How To Write Follow Up Email After An Interview To Get Response?
What to say in a follow up interview to impress the recruiter while not sounding pushy or desperate?
Awaiting a response from a company you recently interviewed with? Then, writing a follow-up email is a great idea that you must act upon. After a job interview, a follow-up email can be much more than a formality. It allows you, the applicant, to reaffirm your interest and passion for the position and keep your name in front of the hiring manager’s mind.
In this article, you will learn:
- How long do you wait before sending a follow-up email?
- Why is sending a follow-up email after a job interview good practice?
- How to write the best follow-up email that is bound to get you a response?
- 5 follow-up email templates that you can simply copy and get your work done! (Thank you email template, follow-up, and second follow-up email templates)
Do you have an email signature? Before sending in your follow-up email, ensure you have a professional email signature added to your email template.
Table of Contents
Why Should You Send A Follow-Up Email After A Job Interview?
Following up with an email after an interview is a common practice, and it can help your application in a variety of ways. For one thing, it allows you to reiterate your interest in a position while also emphasizing the value you would bring to the company with which you are interviewing. Also, it aids in making a positive impression on the recruiting manager by showing that you are considerate and thankful.
After 12-18 hours of an interview, send a thank you email to your interview showing gratitude. Thank the interviewer for taking out the time. Mention the high points from the interview and your openness to provide any additional information or documentation they might need from you.
Don’t be shy; make it a point to always send a thank you email after a job interview. That should be your first follow-up email. It’s okay if you haven’t sent in the thank you email to your current interviewer. Don’t send it now.
A thank you email should be sent within the first 24 hours after the interview.
How To Write A Follow-Up Email That Instantly Gets You A Response?
You’ve had a promising interview with a recruiter, but you haven’t heard from them yet. You were told you would get a callback in 3-4 days. Writing a follow-up email is a good way to re-start the conversation. Here are some tips to help understand what to say in a follow up email after an interview:
Start With Clear Subject Line
Subject lines are an integral part of your email as they determine if your email even gets opened. So our suggestion is to reply to the email thread you have been using to set co-ordinate the interview details. Simply open the email thread and click on reply. This will make it easier for the recruiter to get the context of your email and filter you from the promotional and cold emails. If you don’t have an email thread to reply to, you can use the following email follow-up subject lines:
- Job interview follow-up
- Following up regarding the job interview
- Interview status follow-up
- Following up regarding interview results
Short And To-The-Point Body
A follow-up email’s body should be brief and to the point. Begin by thanking the interviewer for their time and reminding them of the interview date. Reiterate your interest in the role by addressing particular discussion topics and/or specifics from the interview. Describe what makes you a good fit for the job, as well as how your experience and interests match the job’s needs or demands.
Add a Closing Paragraph
Finish with a short paragraph outlining the following stages and inquiring if you need to provide any additional information (unless this was already addressed during the interview). If you are asked for further information during the interview, you might say that it has already been supplied or delivered or that it is attached to this email.
Sign off with a formal or semi-formal closing phrase, as well as your name and contact information, depending on the degree of formality established in your prior discussion with the receiver. “Best” and “Regards” are semi-formal closing phrases, whereas “Sincerely” and “Respectfully” are formal closing phrases.
Maintain a Positive Tone
Desperation and frustrations are the last emotions you want to convey through your follow-up emails. Even if you’re preparing to send a second or third follow-up email in two weeks, sending a harsh message or expressing dissatisfaction will not speed up the employer’s decision-making process, and it may even cost you the job.
So start with a pleasant tone, tell the employer you’re checking for status updates and looking forward to hearing feedback when they have it, and end with something like, “Thank you so much for your time.” I eagerly wait for your response when you have an opportunity.”
Be polite, but articulate your objective of sending this interview follow-up email.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you follow up with a job interviewer or recruiter:
Tips to Follow-Up By Email In The Most Optimal Way!
- Use the recipient’s first name to greet them.
- Explain that you’re calling to inquire about the job status you interviewed for.
- Include the job title, the day you interviewed, or both when referencing the position.
- Reiterate your interest in the job.
- Inquire personally for an update and express your eagerness to learn about the next stages.
- Thank the interviewer for their time and attention, and sign off with your first and last name.
- Keep your interview follow up email brief and to the point, with no unnecessary content.
- Before sending your follow-up email, double-check spelling and grammar.
- Even if this is your second or third follow-up after receiving no response, keep a positive tone throughout.
Now that you know everything there is to know about writing an interview follow-up email let’s talk about when is the optimal time to follow up after an interview.
When To Send A Follow-Up email?
The best time to follow up after an interview is 4-5 business days or one day after the set upon feedback call. If the interviewer told you that you would hear from them in 3 days, it’s good to wait 4 days before following up by mail and asking about any available updates.
Don’t be too pushy in your follow-up email. Simply ask the person for any updates and mention your interest in the job. If you still don’t receive an update from the recruiter, wait another 3-4 days before sending a second follow up email.
Follow-Up Email Samples
Here are the best follow up email templates that we have especially hand-picked for you. You can easily copy these templates and send them to your job interviewer to follow up regarding the interview: Greetings,
Thank You Email Template After A Job Interview
Mr./Ms. [Name],
Thank you for taking the time to interview me [insert the interview date]. It was a pleasure speaking with you and learning more about the [insert the title of the position you applied for].
I was really curious about [insert an insight or something you learned about the firm or role during the interview that wowed you]. I’m highly interested in the opportunity to [explain how you would offer value to the organization or how your skills and interests fit with the role and company].
Please let me know what the next steps are and if there is anything else I can do in the meanwhile. I eagerly await your response.
Best wishes,
[Your name here]
[Your contact information]
Thank You/Follow Up Email Template
Hi [NAME],
Thank you for taking the time out of your day yesterday to meet with me. I appreciated our discussion on [SPECIFIC TOPIC], and the [JOB TITLE] position appears to be a great fit for me at this time in my career. I await any updates as they become available, and please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
[YOUR NAME]
First Follow Up Email Template
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name],
I hope you’re doing well. I was just checking in on the [job for which you were interviewed]. I had a great time meeting with you [insert the date of the interview] and learning more about [the company] and [the role]. I’m still really interested in the position, and I’ll gladly provide you with any extra information you need.
If you could provide me with an update regarding the process, that would be much appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you very much.
[Your name here]
[Please provide your contact information]
Second Follow Up Email Template
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name],
I hadn’t received a response to my last email, so I wanted to follow up to see how the interview process is going on your end.
Do you have any new information about the position of JOB TITLE>? I’m still interested in the position, and I want to hear from you as soon as you have any updates.
Thank you very much,
[Your name here]
[Please provide your contact information]
Conclusion
Following up after a job interview can be a little daunting if it’s your first time. The fear of coming off too desperate can hold you back from sending a follow up email. But don’t let that thought deter you. A good interview follow up email helps your job application in more than one way. Follow the tips and suggestions we shared above to write an effective follow-up email after an interview that will definitely get you a response.