunteer. People who volunteer are not looking to be praised for being there.

    However, it wouldn’t hurt to show a little gratitude for their help. This will not only feel good about the work that they are doing, but will also feel the need to continue volunteering.

    • Thank you for giving your time to help [volunteer details]

    • I appreciate you coming to help out with [volunteer details]

    • I value your contributions to [volunteer details] — thanks for taking the time to help out

11. Thank you for the internship. Internships are great opportunities for people without formal experience to learn the ropes of their professional field and/or industry of their choice.

    Companies take a pretty big gamble taking on untrained individuals for an extended period of time, and it’s good practice to finish your internship experience with gratitude.

    It’s polite, sure, but from a more practical perspective, a genuine “thank you” makes you more memorable to your supervisor and coworkers. When it comes time to ask these people for letters of recommendation, you’ll be glad you expressed your thanks.

    • This internship was a great opportunity to learn more about [field/industry] and I wanted to thank you for the chance to learn

    • Thank you for all the time and effort that went into this internship program

    • I appreciate the chance to learn from the seasoned professionals at [company name] — the time spent working with them was incredibly valuable, and I’m so grateful for it

12. Thank you for taking the time to listen. When you are trying to sell a product to a potential client, it is expected for you to thank them for taking the time to listen to your presentation. Letting people know how grateful you are for their business will help them with their decision to stay loyal to your company.

    • Thanks for taking the time to hear me out about [product details]

    • I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me to learn more about [product details]

    • Thank you for your time and thoughtful questions at today’s presentation

Different Ways to Say “Thank You for Your Time”

There are many alternatives to saying, “Thank You For Your Time.” This will all depend on the reason why you are grateful. Regardless of the reason, it would be best if you always remembered to take the time to let people know how thankful you are for their time.

Here are some of the most common types of thank-you and the different variations to say it:

1. General thank-you:

   • Thank you so much.

   • Thank you for your time and effort.

   • Thank you for everything.

2. Personal thank-you:

   • I appreciate the time you have to take to help me.

   • Thanks for everything you have done.

   • I appreciate your support during this time

3. Business thank-you:

   • Thank you so much for your assistance.

   • I honestly appreciate your help with the project.

   • Thank you for taking over the project in my absence.

   • I wanted to express my gratitude for taking the time to train me.

   • I am thankful that you are my mentor.

4. Interview thank-you:

   • Thank you for your consideration.

   • I greatly appreciate the time you spent interviewing me.

   • I want to take the time and thank you for meeting with me.

   • Thank you for interviewing me.

   • Thank you for reaching out to me. I enjoyed meeting with you.

   • I would like to thank you and your staff for the opportunity to meet.

Things To Avoid When Saying Thank You For Your Time

There are many things you should avoid when you are trying to thank someone for their time. These mistakes can reflect poorly on your person and make it seem like you are the wrong person for the job.

1. Waiting too long to send a thank you email. Avoid putting off your thank-you email if you can try to send this email within the following business day. Hiring managers have to go through hundreds of applicants by sending them an email thanking them for the time and consideration you are putting the odds in your favor.

2. Sending the same thank-you letter to people. As mentioned above, it is essential not to let your email be too generic. Most people can tell whether or not you have used a template. Try to bring up crucial points you spoke about during your interview.

3. Writing a long email. Writing a short and to-the-point email can be much more appealing to people. The truth is most people do not have time to sit down and read a six-paragraph email. Try to only include key elements in your message and keep it short.

4. Avoid writing a thank-you email if you feel forced to write one. Believe it or not, it is pretty easy to transmit tone in your email. Remember that you are trying to convey gratitude, and your message should reflect that.

   When saying thank you to a hiring manager, be sure that you also let them know how excited you are at the prospect of working for them.

Thank You For Your Time FAQ

1. How do you say, “Thank you for your time”?

   Say, “Thank you for your time,” with a written note. This can be a handwritten card or a typed email, but making an effort to send something tangible to say thank you goes a long way.

   Thanking someone for their time in person is also appropriate, though. You should always do this at the end of an interview or other meeting. A written thank you note should be an add-on to this in-person thank you, not a replacement.

   When you do write a note to thank someone for their time, be specific about what you appreciate about them giving up that time for you.

2. What to write instead of “Thank you for your time”?

   Instead of “Thank you for your time,” you can write, “Thank you for the opportunity to interview.” This can come across as more conversational than “Thank you for your time,” making your note more personable. Being specific carries more weight in a thank-you note than a general phrase does.

   If you aren’t writing to say thank you after an interview, there are a variety of other ways to phrase your thanks:

   • Thank you for the lead on an available job.

   • Thank you for your consideration.

   • Thank you for your help.

   • Thank you for your advice.

   • Thank you for your recommendation.

3. Is saying, “Thank you for your time,” rude?

   No, saying, “Thank you for your time,” is not rude. Thanking someone for taking the time to interview you for a job, give you a referral, or help you in some other way is a courteous thing to do.

   Taking the time to follow up with someone to thank them in a handwritten note or an email demonstrates your gratitude and will help solidify your relationship or good impression.

4. Is saying, “Thank you for your time,” a good way to end an email?

   Yes, saying, “Thank you for your time,” is a good way to end an email. This is especially true if you’re emailing a request or list of questions.

   The genericness of this phrase makes it a versatile go-to, but it can also make your note of thanks sound a little manufactured and impersonal to someone you’ve already established a relationship with. To avoid this, work extra details into your email about what you’re specifically thankful for.

Tips From Experts

How To Say Thank You For Your Time

Robin Noelle
Writing Coach

If you really want to stand out from other applicants, consider sending a handwritten thank you card immediately after your interview. Thanking interviewers for their time is nice, but reiterating your interest in the company and the value you’ll bring to the team will leave a stronger impression than a generic “thanks for meeting with me” email.

Final Thoughts

Now you know the importance of taking the time to show how grateful you are for the opportunities that come your way. This can very well be the difference between getting called back for a second interview.

Not thanking someone for their time can make you come across as ungrateful and cold. This will negatively affect your professional relationships, both in the short and long term.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.