Generally speaking, there are three types of follow-up emails that have to be sent after a job interview: one immediately after the interview to your interviewer (s), one to follow up if you haven’t heard back after the job interview, and one to keep in touch for networking reasons. In some instances, all you have to do is to send your interviewer a note expressing thanks and appreciation for their time. It’s absolutely normal to stay updated on the hiring process, especially if you feel it went really well.

When sending a follow-up email after the interview, there are several potential pitfalls to avoid. If you come across as pushy, sloppy, or too casual, your chances of landing the job may suffer.

In this guide, we’ll reveal you our best tips of following-up:

• How to write a follow-up email after an interview
• What to write in your interview follow-up email depending on the scenario
• Sample of following-up emails you can copy, adjust, and use to make hiring you a no-brainer.

What is a follow-up email ?

But first thing first, what is a follow up email?…. It’s simply a message that you send to the recruiter with whom you have passed the interview after applying for a position, or perhaps even interviewed for it, and haven’t heard back yet.

This is extremely important because it will accomplish four major tasks for you.

• It will serve as a reminder to your recruiter of who you are and why you are a good fit for the role.
• It will provide you with another opportunity to make a good first impression.
• It will assist you in moving conversations that may have stalled in the process.
• A follow-up email will resurface you as a potential candidate for the position.

When to follow up

There are going to be three primary times that you want to make sure that you’re following up appropriately.

• The first one forthwith after your application.
• The second is going to be immediately after your interview.
• And then the third is going to be after your interviews, as you’re waiting to hear back throughout the process.

As your schedule may be full, the one of recruiters is as well, they are busy folks, running through the day interviewing for other positions. You have to make sure that you are respecting their schedule & their planning.

Nevertheless, if you haven’t heard back anything or just need to keep the flow of communication, therefore the follow up-email may be crucial. So let’s figure out the follow up in these three scenarios:

After an application has been submitted

The first is to follow up on an application. If you submitted your credentials and haven’t heard back for like one week, that is an appropriate amount of time to wait before sending a note to introduce yourself as a candidate.

Immediately after an interview

So, the next step is to follow up directly after your interview. This is critical to your candidacy. So you should wait no more than 24 to 48 hours to send this note, and you should send a personalized note to each person you’ve interviewed with.

As part of this note, you would like to thank the interviewers for their time. You would also need to reiterate your excitement & zest for the role. However, what you want to do is recall something in the conversation that particularly stood out to you.

So, whether it was a story that either you or they told that you remember, an inspiring example of a project you worked on that you were really proud of, whatever it might be, it’s a way to remind them softly who you are.

When you haven’t heard back after an interview

In this case, you might have sent a follow-up note, but you haven’t heard anything back. We would recommend waiting a minimum of a week after sending the initial follow-up email before sending a follow-up note or reinvesting in the conversation.

Once again, recruiters and hiring managers may be processing many candidates at once, so it may take a little while for them to respond

By the end of the day, if you haven’t heard back anything at all, this is what we would suggest. Make peace with it, take a therapeutic break, and consider other options. The fundamental purpose of the interview procedure, and for you, is to know the employer better. Isn’t it just to see if it’ll be a symbiotic match?

You want to make sure it’s a culture fit, and if clear and consistent communication is part of that culture, and you’re not getting it from this particular employer, it may be time to move on.

How to write a follow-up email

And now let’s dive into the body of the follow-up email now that you already know the right timing of the sending. When it comes to putting up the follow-up message, make sure to keep in mind these four main components: the subject line, the reminder, the purpose, and the Cta ( call to action).

Write a concise subject line

You know the expression sweet & short, yes Sir, this is the tips of the subject line, you have to be clear and direct clear with your recipient about the purpose of the follow up email in this subject line.

One of the most effective approach to get your message opened as quickly as you can is to respond to the last & most recent email between you and your interviewer or the recruiter. If this scenario isn’t possible, (e.g. if you’ve always communicated via a recruiter, rather than directly with the interviewer) simply include your name, the date, and time of the interview.

As an example, consider the following:

• Thank you for your time
• re: Anna Henri’s application for brand manager
• Or it could even be Follow-up for brand manager position

Share a brief reminder

So, keep this follow-up note brief because the person who interviewed you, or your recruiter, is presumably extremely busy.

Include useful details in the body of your email, such as who you are, the position you applied for, when you had the conversation, and something that really stood out to you in that conversation that will allow the hiring manager to easily remember you as a candidate.

This also makes it easier for your recruiter to redraft materials that you may have previously sent them if they want to check on your status. As an example, consider the following:

”Thank you for taking the time to speak with me last Wednesday about the marketing coordinator position at Indeed. I was really excited to hear about the new brand campaign, and I really believe that my experience in successfully coordinating cross-functional initiatives is going to well equip me for the project management necessary to take your campaign to the next level.”

Explain your purpose for writing

This could be as simple as reintroducing yourself as a candidate, reminding the interviewer of who you are and your interest in the role, or it could be simply reaching out to determine what the next steps in the process might be. The main reason you’re emailing is for a progress update. The interviewer will know this before they’ve even opened your message.

Now, this does not need to be long, but a couple of examples of this could include:

• “I wanted to check in to see if there was any update on your decision.”
• “I want to affirm my interest in the role.”
• ”I wanted to see if there were any follow-up materials that I could provide you to make the process easier.”

Include a call to action

This will be an excellent way to demonstrate to your recruiter that you are patient, empathetic, and respectful of their time while remaining interested in the position itself. This will be more direct than your statement of purpose, but it will give you the opportunity to see what the next steps might be.

For example: “Thank you for taking the time to interview me today especially during this busy period of year. I remain at your disposal via the phone or email for further clarification.”

1. Follow-up email after a short interview

Following a phone interview, a short follow-up version may be most appropriate as a thank-you email. In a nutshell, you’ll want to be brief:

Subject line: Thank you for your time

Dear Ms. Jack,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the coordinator manager role. It was great to meet with you and learn more about this job position.

I’m very thrilled about the opportunity to join Horizon Marketing and am especially interested in the details you shared about the brand campaign’s upcoming launch. I’m excited about the opportunity to help with project management and bring my experience to the table.

Following our conversation, I am confident that my marketing background and interest in brand growth will enable me to effectively fill the job requirements and support Horizon’s vision. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information or samples of my work. I eagerly await your response.

Thanks again,

Sarah Anderson

2. Follow-up email after a long interview

The difference between the previous email & this one is the opportunity that it offers. The long follow-up email to explain more in depth your skills ( however you’ll notice it’s still relatively short).

After an in-person interview or any other meaningful interactions during the hiring process, this is suitable.

Subject line: Thank you for your time

Dear Mr. Ali,

I would thank you for your time yesterday—it was a pleasure speaking with you about the account executive role. From our conversation, it’s clear that Single Grain has the zestful and hardworking environment I’m seeking.

I particularly enjoyed discussing your requirement for a collaborator who can add value and insight to client conversations. It’s an intriguing challenge, and I’ve been thinking about it since our meeting.

I’ve encountered many of the same roadblocks we discussed over the last few years, including tightening client budgets and lengthy decision-making processes. Prioritizing conversation quality over simple information delivery has been one of my most successful strategies for overcoming those roadblocks, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve routinely exceeded my quotas.

I focus on building trust and credibility in my client relationships, and I’m excited about the prospect of bringing that skill set to ABC Inc. If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone.

Thanks again,

Maya Girard

3. Second-follow-up email after no response

If you haven’t received yet an email or a phone call from your potential employer following your interview or your post-interview follow-up email, send a “checking in” email, preferably to the recruiter. If you haven’t heard back from your interview after two weeks, send this email.

Your email should be short & straight to the point, and indicate you’re looking for additional information without being that overeager:

• Add the job title you interviewed for in the subject line.
• Send this email to the recruiter. They’re the most likely to be up-to-date on what’s going on in the hiring process.
• Keep your follow-up email to one paragraph, indicating that you are still interested in the job and would like to hear more.
• If they require more information, offer to provide it.
• End up with a thank you.

If you do not receive any answer to your emails, follow up once more. Most people aren’t deliberately ignoring you. They’re genuinely busy, and your email has most likely passed them by. These follow-up emails are simple, brief indications of your interest and goodwill as long as you are gracious and polite rather than pushy.