How To Follow Up After The Interview
After the second interview, it’s a good idea to send a second thank-you note or email message. In fact, it’s especially important after a second interview to take the time to write a personal message to the people who interviewed youeven if you interviewed with them already and thanked them for the first interview. Many employers expect you to reply promptly.
Your second interview thank-you letter gives you another opportunity to reiterate your interest in the position, reference your most relevant qualifications, and thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you. You can add some depth to your second thank-you by referencing new information or contacts you gained during the follow-up interview.
When Is The Best Time To Send Your Thank You
This is a question I get a lot.
When it comes to following up with hiring managers, posting articles on social media, or sending breaking news to a contact, timing is everything and there is a science behind it.
When it comes to thank you notes, the golden rule is simple:
The Best Time To Send Your Thank You Note
Send your thank you as quickly as you can while still allowing yourself enough time to craft a quality email.
If you’re a numbers person, shoot for 30 minutes 2 hours after the interview, but don’t pull your hair out if you can’t get it out until later in the day. Life gets in the way and it’s far more important to send it later then not send it at all.
Does Sending A Thank
It can, if the note is well written.
“There are times when the candidate has a terrible first round, usually due to nerves,” Smith said. “But they took the time to write a sincere and well-considered note explaining their interest in the role and how their experience makes them uniquely qualified.”
Other times, Smith notes, there are phone screens instead of in-person interviews, and those who write a thank-you note are automatically invited back for an in-person interview. Sutherland had a similar experience.
“I got my college internship at The Detroit News because I handwrote a thank-you note,” Sutherland said. “How do I know? One day in the newsroom that summer, the editor told me I was the only one who wrote a thank-you.”
Augustine noted that sending a thank-you note doesn’t automatically increase your chances of getting the job however, dismissing this bit of post-interview etiquette might decrease your chances of receiving an offer.
“While not every recruiter or hiring manager cares whether a candidate sends a thank-you message, I’ve never heard of a single one, in any industry, think poorly of a candidate for sending a thank-you note,” she added.
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Youve Already Followed Up But Still Havent Heard Back
Dear < insert interviewers name> ,
I really enjoyed interviewing with you last Thursday, and I wanted to touch base. Do you need anything further from me, in order to help the process? I hope you are well and am wishing you a great day.
Kind regards,
< Your full name> < Your contact telephone number>
You may have already sent your thank-you note but didnt receive anything in return. If this is the case, then you might want to touch base with the person a week later.
Why You Should Thank Someone For An Interview
Thanking someone for taking the time to give you an interview is considered professional etiquette. It displays appreciation that they considered you for the position, an eagerness to receive an offer and provides an excellent opportunity to build off of the relationship that you established in the interview.
Aside from being polite, thanking your interviewer also provides you with another opportunity to express your interest in the position. You can seize the chance to clarify any details you think you may have missed and reinforce that youâre the perfect fit for the position.
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More Complex Thank You Email
Replace the text below with whatever terms are appropriate for you and your situation.
Subject: Thank you for the interview on
Dear :
Thank you very much for your time today to interview me for the position of . I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this job, to meet you and , and to see your facility .
As we discussed, I have of experience with . With my background and experience, I believe that I could become a contributor to your team very quickly.
I am excited about this opportunity to join . Please do not hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or need any additional information.
I look forward to hearing from you .
Best regards,
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Thank You Email For An Analyst Position
Dear Mr./Mrs. ,Thank you for taking the time today to interview me for the Financial Analyst role at XYZ Company. I had a great time discussing the opportunity with you and believe it would be a perfect fit for both sides. The company culture at was one of the things that really stuck out to me. I can easily imagine myself blending in with the team and flourishing in the work atmosphere. Furthermore, the companys aim of assisting anybody in reaching financial freedom truly resonates with my values, and Id be thrilled to contribute to that mission. Thank you for your time and attention once more. Please get in touch with me if there is any other information that I can supply to assist you in making your decision. Sincerely,
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Do You Need To Send A Thank You Email After An Interview
Its recommended that you send a thank you email after each job interview you attend. Doing so shows the employer that you appreciate their time, and just as importantly, that youre still interested in the position. After attending an interview, the employer isnt sure that you still want this job .
So its important to write a thank you message and to reaffirm your interest in the position and tell them that youre eager to hear about the next steps. If you dont say this, they wont know!
Why Is A Thank You Email After A Phone Interview Important
A thank you email serves as a professional thank you note to an interviewer that expresses your gratitude for the phone interview. Sending a thank you email after you’ve finished your interview helps hiring managers remember who you are and shows your politeness and professionalism. Taking the time to write an email expresses your dedication to the role and can help you stand out among other candidates.
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The Most Effective Thank You Email Template
As mentioned above, I went on 50+ interviews and spoke to well over 100 people during the course of my job search. That meant a lot of thank you notes and, better yet, a lot of opportunity to test what format works best.
After all was said and done, the template below is the one my data showed to be most effective. I measured effectiveness by the percentage of people who replied as well my success rate for scoring a slot in the next round of interviews .
Send Your Thank You Note From Your Personal Computer
Use your personal desktop or laptop computer to send this message.
Avoid using your smart phone to write and send this message. It is too easy for unintended changes to be made by the software when auto correction fixes the errors it finds. These kind of changes can make you look inept and unable to use something as simple as email.
If you are employed, DO NOT send this message while you are at work or using your work computer.
If employed and using your employers equipment or network to send your message, your employer may discover the message and your intentions to leave. The result is that you could have a very uncomfortable discussion with your boss about your job search, or you could lose your job.
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Express Your Gratitude For Being Considered
As the primary purpose of your thank-you email is to show your gratitude, do so right after the greeting. This shows the hiring manager immediately what the email is about and emphasizes your gratitude. Thank them for their time and express your appreciation for their consideration. This is especially important after Zoom interviews because itâs more challenging to assess your body language and emotions virtually.
Example:I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me on Zoom yesterday. It was great learning more about the role and company culture. You were very insightful. I hope to meet you in person soon!
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Placing High Importance On Thank
Candidates who are motivated and prepared during interviews shouldnt be penalized for not sending a generic thank-you note afterwards. Even letting a similar candidate win over because of their interview thank-you email is often an arbitrary decision. All you know for sure is that this candidate followed customary advice on proper candidate etiquette. If you conduct effective interviews, you can already determine the candidates fit, without needing a thank-you email to tilt the scale.
Plus, some candidates may come from countries where thank-you notes are not considered important. Equating these notes with important criteria, like job-related skills, may cause you to unwittingly disadvantage those candidates.
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Start By Choosing The Right Subject Line
The best subject lines in your follow-up email are clear, concise and convey appreciation for your interviewers time.
Here are the best interview follow-up email example subject lines:
-
Thank you for your time,
-
Great speaking with you today!
-
Thank you for the opportunity
-
Thank you!
-
I appreciate your time and advice
-
Follow up regarding
Explain What Makes You The Best Fit For The Role
You can use this next section to reiterate any skills or qualities you may possess that make you well-suited for the position. View the job posting as you type this email and mention any preferred skills they have listed that you may have as well. You can also reference your notes if you took any during the interview and use those to connect yourself to the position or company.
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Crucial Step: Add Customization To Your Interview Thank You Emails
Whenever sending thank you notes or emails after an interview, be sure to mention a specific topic you discussed with the interviewer, and why you enjoyed discussing it with them.
This is the best way to immediately show them that your post-interview thank you email is written especially for them, and not quickly pasted from a generic template.
Customization is key! Even the best thank you email templates or examples will appear to be low-effort if you dont customize them and show that you really wrote this for them.
So what types of things can you mention? Here are some ideas
First, you could mention something interesting you learned about the job or company from them. What caught your attention and sounded exciting about the position? If something sounds great about the role, say so!
Or, you could reference one or two of their interview questions and answers you gave in response. For example, if the interviewer asked an interesting question that you enjoyed talking about, you could say:
I really enjoyed your question about ___ and the discussion that it led to. It was also great learning about how XYZ company does ___.
Or you could mention something personal they discussed with you! Maybe the interviewer told you theyre going to watch their son at a big basketball tournament that evening.
You could say:
By the way, I hope your sons team did great at the basketball tournament. How did things turn out?
You could write:
Take Your Thank You Email To The Next Level
While the template above is all you need, if you really want to blow a hiring manager out of the water, add in another few lines before I look forward to… with some ideas you have on how you could add value. Think: a quick mock-up of something you discussed in the interview if youre in a creative role, taglines if youre in branding, or some slides or possible partners if youre in business development or sales.
It could look something like this:
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Offer To Provide More Information
You can also inquire in your thank-you note if you haven’t already during your in-person interview if the interviewer needs any additional details from you, and about the timeline for a hiring decision. Try not to repeat your first note too closely. If you have additional points to make, you should, but its fine to keep your note short and to the point if you don’t have a lot to say.
Thank You Email Length: How Long Should Your Message Be
Some samples above are more formal while others are more casual. Youll notice that theyre all relatively brief, though. In my experience as a recruiter, a short thank you email after the interview is best. On average, I recommend 85 to 150 words.
And thats true whether youre writing a thank you email after a phone interview, Zoom/video interview, or a second/third in-person interview.
Its also true whether youre writing to thank a recruiter, HR person, hiring manager, or anyone else who spent time interviewing you!
Your message could go up to 200 words if youre very far along in the hiring process and have spent multiple hours interviewing with people from the company, but Id still aim to be brief and concise, rather than sending a full page.
Use your best judgement, though. You know your industry and prospective employer, so think about what type of message theyll appreciate. The advice above is simply what works best for the greatest amount of people, on average.
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Send The Email Within 24 Hours
When it comes to sending your thank-you email, dont delay.
Do that within 24 hours, Nelson, the career coach, recommends.
If you interviewed in the morning, send it that afternoon. And if you interviewed in the afternoon, send it the following morning. A prompt note shows that youre responsive, a strong communicator with follow-through and that youre excited about the role.
If you wait two or three days to send it, though, the hiring manager might get a different impression of you that youre slow to respond or not too interested in the position.
Everything You Need To Include In An Interview Thank You Email
When writing an interview follow-up/thank-you email, try to balance formality and genuine friendliness. Your tone should be enthusiastic, cordial, and relaxed.
Use the following suggestions to nail the perfect note.
Subject line
To ensure that your email is read, your subject line should include “Thank you” plus your name or the position you interviewed for.
Consider something like the following examples:
- Thank you Jeanne Bridges interview
- Interview follow-up Jeanne Bridges, graphic designer
Professional greeting and intro
Start with “Hello” or “Hi,” followed by the interviewer’s first name. Your interview may find an honorific overly formal. If they become your colleague, you will address them by their first name, so it’s appropriate to use it here.
If the interview was in a more formal/traditional industry, you might use “Dear” instead of “Hello.”
Expression of interest for the position
Reaffirm your interest in the role in no more than a single sentence. You want your interviewer to know that you are interested in this job opportunity without sounding desperate. For example, you could write:
- “I’m excited about the opportunity to join your team at .”
- “The position sounded intriguing to me, and I’m curious to learn more.”
Underline your qualifications and expertise
Reiterate your qualifications for the role. Say that you are “confident” that you can fulfill the duties of this job, based on your experience level and one or two key skills that the interview touched on.
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What To Do When You Are Declined A Position
You will not always get the job you want. Its hard to fit perfectly into a companys needs. So dont take it personally if you are contacted following a job interview and told you didnt get the job. Instead, treat this as a learning opportunity.
When a recruiter contacts you with the bad news, thank him/her again for the consideration but also ask a couple of questions. First, explain that you would like to improve your interviewing skills and ask for suggestions on how you can interview better in the future. Second, ask if there any qualifications or experiences that would make you a more appealing candidate.
You may or may not get specific feedback, but theres a chance you will learn something valuable for future interviews.
What To Do When You Are Offered A Job Position
This depends a great deal on your situation. The recruiter goes through a tough process deciding to offer you a job, but you have a lot to consider as well.
You should realize that when you are offered a job, either by phone or by email, this initiates a process of negotiation. One of the basics of negotiation is that you never want to be taken by surprise since it can lead to an irrational decision. Therefore, when you receive the good news that a company wants to hire you, follow this process:
Again, its important not to overlook the importance of all the post-interview steps discussed above. And frankly, each of these steps is far less cumbersome than the amount of effort you put into building your resume, writing your cover letter and preparing for an interview. So stay focused and see the process through to the end.
Stephen Kent
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