How to write a professional thank-you note

Sending a thank-you note involves more than just shooting off a quick email. Follow these steps to craft one that shows how professional and memorable you are.

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Someone in your network gave you valuable advice. You want to thank him.

What’s the secret to writing a great professional thank-you note?

Do you send an email, a handwritten note or a little gift? What do you say? We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t push an agenda, ask for a job or try to close a sale.

I am going to answer all those questions, and show you how to get a response like this:

How did my professional thank-you note get that response?

I sent a handwritten note, which is extremely rare these days, and two helpful books. I also followed an acronym I created called G.R.E.A.T (grateful, reference, explanation, action, thanks). I use it when I write all my professional thank-you notes.

Thank-you notes are tricky to write. They are not as straightforward as networking follow-up emails.

Let’s get into it.

I recently spoke with Lea McLeod, the founder of Degrees of Transition, a career website that helps recent grads and mid-careerists navigate the job search. McLeod is super smart, and understands the career space.

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