Maintaining the dialogue after the job interview is important when you're going through the hiring process. It's reasonable to want to know how your hiring process turned out after an interview, especially if you believe everything went well. After an interview, you might also get in touch for a number of reasons. Use your judgment to decide whether the reason you are reaching out is suitable given the circumstances.
CareerBuilder's survey indicates that 91% of employers appreciate it if they receive follow-up thank-you emails. Yet, according to a different study--57 percent of job applicants do not send follow-up or thank you emails after an interview.
How to write a follow-up email after an interview
Interviews are tricky but knowing how to write a follow-up email after an interview can be trickier. It's because you'll have to decide what you should include in your follow-up email after an interview and how to structure it.
First, you need to understand what a follow-up email is.
“A follow-up email serves as a prompt or reminder for an earlier email you've sent. It is intended to reenergize a conversation and draw forth a response rather than to start a whole new conversation all over again.”
In your follow-up email after an interview;
- Begin with a thank you note to your interviewer.
- Review your notes from the interview and pick points from the description of the job you applied for. Select the words or points of your discussion that appeal to the interviewer.
- Make sure you highlight the ways that your skills are in line with the job.
- Show that you're enthusiastic about the job by reinstating your interest in the position and belief that you are the perfect candidate.
Now one question arises: is there a right time to follow up with an email or when to send a follow-up email after an interview? Ideally, you should send a follow-up email within 24 hours after the interview.
What kind of content should you use?
The follow-up email content after an interview will be different depending on the type of email you are sending.
- It’s important to maintain a professional tone throughout your email regardless of how formal or informal your interview was.
- Your likelihood of landing a job may suffer if you appear to be someone aggressive, unprofessional, or casual.
- Get straight to the topic and avoid wasting time and words on empty small talk because it is assumed that all you want is an update on the hiring process. You must know how to follow up after an interview.
- It's essential to exercise caution when writing a follow-up email after the interview. Write a straightforward, professional response to increase your chances of getting a response.
We'll show you how to send a follow-up email after an interview. We’ll be sharing some follow-up email after an interview example templates that will let you write a follow-up email after an interview quickly and in no time while remaining respectful.
Opening line, body, and end for the email
An outline of how to send a follow-up email after an interview is provided below:
Opening line/ subject line
Your follow-up email's opening line should be simple and brief and express gratitude for the interviewer's time.
Here are some of the most significant subject lines for interview follow-up emails:
- Thank you for your time. [Name of interviewer]
- It was great talking to you today!
- I'm grateful for the opportunity.
- Thank You!
- I appreciate your valuable time and suggestions.
- Follow-up on [position title]
Write the body of your follow-up email after an interview
Your follow-up message should be brief and concise. Employers prefer short and simple follow-up emails without any unnecessary information after an interview.
Be clear and concise on the reason you're doing this. Don't be hesitant. But, you must be courteous and respectful regardless of how long it has taken you to wait.
Make sure to keep it simple. Be respectful but firm:
- Tell them you appreciate their time during the interview.
- When following up on an interview, be specific about the job title and interview date.
- Be enthusiastic about the job and express your desire to learn more.
- Request an update on the situation and let them know that any information they can give would be greatly appreciated.
End
Once you've made your case in the body of your follow-up email, close by inviting the interviewer to inquire further. Finish with a short "looking forward to receiving your response." Conclude with a "thank you for your time" and your complete name.
Follow-up email after an interview example
Thank you email after an interview
Please note that it is crucial to send a thank you email after an interview.
Subject line: Pleased to learn more about [Company Name].
Dear [Name of Hiring Manager],
Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me about the role of [the position you're looking for] with [Company Name]. I enjoyed learning more about your [innovation approach /future challenges/core principles/industry insights].
The information you shared about the position convinced me that it is a job I would love. It's where my talents and experience could be put to good use [highlight your specific area of expertise and how it might help your company].
I also considered what you mentioned about [particular issue discussed during the interview]. In my previous employment as [your current or most recent position], I discovered that [data-backed explanation of how you would approach the issue in question].
I'm looking forward to our call next week, as planned. I have attached documentation on some of the projects that we discussed. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information.
With Regards,
[Name & Details]
The below-mentioned follow-up email after an interview example templates will work best if you've sent a thank you email within a day of following your interview.
First follow-up email after an interview example.
Hi [Name]
I hope everything is fine.
I'm checking in to see if there have been any updates on the [Job Title] position I interviewed for on [DATE].
It appears that the role is an excellent fit for my background, and I am eager to hear more about the next phase! Please let me know if there have been any updates.
Best Regards,
[Your contact details]
If you've sent this email to them, you should wait for at least five business days to get a reply. After that time, you're ready to send another email.
Second follow-up email after an interview example.
Hi [Name],
After not hearing back from your email last week, I decided to check back to see how things are going.
Is there any news you could share with me regarding the position? I'm interested in this position and looking for your response if you have information to provide.
Warm Regards,
[Your contact details]
The following is a sample email response that might be sent if an employer says that they don't have any status updates
Hello [Name],
Thank you for providing this information.
When would be a good time for me to check in again?
I'm excited about the chance and want to stay in touch, but I understand these things take time so I won't bother you with too many emails. It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide any information on the process.
Warm Regards.
[Name & Details]
How to reach out to the company if it hasn't responded to multiple emails?
If you send the first and second follow-up emails after an interview and still haven't heard back from the employer about your candidacy status, do the following:
- First, ensure that you have waited at least one or two days for a response to your most recent email.
- Then, send a follow-up email to the same individual, replying to the previous email only.
Hi [Name],
Thank you very much! I wanted to check in again and ensure you received my last email and see if you have any changes on the [Job title] position I interviewed for on [Day]. When you have an opportunity, I'd like to hear from you about potential next steps.
With Regards,
[Name]
Take Your Time After This.
- If you fail to follow up sooner, this doesn't assist you in getting the job. Therefore, try to concentrate on other areas of your job search while waiting to request an update.
- If you decide it's time to move forward, here's to whom you should send an interview follow-up email and how to compose it. Select the next employee in the company to contact after the one you have already contacted. In case you emailed HR before the interview, you can check with the hiring manager or someone from the department. As this is a brand-new mail thread, you'll likely have to create an email subject line. We would suggest keeping it short.
Sending an interview follow-up email to the second person in the company (after no response):
Hi [Name],
I'm writing to inquire about any progress on the [job title] position for which I interviewed on [Day].
I had emailed [NAME of the person you contacted previously] last week and had not received a response or updates, so I thought it would be appropriate to ask you next.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback. I appreciated learning about the opportunity and look forward to hearing comments from your staff when the time comes.
Best Regards,
[Your Name]
These were some of the best follow-up templates with examples. Follow-up after an interview can make a huge difference in your selection. But reaching the interview is also quite tough. But a good resume can help you stand out. Here is how you can build the best resume.