Should You Send An Email After An Interview

What If The Employer Says They Dont Have Any Feedback Yet

In some cases, the hiring manager or recruiter will reply to your follow-up email and say theyre still in the middle of the hiring process and dont have information about the next steps yet.

At times, theyll be specific about what theyre working on behind the scenes but often, they wont tell you the specifics.

Either way, I recommend responding with a brief email to keep the conversation alive and ensure that you stay in touch. By using the following email template, you give yourself an opening to follow up again if needed, too.

Example Interview Thank You Email #:

Hi Daniel,

Thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed the interview and it was interesting to hear about how the team is expanding and the new types of customers youre trying to attract.

Im confident that I can take what Ive learned at < Current Employers Name> and step into your role and be successful, so Im eager to hear your feedback when you have a chance.

Dont hesitate to contact me in the meantime if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, Biron Clark

However, if youre in a more traditional or formal industry, or if you want to send a thank you note in the mail rather than email, one of the next two thank you note examples will be better.

Send Separate Emails To Each Interviewer

If youre interviewed by several people, ask for their business cards at the conclusion of the interview so you’ll have the contact information for each thank-you email.

Then, send email messages to each person who interviewed you. Your messages should vary somewhat so that the recipients can’t compare notes later and feel as if they just got a chain email.

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Approach To Writing The Follow

You can, of course, use the above template/example for your thank you after interview email, or you can write one from scratch. If you plan to write one from scratch, this section will serve as a helpful guide.

Steps to writing your own email:

Ask When A Final Decision Will Be Made

Before you leave the second interview, don’t be afraid to ask what the timeline is for making a decision, so you can know what to expect. Then, in your email, you can address the timeline and say you look forward to hearing back from them after they make their decision.

If you don’t hear back by the time you were told a decision will be made, don’t be reluctant to call or email asking about the hiring status. It will make you look proactive, and if it’s a no, you can move on with your job search. Just remember not to call more than once or twice. It can appear annoying if you don’t hear back, just continue your search.

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Best Thank You Email Samples After An Interview

Below, youll find four good sample thank-you emails. These can also be sent as a typed or handwritten note if you prefer.

Later in the article, Ill cover the pros and cons of sending this via email versus a handwritten thank you letter/note. So if youre not sure which to send, make sure to read until the end.

For now, just know that you can use these sample thank you emails in both cases.

A Longer Formal Example

Good morning Mr. Sullivan,

Thank you for your time during our interview yesterday afternoon. The experience made me even more enthusiastic about the opportunity to join 123 Bank in the Sales Manager role.

Thank you for your insights about 123 Banks treasury management solutions and how you see their role as 123 Banks competitive advantage in the current low-rate environment. With inflation numbers as they are, it makes sense to earn and keep as many customers as possible before interest rates rise again. 123 Bank seems like a great place to work. I admire the goals laid out by your company and Im energized at the possibility of working with the team towards establishing a competitive credit card product for your customers by year-end. In my experience working on a credit card product, I found customers responded 46% better to a points system with exclusive partner deals as opposed to a simple cash-back mechanism.

Please let me know if theres anything further you may need from me to move things forward. I look forward to hearing back from you in the coming weeks.

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Sincerely,

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Simplify Your Subject Line

Keep your email subject line straight and to the point. Resist the urge to get clever or wordy.

Simple, streamlined subject lines work best for the occasion, according to career coach Wendy Saccuzzo. Shesaid winning examples include Following up, Thanks for the conversation and Thanks for the interview.

Appreciated your time yesterday is an example of a subject line Manoske suggests applicants use.

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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Do Send A Note To Everyone You Interviewed With

In many cases, especially in later-stage interviews, you’ll interact with multiple people over the course of the day. You should take the time to write a quick followup email to each of them, taking care to differentiate each note slightly – you can be sure that they’ll be comparing notes, and they’ll notice if you send the same note to all of them.

If you don’t have the full names or contact information for these other individuals, try to do a bit of digging on or the company website. If this doesn’t yield what you’re looking for, it’s acceptable to include a line in your note to your primary interviewer or your main point of contact with the business stating that it was a pleasure to meet with the whole team, and you hope that they’ll pass on your thanks.

Its Also A Great Idea To Include Their Name In The Subject:

Typically, theres nothing wrong with sending a note or email thanking the interviewer for taking the time to chat. This shows you are courteous and responsible and ensures that your resume and interview are present in the hiring manager’s mind. The natural downside is they need to be sent via mail, and your note may arrive after a hiring manager has already made up their mind about you.

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Being Rude To The Receptionist Or Support Staff

It is vital that you are kind to everyone in the office when you go in for an interview. You never know who has a say in whether you get the job.

According to the Recruiter Nation report, the worst thing an interviewee can do is be rude to the receptionist or support staff. In fact, 86% of recruiters reported that if a potential employee was rude to the receptionist, they would take the candidate out of the running for the job.

Be courteous, professional and polite to everyone you interact with during the entire process, and make sure to thank people for their time as you leave.

Why You Need To Follow Up After An Interview

So, why follow up after an interview in the first place? Its normal to feel like you might come across as too needy by sending a follow-up email after the interview, but that couldnt be further from the truth.

On the contrary, sending a follow-up email shows that you are serious about the position. Here are some of the reasons you should be sending a quick follow-up email after your interviews.

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I Need To Hear Back From You By

Hopefully, you and the recruiter discussed the hiring timeline during the interview. If you didnt, you might think that the thank-you note is a perfect time to ask when they will make a decision. But its not. It only comes across as rude and desperate. In this case, the best you can do is say, I look forward to hearing from you soon, and wait it out.

If you do have an offer from another company on the table, its polite to let the other employer know and ask when they might have a decision on their end so you can weigh your options. The operative word there is askyou dont want to dole out rude demands.

How To Write An Interview Thank You Email/note

Note that step #6 isnt 100% necessary to include in a thank you note or thank you email after an interview, but is a nice touch to add.

Youll see these steps in the interview thank you note/email examples below, so dont worry if youre still not sure what to write!

As one final tip before we move on, I recommend you ask each person for their business card after an in-person interview, so that you have their email address and name saved!

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Why Should You Send A Thank You Email Or Letter After An Interview

If you think its terrifying being interviewed, youre not alone. But let me tell you, interviews can be an equally traumatizing experience from the other side of the table.

I kicked off the search for my first hire at Grammarly earlier this year, and when the first on-site interview came around, I was terrified. Sitting there with my list of questions and my notebook, I tried to simultaneously project confidence, follow my companys values, ask the right questions, make sure my hair didnt do anything weird, and mask my nerves.

Sound familiar?

Even if interviews are a vital part of the recruiting process, the first round of the interview process can be awkward for everyone. Thats why its key to write a thank you note after the interviewoften the process has made them just as uncomfortable as you are! Thats why a killer post-interview thank-you note can help you make a great impression and land the job.

But dont take my word for it! Lily Zhang, a career expert at MIT, put it this way on The Muse:

Think of it this way: Your interview isnt over until you send a thank you note. You want to move the hiring managers from interview mindset to decision mindset as quickly as possible, so dont drag it out.

I asked Olivia Seastrom, a recruiter at Grammarly, what she loves about thank-you notes. She said,

Do Mention Anything You Forgot To Bring Up During The Interview

Interviews are high-pressure situations, so it’s easy to forget to ask a key question or bring up a relevant piece of information in the moment. If you remember something you forgot to mention during the interview that might strengthen your candidacy, feel free to include a line briefly explaining what it was.

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The Benefits Of Sending A Thank

Sending a thank-you email has a couple of important advantages over the old-fashioned, paper-and-ink variety of thank-you letter.

With an email, for example, you can do more than remind your prospective employer of your qualities and skills: You can actually show them by including a link to your online portfolio, , or professional social networking profiles.

You’ll also have the opportunity to mention anything you wish you had said during the interview, but didn’t get the chance to discuss.

Sending an email immediately after or within 24 hours of a job interview is crucial if the hiring manager will be making a quick decision.

Ideally, your note will reach the interviewer prior to a hiring decision and while your meeting is still top of mind.

Begin With A Strong Subject Line

Good subject lines are concise and convey appreciation for your interviewer’s time.

Here are some optimal interview follow-up email example subject lines:

• Thanks so much for your time!

• It was wonderful speaking with you!

• Many thanks for the opportunity

• In gratitude

• In gratitude for your valuable time and advice

• Follow up regarding

You can also personalize the subject line even more so it stands out in the hiring manager’s inbox. Include your name, the position you interviewed for and the date. For example, “Jordayn Lemieux, Product Owner Interview 28/7.” Another option is to reply to a current email thread, which may already contain all of your information and credentials.

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Status Check Email Samplesecond Follow

Hi Chauntel,

Following up on my last note. I remain very interested in the associate editor opportunity. Please let me know if you need any additional materials from me.

Thanks again,

Luis

HIGHLIGHT: Tip: During your interview, it can be helpful to ask about next steps. This approach can give you a sense about a hiring managerâs deadlines, as if youâre informally setting a check-in date, and can give you more time to prepare for whatâs to come.

Why Write A Follow

Thanking the people you communicate with during each part of the hiring process is a demonstration of your gratitude. It also suggests that you are excited about the position. This may increase your chances of getting to the next interview or receiving an offer.

Write a thoughtful follow-up email to convey your enthusiasm for the job. When you show your enthusiasm and mention specific parts of the interview that stood out, you show hiring managers that have excellent active listening and communication skills, which are very valuable. You can also remind interviewers of your unique qualifications that make you a good fit for the job.

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Bonus Tip: Send An Individual Note To Each Person You Met With

Sometimes you interview with several people in one day, which means each person gets a thank-you note. While it might be a pain to personalize every thank-you note , do it anyway.

This shows that you took the time to learn about each interviewer, demonstrating you are a detailed and thoughtful person. Its fine to use the same opening and closing , but make sure you mention one unique thing for each interviewer. If nothing else, you never know when the recipients are comparing notes to see if you created a unique thank-you note for each of them!

And be sure to triple check the name at the top! Copying and pasting can be a dangerous game.

Don’t Feel Like You Have To Send A Letter

Traditionally, the post-job interview note was handwritten, and sent through the mail. However, this is a somewhat outdated rule – the vast majority of employers won’t think twice about getting an email instead of a note. Additionally, letters can often get lost in the shuffle, or sit for days in an unchecked mailbox. A handwritten note is a lovely gesture, but in the interest of timeliness and adherence to today’s business best practices, a thank you email after the interview is usually your best bet. And if you really want to send a note by mail, send it in addition to – not instead of – an email.

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Sections Of The Thank You Email To Consider