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You’ve written your resume and cover letter and aced an interview. Congratulations! You’re almost there! But there’s still some work to do to secure the job: You have to write an interview follow-up email.
Writing a follow-up email after an interview is an important part of the job application process because it helps you stand out from other applicants who do not write an interview follow-up email and:
- Reinforces your enthusiasm for the position.
- Demonstrates thoughtfulness and a willingness to go the extra mile.
- Provides the opportunity to ask more questions.
- Gives you the chance to address possible concerns the interviewer might have.
- Allows you to underscore your qualifications for the job.
- Keeps you fresh in the hiring manager’s mind.
So, how do you write a compelling follow-up email after an interview? We’re here to show you!
How to write a follow-up email after an interview
Writing an interview follow-up email isn’t difficult, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. Follow these tips for a compelling professional letter that interviewers will respond to.
Timing is vital
You might feel compelled to write your email immediately after the interview to show the employer you are eager for the job and to keep the conversation fresh.
Not so fast!
Alison Green, the author of Ask a Manager, says that writing an interview follow-up email too fast can backfire.
“Not only are you bypassing the chance to personalize the content based on what happens in the interview itself, but sending it so quickly comes across like you’re just checking off an item on your to-do list. You want your interviewer to know that you’ve spent time digesting the conversation and that your note reflects real thought and interest.”
Instead, take the time to write down anything that stood out from your interview and lingering questions that came to mind during the conversation. Then reflect on what you want your interviewer to remember and anything you didn’t get the chance to address. Then over a few days, write a few drafts of your follow-up email and send the final version directly to the person who interviewed you.
Pro tip:
If you didn’t get the interviewer’s contact information before or during the interview, then it’s acceptable to contact the company’s human resources department for it.
Write for your audience
As with any other form of writing, you must keep your audience in mind when writing a job interview follow-up email.
Chances are, over the course of the interview process, you will have spoken to more than one person, and you have to follow up with each one of them. So, when you prepare your interview follow-up email, make notes from each interview, so you don’t forget anything from your conversations. When writing your letter, bring up key points from the conversation, such as a project they talked about or their goals for the position.
Pay attention to your tone
Always keep a professional tone when writing a follow-up email after an interview for a job. Be courteous upfront, thanking the interviewer for talking with you about the position and making it clear why you are following up. Be gracious and get straight to the point.
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How to send a follow-up email after an interview
Although every follow-up email for an interview is unique, standard rules apply. Here’s what every post-interview email must contain:
1. Email subject line
If this is your first time writing the interviewer, then a good subject line should look like one of the following examples:
- Thank you for the Interview on 6/15.
- Follow-up Regarding Interview for [Position Name]
- Interview Follow-up
If you have already had contact with the interviewer, then continue the email thread and do not start a new subject line.
2. Professional salutation
Address your interviewer by name, like “Dear First and Last Name,” Never greet informally like “Hello,” “Hi [Name],” or “Greetings,” and avoid using titles like “Miss” or “Mr” unless you are certain of their gender identification.
3. Introduction
A follow-up email after an interview should always begin with gratitude. Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. Always mention the specific job title and company name.
For example: “Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday about the editorial assistant job at The Times News. It was nice to meet you.”
4. Body text
The body of your letter should reiterate your interest in the position and reference something from your conversation with that person and connect it to your qualifications. Ask a question if you have one about something that came up in your interview, and address any concerns the interviewer may have had. One or two paragraphs are acceptable for the body of your letter.
For example: “I was interested to learn about the new social media project you have spearheaded and I’d love to help you see it through. I’m sure my background in social media marketing and my editorial judgment will be great assets to you and the company.”
5. Conclusion
Your interview follow-up email should summarize why you’re the best candidate. Provide a detail or two to show what sets you apart from other job applicants, and invite them to ask you more questions. Let them know you look forward to hearing back from them. Invite them to call you (remind them of your phone number!) or email them to reply.
6. Sign off
Close your letter with a professional signoff, like “Best regards,” “Sincerely,” and under it, leave a space and then write your name.
Example of an email follow-up letter after an interview
Dear Full Name,
Thank you for taking the time to interview me on [day or date] for the [job title] position with [company name]. It was a pleasure speaking with you and learning more about the job.
I enjoyed learning about [something about: the job, the company’s goals, a project that interested you] and I am thrilled about the prospect of using my [skill and or knowledge] to assist you with [a task, project, goal]. I believe I would make a great asset to your team because I can [explain how you would add value].
Please let me know if you have any further questions or need anything from me. I can be reached at [phone number] or via this email address.
Best regards,
[Your name]Pro tip:
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How to write an interview follow-up email after a phone interview
A phone interview is typically a brief screening to ensure you meet the minimum requirements for the job.
Here’s how to write a follow-up email after a phone interview:
- For a phone interview, it’s best to write your follow-up interview email the same day so the potential employer knows you’re interested in the job.
- Thank the interviewer for contacting you for the position and for taking the time to talk to you.
- Express your interest (if you are still interested in the job, that is), and be specific. Think of something about the job that excites you and explain how you can help the company with a goal or a need.
- Close with an invitation to contact you for more information and let them know you look forward to taking the next step in the interview process.
- Sign off politely and professionally.
Use this example of a job interview follow-up email for reference:
Subject line: Thank you for your time today.
Dear [Interviewers Manager’s Name],
Thank you for talking with me today about the [job title] position with [company name]. It was great to learn more about [company name]! I’m happy to know we have similar ideas. I am particularly intrigued by your thoughts on [topic that you discussed] and I’d love to learn more about it. I’m excited about the prospect of using my [skill/knowledge] in [subject matter] to help you reach your goals.
Please let me know if you have any further questions. I can be reached at [phone number] or by replying to this email.
Best regards,
Your Name
How to write a follow-up email after an interview — 1st round
If all goes well during your phone screen, you’ll be asked to meet with one or more people for a first-round video or in-person interview. Here’s how to follow up after.
- Take a few days to process the interview. Write out important facts you gleaned from the conversations you had and take note of anything interesting you learned about the company or the job. Write down questions as they arise.
- Write an interview follow-up email to each person you talked to if you interviewed with more than one person.
- Your follow-up letter for the first round after a phone screen should be a bit more detailed and focused on specific topics from the conversations you had.
- Write your email subject line: “Thank you for the interview on [date of interview]!”
- Greet the interviewer by name, like “Dear Joan,”
- In your introduction, show your excitement for the position and thank the interviewers for their time.
- The body of your email follow-up after an interview following a phone screen should describe how you would tackle specific challenges that you discussed during the interview and detail how you would handle them should you be hired.
- Have a presentation or notes prepared to explain what you can do to help meet a goal or spearhead a project and attach it to your email.
- Close by reiterating your interest in the position and a follow-up offer.
- Sign off professionally.
Here’s an example of what an interview follow-up email for a first-round interview following a phone screen might look like:
Subject line: Thank you for the interview on [date]
Dear [Interviewer’s Name],
Thank you for talking more in-depth with me about the [job title] position with [company name]. I really enjoyed our conversation and I’m even more excited about the opportunity to join your team.
After thinking about your goals for the next year, I came up with a few ideas I think would help you succeed. I’ve attached a short presentation to explain my ideas in detail and to show you how I can help. I’d love to know what you think and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to call me at [your phone number] or reply to me directly through this email.
Thank you again for your time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your name]Pro tip:
If, after the first round interview, you decide you aren’t interested in the position, be polite and follow up anyway to thank them for their time. Then, briefly explain that you don’t think the position is what you want and ask them to stay in touch if they have similar open positions in the future. It’s always good to keep things positive because they might be a great connection to have for future job searches.
How to send a follow-up email after an interview — 2nd round
Wow! You’ve made it through the job application process, a phone screen and the first round of interviews. The hiring manager liked you so much that they called you in for a second (and final) round of interviews. Nice work!
Here’s how to write a follow-up email after an interview in the second round.
- You’re a shoo-in at this point in the process, but you’re probably competing with another person in a tie. To break the tie as the winning job candidate, you will want to use your interview follow-up email to explain exactly why you are the only candidate worth hiring.
- Just like you did after your first round of interviews, wait a few days to follow up and, in the meantime, process the conversations you had.
- Frame your interview follow-up email as you did for your phone screen and first-round interview emails.
- When writing your second round follow-up letter, express your eagerness to join the company, being careful not to come across as desperate. Tell them exactly why you feel excited about the opportunity, using points from your conversation.
- In the body of your letter, emphasize your selling points and mention a skill or past accomplishment you didn’t mention in any of your earlier interviews. Provide a compelling statement that tells the interviewer why you’re the best for the job,
- Wrap up your last follow-up email by once again showing your eagerness for the position and inviting the interviewer to follow up.
Use this example of an interview follow-up email for inspiration:
Dear [Interviewer’s first name]
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me [day/date] about the [job title] position at [company]. It was great to meet you and learn about your goals for the team. I’m thrilled for the chance to work with you, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves to help you get [project] off the ground.
My [specific skills] and knowledge of [topic] will come in handy to help bring in new leads, and my track record shows I am capable of retaining clients after I bring them in. I don’t think I mentioned this when we spoke but in my previous role, I [specific, measurable accomplishment]. I’d love to do the same for [company name].
I’m ready to get started! I look forward to hearing about the next steps in the process. Please let me know if I can provide additional information in the meantime.
Sincerely,
[Your name]Pro tip:
While preparing your follow-up email after an interview, review the interviewer’s LinkedIn account and profiles on the company website. Take note of their title, professional accomplishments and interests, and keep those top of mind as you write your letter so you can speak to their specific needs.
How to write a follow-up email after an interview to check your status
If it’s been two weeks since your last interview and you haven’t heard back, then it’s reasonable to want to check on the status of your job candidacy. If nothing else, it’s a good way to remind the employer that you’re interested in the job.
This type of email follow-up letter can be a bit tricky because you don’t want to appear desperate or annoying, but you’ll do well if you follow our tips for writing an interview follow-up email to check in.
- For this type of follow up, write the job title in the subject line, like “Following up about [Job title].”
- Since this email follow-up is for a status check, you only have to write to the hiring manager since they are the final decision maker.
- Keep this email follow-up letter very brief. You simply want to let the employer know that you’re still interested in the position and would like an update about your status.
- Ask how you can help them with their decision and offer to provide more information or references if they need them.
Have a look at this example:
Dear [First name],
I hope you’ve been doing well since our chat two weeks ago. I’m still very much interested in the opportunity to work with you. Do you have any updates for me?
Please let me know if there is anything I can provide to assist in the decision-making process. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Your name
Your phone number
Pro Tip:
Looking for other examples that can help you in your job-search? Our resume examples, CV examples, and cover letter examples are an invaluable resource in optimizing your documents to secure the interview!
What to do if you don’t hear back after sending a job interview email follow up
It’s been several Weeks since you’ve written a second-round interview follow-up email to every person you spoke with and check your email every day for news, but all you hear back is crickets.
What to do?
- Reach out to your network. If you know someone who works at the company, or if a colleague or friend knows someone who works at the company, check to see if they know anything about the status of the job.
- Be strategic. Don’t contact the company every day. If you do, you’ll annoy them and ruin any chance you might have to win the job. But you should still follow up (politely and professionally!) if you want to convey that you’re serious about the job. Reach out to human resources if you do not hear back after two weeks, and then once more after the third week. If you don’t hear back after three weeks, you might want to cut your losses and look elsewhere.
- Let it go. Once you decide to move on, do so with grace. It’s hard not to take rejection personally, especially after going through a long interview process, but don’t. Realize there are many reasons you didn’t hear back about the job — it might have been eliminated. Now it’s time to focus on your next job search.
- Update your resume for a better chance of getting a job. Start your next search on the right foot with a revised resume. We can help you build a great new resume fast! Simply upload your resume into our Resume Builder or start from scratch with one of our resume templates. We’ll help you shine with expert-written content, and we’ll organize your job credentials correctly in any of the three standard resume formats. Plus, we’ll ensure your resume meets the latest applicant tracking system (ATS) requirements. When you’re finished, don’t forget to write a cover letter to accompany your brand-new resume.
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Interview follow-up email takeaways
- Send a follow-up email to every person you interviewed with.
- Be brief and to the point.
- Use professional and polite salutations and signoffs.
- Always address the interviewer by name.
- Personalize your letters by mentioning topics from the interview.
- Always express your appreciation and reinforce your interest in the position in your introduction and closing paragraph.
- If you have time, provide real examples in the form of presentations or attach examples of your past work to support any suggestions you make in your letter.
- Refer to projects, plans or goals discussed during the interview and provide specific details or examples of how you can help with them.
- In your conclusion, always offer to answer further questions or provide additional information.
Follow-up email after an interview FAQ
What are some good questions to ask in an interview follow-up email?
It’s a good idea to ask a question or two in your follow-up letter because it shows you paid attention and conveys interest.
Here are some of the top questions you might ask in your job interview follow-up email:
- Can you explain [something about the job, the process, the culture]?
- If I am hired, what tools would I use in this role?
- Is there anything I can do to help you make a decision?
- What are the next steps in this process?
- How can I prepare now to help you with your goal?
What does it mean if you don’t hear back after sending an interview follow-up letter?
If you don’t hear back after an interview, don’t panic. There are several reasons hiring managers don’t get back to job applicants after interviews, including:
- They are busy and haven’t had a chance to reply right away.
- They are still interviewing other candidates and want to create a list of their top candidates before replying to anyone.
- The job has changed or been eliminated for various reasons.
- Someone else jumped out at them as the best candidate, and they hired that person immediately. Better luck next time!