Sending a thank-you note after an interview is a polite way of showing appreciation for the opportunity and the time the hiring manager dedicated to speaking with you. This simple step can help job seekers leave a positive and lasting impression.

Writing an effective thank-you note after an interview requires careful attention to detail and an understanding of common mistakes. Here are 10 to avoid and how to steer clear of them:

Timing is crucial when it comes to sending your thank-you note after an interview. If you wait more than a day or two, you may miss the boat by neglecting this important rule.

The best time to send a thank-you letter for a job interview is within the first 24 hours following the interview. Hiring decisions can be made quickly. You also don't want to risk making a poor impression by being the last candidate to send your thank-you email.

2. Not Sending One at All

Fear of making a mistake with your thank-you note shouldn't stop you from sending one. An interview thank-you email is a common courtesy that shows your interest in the position and intent to win the job.

Some candidates may think it's unnecessary and neglect this step. This is good news for you, since you'll stand out from the competition at the end of the interview process if you're among those who send a professional, well-written thank-you email.

3. Following Up Too Soon

You sent your thank-you email, waited a day and heard nothing back. You're anxious to find out the status of the position and are worried your intended recipient hasn't seen your note. Do you follow up to check in?

No. It's too soon to circle back with the hiring team. Remember that employers have many hoops to jump through in the hiring process, from interviewing multiple candidates to following up with reference checks and consulting with others in their company about the decision. An over-eager, premature follow-up email can backfire, so it's best to wait at least a week before requesting an update.

4. Using the Wrong Tone

Your thank-you letter for a job interview needs to stay as professional in tone as your actual interview. This is true even if you're sending a thank-you email after the interview rather than a more formal printed thank-you letter or card.

Some candidates blow this opportunity by writing their thank-you email in an overly casual way, like an email to a friend. Don't just dash off a breezy note, since hiring teams may see this as unprofessional. Instead, craft this communication carefully, with careful attention given to making the same positive impression you did during your face-to-face meeting.

While there's no set word count for a job interview thank-you email, knowing some reasonable ballparks can help you avoid appearing unprofessional. Sending a quick one- or two-liner, like "Great to meet you yesterday -- hope to hear from you soon!" is a faux pas. A short message that fails to reference any key points from the actual interview won't help the hiring committee connect your name with your application. This strategy risks that you'll come off as informal and less serious compared to other candidates.

Likewise, don't go overboard writing two pages on all the reasons you love the company and feel you should be hired. Aim for a happy medium of a few paragraphs that shine.

6. Apologizing for an Interview Mistake

Can't stop thinking about the last answer you gave to a tricky interview question? If you feel tempted to mention it in your post-interview thank-you email, don't. It's difficult to know whether the hiring team thought you botched the answer or not -- and by apologizing for a possible misstep, you will only draw more attention to it.

7. Asking About Salary and Benefits

If you think you have the job offer sealed from your stellar interview performance but haven't been offered the position yet, don't bring up salary and benefits in your thank-you note. The interview thank-you email has a specific purpose, which is to show enthusiasm for the position, respect for the hiring team and demonstrate proper interview protocol. Making the mistake of prematurely bringing up how much the job pays will brand you as a novice and may change the team's mind about you.

8. Begging for the Job

Appearing desperate in your thank-you email after an interview is a definite turnoff for employers. Using your post-interview email to share how badly you need or want the job is bound to backfire. Just don't do it.

9. Making Spelling Mistakes

Consider the thank-you letter for a job interview as a key component of your job application materials. Just as serious candidates triple-check their cover letter and resume to avoid typos, grammatical mistakes and spelling errors, you should thoroughly proofread your thank-you email to ensure perfection. If you aren't strong at spelling and grammar, ask a friend or colleague you trust to review it.

Delivering a gift to the hiring team along with your thank-you note after an interview may be seen as bribery. To avoid this ethics quagmire, don't send anything in addition to the thank-you note. Even if you have the best of intentions, human resources and hiring managers may not view it that way, and you might end up disqualified from the candidate pool.