How to Write a Thank You Letter Post Interview
| Title: How to Write a Thank You Letter Post Interview | Author: Shannon Buerosse |
| Subject(s): English Language Arts | |
| Grade Level(s): 6-8 | Total Time: 1 class period |
Overview / Description:
Through this lesson, students will learn how to create a thank you letter to send to an employer, post-interview.
Learning goals/objectives:
After completing this activity, students should be able to
- understand the components of a formal letter.
- write a thank you letter to send to an employer following an interview.
Workplace Readiness Skill:
| Social Skills | X | Communication |
|
| Teamwork | Critical Thinking | ||
| Attitude and Initiative | Planning and Organization | ||
| X | Professionalism | Media Etiquette |
Content Standards:
Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts:
Writing
W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline- specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Language
L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. b. Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.
L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break. b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission. c. Spell correctly.
Wisconsin Comprehensive School Counseling Model:
B-SS 1: Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills
I.8.2.1 Recognize and demonstrate the use of
various decision-making styles and their effect on career planning
Materials:
Learning Activities:
WHO (T=Teacher Focus Lesson; WG=Whole Group\; SM=Small Group; I=Independent)
| Learning Activity Task | WHO is responsible for this step? | Approximate time for task |
| Teacher will introduce why thank you letters are important post-interview. Share rubric, and go through the different parts of a thank you letter and what to include. Ideally, this should be done after mock interviews and created for the adults who took place in the mock interview for each student. Teacher may want to reference General Thank You Letter Writing Tips. | Teacher | 10-15 minutes |
| Teacher will model how to incorporate details from items from resumes (previous lesson) into your thank you letter; for example: in the example image provided, the writer addresses a potential concern (that he only has worked freelance, instead of in a corporate setting). To address this, he reemphasizes his experience and the growth he has been able to aid his previous clients in obtaining (building a network of over 5k followers in 3 months, generating an average of over 350 shares per post, etc.) Indicate that a thank you letter is also a great way to address concerns or things you thought of after the interview was over. | Teacher | 5 minutes |
| Assign Thank You Letter assignment. Give students time to work on their thank you letters. Allow for peer editing if time allows. | Student | 20 minutes, or as much in class time you choose to allot. Should not take more than 60 minutes |
Assessment:
Summative Assessment - Students will be creating a thank you letter according to the rubric. Assessment is focusing on proper spelling, grammar, and maintaining a formal tone. Thank you Letter Rubric
Wrap-Up:
Once thank you letters are in final draft form, teacher will work with students to correctly address an envelope and send the thank you letters.
Extension Activity (for intervention or enrichment):
Invite a guest speaker in Human Resources to discuss the importance of thank you letters in industry.
Partner with a local company to pair each student with an industry mentor who will read and respond to their thank you letter with feedback on their formatting and professionalism.