You nailed that interview that you’ve been preparing all week for.
Now there is only one last thing left to do – sending them an interview follow-up email.
Sending one will definitely show them that you are professional and will make you more memorable.
It is also meant to show the interviewer that you had a nice experience, that you appreciate their time and that you are now more passionate about the company and the job position.
Writing that follow-up email can be tough, especially if you don’t really know what to say.
That’s why we have prepared a guide full of tips and best practices to follow that will help YOU create the perfect follow-up email.
How to Write an Interview Follow-Up Email
Tip #1 – Focus on 2-3 key points that were discussed in the interview
Done with your interview?
Don’t go straight to the local bar to down some beer in celebration.
Instead, use the time to reflect on what you and the interviewer talked about and pinpoint 2-3 key points of discussion or anything you and the interviewer bonded over.
Then, use those details to craft your follow-up email.
You want to be able to say what you intend to with a few sentences that clearly show your gratitude and touch on specific discussion points without going too much into details.
They will help you keep all your follow-up emails as concise and to-the-point as possible.
Here’s an example that shows you exactly how to do that:
Tip #2 – Wait about 4 hours before sending the email
Generally, the best practice when sending a follow-up email to the recruiters is to wait a couple of hours after the interview before hitting “send”.
You’d want some time to pass so that you avoid coming off as too pushy or desperate.
Pro tip: Make sure to follow up with them no later than 24 hours after the interview. If you take longer, you won’t be as memorable to the recruiter.
Tip #3 – Don’t send a second follow-up
Getting anxious because the company still hasn’t replied to your follow-up?
Whatever you do, don’t send a second follow-up email!
Give them enough time to process your application and make their decision instead of constantly nagging them with emails. It might have the opposite effect and turn them off.
Tip #4 – Proofread!
This has to be the most important step when it comes to writing an interview follow-up email.
Never forget to go through the document and proofread it before finally hitting “SEND”.
In that way, you can check for any mistakes and rephrase where needed, so your email sounds as you intended it to.
How to Write an Interview Follow-Up Email [Example + Template]
The general structure of an interview follow-up email should resemble that of a thank you note.
It should include these 5 essential entries:
- An appropriate subject line: It should be short and simple, and express your appreciation at the same time.
E.g. Thank you for the opportunity! Or Follow-up regarding (The Job Position)
- Thank You paragraph: This I where you show your gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity that the company presented to you.
E.g. I sincerely thank you for your time and consideration today. It was a pleasure speaking to you about the Digital Marketing Assistant position.
- Personalized paragraph: This is where you get to further discuss some key points that were mentioned during your previous interview. You also get to be very specific and touch on your skills, goals, and experiences to convince them that you’re the right fit for the position.
E.g. From our conversation today and my chat with your team, I realized how great of an opportunity this is. I believe that my knowledge of cross-selling will be an asset to the team as you are expanding product lines. My previous product development experience in the retail industry will further help you create product lines that exceed customer expectations.
- Offer to answer further questions and ask questions: This email can be your last opportunity to thank the interviewer and offer to answer any other question that they might have. If you forgot to discuss the next steps in the hiring process, you can also do that here.
E.g.
I would like to thank you again for the great opportunity and please feel free to contact me if you have any enquiries about my qualifications or further questions that I could answer for you.
P.s. I believe we did not discuss the next steps of the hiring process during our conversation. When am I expected to hear back on a decision? Thanks!
- Your signature and contact information: Make sure to close your follow-up email with your signature and contact information, in case they need to get back to you. E.g. I’m looking forward to hearing back from you, Emma Taylor 333-333-3333 [email protected]
Here’s an example:
Subject line: Thank you for your time!
“Dear Mr. Haynes
I appreciate you taking the time to interview me today for the Content Marketing Manager position. It was a pleasure chatting with you earlier today and I truly enjoyed learning more about your company and its latest campaigns.
After speaking with you and the team, I believe that my experience working with global companies has more than qualified me for this position. I’d love to bring this enthusiasm as well as my skills and experience to plan, coordinate and develop new content strategies that will enhance your brand identity and grow your following base. As we discussed today, my ability to see the bigger picture has always been one of my biggest strengths and I will make sure to utilize it and do my best to ensure the company’s success.
I will definitely be looking forward to your response. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any enquiries or further questions you might have.
Best,
Joan Morton
123-123-1234
Now that you’re more familiar with the most essential parts of a follow-up email, let’s take a look at a ready template you can personalize and make your own:
Subject line: Thank you for the opportunity!
“Dear Mr./Ms. _______
Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to interview me today for the _____ position. It was a pleasure meeting you and the team and I truly enjoyed learning more about_________.
Our conversation reassured me that my experience has provided me with all the qualifications you are looking for, like _______ and even ______. I would bring my _______ skills with me to this position in order to guarantee __________ and my previous experience ________ could definitely help me ensure that the company ________.
I will definitely be looking forward to your response. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any enquiries or further questions you might have.
Best,
Name and Last Name
Phone number
name-last [email protected]”
Interview Follow-Up Email When Rejected Example
It’s hard to hear that you didn’t get the job, but don’t take it personally.
The most common reason why candidates get rejected is if there is a mismatch between what the company is looking for and their experience.
Try to think of this as a learning opportunity that will help you grow, instead.
Write back to them respectfully, and ask for feedback as to why you weren’t hired if nothing of that sort was mentioned.
You have the right to know, and those reasons will surely give you great insights into the hiring process and will help you get better.
Follow the example below to get a better understanding of how to write a follow-up email when your application was rejected:
Subject line: I appreciate your time!
“Dear Ms. Dawson,
I’d like to thank you for taking the time to interview me today for the Human Resources Assistant position. It was great meeting you and receiving your advice.
Needless to say, I was very excited about this opportunity because working for Company X has always been a dream of mine. I also believed I was qualified for the position. However, I respect your decision to reject my application.
I would like to ask for any constructive feedback as to why I was not chosen for the position. Your feedback would be extremely valuable and would definitely help me improve my job-search process.
Thank you again for your time,
Julia Holt
222-222-2222
Key Takeaways
By now, you should have familiarized yourself with the format and the best practices of writing an interview follow-up email.
Let’s go through all the essentials again before we part ways:
- Tailor your email! Remember that recruiters are humans, so sending them a personalized email could go a long way. They will appreciate it and you might just become their favorite applicant!
- Keep it short and simple! No one likes a lengthy piece of text, especially not a HR manager whose time is so precious. Try to keep it as simple and to-the-point.
- Be professional! Being rejected can happen, and so you’ll need to be able to act professionally when it does. Being polite and respectful is always the best way to go.
Now that you know the best tips and tricks of writing the perfect interview follow-up email, you are ready to nail it and impress the recruiter.
Good luck!
