So, you sat for an interview for your dream job. You certainly cracked all tough questions that came your way and are therefore confident that you are the ideal candidate for that role.. And before you lean back in your chair and pop open the champagne, there is a little one last step, often overlooked, in hiring: the follow up email after interview. A cleverly constructed follow-up email after interview is that secret ingredient that sets you apart from another candidate.
Follow Up Email After Interview: Importance
A follow up email after interview at a workplace suggests your interest and eagerness to accept the job. This is a proactive way of showing the interviewer that you really are interested in this job and also provides one last chance to make an impressive impression.
Setting Yourself Apart in Follow Up Email after Interview
With so many qualified candidates in competitive job markets, hiring managers do have an intimidating decision ahead of them. A follow-up email after an interview at the right time may be a gentle push in your direction. They need to recite your strengths and remind them why you are the best candidate for the job. Now, let’s see exactly how to write a follow-up email after the interview that really hits all the right notes. Here’s the most comprehensive guide on key steps for writing this very important follow-up email after the interview:
How to Write the Best Follow Up Email After an Interview
1. Be Sincere in Your Follow Up Email after Interview
It’s often a numbers game when hunting for employment. Chances are, you are competing with multiple other candidates at each level of the hiring process, particularly at the interview level. Hopefully, you already stood out in the interview, but the follow-up email gives you another chance to make an impression on the interviewer.
Important Tips for a Good Follow-up
When you are writing your thank you note, show some honesty. Don’t use this time to send out a template reply. Take a little bit of time to reflect on your interview experience, however. What did you enjoy most about the discussion? Why, specifically, do you feel a connection to the company’s mission? What parts of this job would you like to tackle first?
Customize Your Email Properly
A sincere, customized post-interview email reflects that you are serious about the position, as opposed to sending generic letters after interviewing with every company. Let your enthusiasm shine through by sharing some of the great moments you had during the interview and reiterating why you believe you are a perfect fit for the team.
Opening Lines Matter
Here are a few samples of sincere openers you can use for how to follow up after an interview:
Sample 1 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“I wanted to take some time to thank you for your availability to be interviewed with me yesterday. I was deeply impressed by the company’s values on innovation and teamwork, and believe my skills would really be a great asset to the group.”
Sample 2 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“Thank you for the time today to discuss this position at [company name]. I enjoyed learning about the company’s mission and am eager to be a part of its future growth and development.”
2. Don’t Use Templates to a T
One of the grave mistakes that the applicants commit when it comes to follow-up is sending a boilerplate email. No two interviews can be the same, and your follow up email after the interview should reflect the unique aspects of your conversation. For instance, did the interviewer particularly mention any problems the team is facing? Are there any qualities that they’re particularly interested in seeing in the ideal candidate? Placing these elements in your email shows the interviewer that you were an active listener during the interview and have begun to think about how you can contribute toward helping them solve their company’s problems.
Personalising Your Follow Up Email After Interview
It proves, above all else, that you are able to pay attention to the level of detail required and will not only meet but, in fact, exceed the expectations of the company in terms of your abilities and how they can be aligned to fulfill the needs of the position. Here’s an example of how you can personalize your follow-up email:
Sample 1 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“After discussing the company’s future [project/initiative], I did some additional research and discovered [pertinent article/idea]. Given my background in [related skill area], I particularly think it could help to alleviate that specific problem.”
Sample 2 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“When you mentioned [specific quality] in relation to succeeding in this job, it actually made a lot of sense to me. I aced [related accomplishment] in my previous role. That experience would definitely translate to this one.”
3. Show Your Interest
The largest purpose of the follow up email after interview is to show interest in the position. Hiring managers want to see that you are seriously interested in the job and are eager to make a difference for the company. Hiring managers probably love the purpose behind a particular company and like those applicants that share such enthusiasm.
How to Show Interest in Your Follow Up Email After Interview
Here is how you can show your enthusiasm:
Sample 1 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“I reflect on our conversation, and I am sure beyond bounds that the skills and interests indeed blend well with this role. I look forward to a challenge at this job that presents great difficulties and opportunities to contribute to the success of the team.”
Sample 2 – Follow Up Email after Interview
“I left our conversation more energized than ever to be a part of [Company name]. So far, what has been innovative work meets my professional value, and I eagerly look forward to bringing my expertise in order to help the company achieve its set goals.”
Timing Is Everything
However, the time for the follow-up email after the interview is as crucial as its content. It is ideal to send this email within 24-48 hours from the interview date. In this way, the interviewer has just about forgotten your conversation with them and still has enough time to process everything discussed.
Knowing When to Send
It is a good idea to wait at least a few hours after the interview to email the form back, for a thank you note. Also, be sure to send follow-up emails after every stage of the interview process, from initial phone screens through final interviews at the workplace. Every communication event with the organization is another opportunity for you to continue cultivating your enthusiasm and credibility for this role. It makes sense when you say thank you!
What If You Haven’t Heard Back?
If it’s been a week since your interview date and you haven’t heard from the organization, you can write a friendly follow-up email. You can use this message to reiterate your interest in that position, as well as inquire whether there are any recent developments regarding the hiring decision.
Sample:
Here’s the right way to say that in a follow up email:
“I just wanted to follow up on our conversation last week. I remain so excited to have the opportunity to join [company name], and I look forward to hearing about the next steps for the hire.”
This light reminder keeps you in the person’s head without seeming pushy or impatient.
Example of a Well-Crafted Follow Up Email after Interview
Now that we’ve covered the basics of a successful follow-up e-mail after the interview, let’s put everything together with an example of a thank you letter after the interview:
Subject: Thank you for the opportunity!
Dear [interviewer name],
I take this opportunity to thank you for the privilege to be interviewed for the [position] position in [company name]. As a matter of fact, I was really impressed by the commitment towards [relevant value/mission] by the company, and I do believe that my skills in [related skill] shall make me a great fit for the team.
For me, that conversation became quite a great trigger to do some further research about [topic]. I found this article/resource. I have relevant experience in [skill] and think in this context it would be especially helpful; hence, I am looking forward to contributing to [project/initiative].
Thank you again for your time and consideration. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Best regards,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Timing is everything, so send your follow-up thank you email a day or two after the interview. If a week passes with still no response, then it’s absolutely fine to send a gentle polite follow up and ask about the hiring process. Make sure you still keep your options open for other ventures. With these tips, your well-written follow-up email will bring you one step closer to landing that dream job.
FAQs
What is a Follow Up Email after the Interview?
Answer: It is an email sent after the job interview is completed.
Why send a Thank You Email after the Interview?
Answer: A post interview thank you email is a great way to show interest in the job and set a good impression on your employer.
To whom should the Interview Follow Up Email be Addressed?
Answer: Addressing your hiring manager is a good idea.
How long to Wait Before Sending a Follow Up Email?
Answer: Usually, waiting 24-48 hours is deemed favorable.
