How to Write a Follow-up Email After an Interview

After investing time and energy into a job interview, it’s good to follow up with the hiring manager. A well-crafted thank you note can make the difference between getting a job offer and not hearing back at all. In this template, we will discuss tips for writing a thank you email after an interview and strategies for staying at the front of the hiring manager’s mind.

The importance of following up after interviews

Sending a perfect follow-up email after the interview shows that you’re interested in the position and that you’re willing to go the extra mile. It also gives you a chance to clarify any questions or concerns that the interviewer may have had but didn’t manage to address during the interview.

Additionally, employers usually appreciate job interview follow-up emails because they show that the candidate is detail-oriented and takes initiative. Sometimes, hiring managers even make employment decisions based on the quality of thank-you notes. So sending one can be the deciding factor between two equally qualified candidates. Either way, you have nothing to lose here.

So if you want to stand out from other candidates, be sure to send an after interview email follow-up.

How to title a follow-up email after an interview

When following up with someone after a job interview, the title of your email can be “Follow Up” or “Thank You.” The latter is more polite, but the former is more direct and to the point. You could also include the job title in the follow-up email subject line. It will help the hiring manager remember who you are.

If you want to be even more specific about what the email is regarding, you could add a sub-title such as “Interview Follow Up” or “Thank You – Interview.” This way, the hiring manager will know right away what the email is about, which may be helpful for them if they handle a lot of tasks.

Follow-up email after interview subject line examples

• Thank You
• Thank you for the [job role] interview
• Thank you for your time
• Follow up – [job role] interview
• [Job role] Interview Feedback
• Thank You Note after Job Interview
• A Thank You and a Request for Feedback

How to write a follow-up email after an interview

There are a few good practices you need to follow if you want to avoid making any faux pas.

First, keep the email short – you don’t want to rehash everything that was talked about during the interview in your follow-up email. A few sentences will suffice. Shorter is usually better.

Second, make sure to address any concerns or questions that you may have. This will show the hiring manager that you’re serious about the position and that you’re taking their feedback to heart.

Third, reiterate your interest in the position and explain why you’d be a great fit. Finally, highlight your qualifications again and be sure to thank the interviewer for their time – this may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s often overlooked.

A follow-up email should be sent within 24 hours of the interview, but not straight after you leave the interview room. This shows that you’re organized and eager to move forward in the hiring process.

You should also decide whether to use “hi” or “good morning” in your email. The former is more relaxed, while the latter sounds more formal. If you’re not sure which to use, it’s always better to err on the side of the formal approach. Remember that you’ll meet your interviewer during the interview so you can “feel the vibe” and choose the right words. Some are not fans of using “good morning” since it can be seen as too presumptuous, yet it depends on many factors.

Your follow-up email can be equally or even more important than the interview, so don’t underestimate the power of these messages. Make sure you always send them during the job interview process.

What to include in a follow-up email after an interview

• a very short summary of the interview
• additional questions or doubts to dispel
• your interest in the future role and company
• a short sentence on why you would be perfect for the job
• your gratitude for the interviewer’s time

Follow-up email after an interview – examples, and templates

Below, we’ve included a few interview follow-up email examples:

Follow Up Email After Job Interview

Follow Up Email After Phone Interview

Job Interview Follow Up Email

Thanking you for the interview

Personal thank-you note

Informal thank-you

It’s good to send a “thank you” email as soon as possible after the interview, especially if the time frame for the decision process was provided. This shows that you are grateful for the opportunity and excited about the role.

How to write a second follow up email after an interview

You had a great interview with the company but you haven’t heard back. You’re not sure what to do – should you write another email or not?

Well, there could be a few reasons why you haven’t heard back. Maybe they’re just busy, get hundreds of emails, and haven’t had a chance to reply to you yet. Or they decided to go with another candidate. There’s also a chance that your interview didn’t go as well as you thought it did, or they still are in the process of deciding. Moreover, your previous email could have landed in their spam email inbox.

But no matter what the reason is, it’s always a good idea to send a subsequent email after an interview if you haven’t received a reply to the first.

Here are some tips on how to write your job interview follow up email:

First, you should wait at least a week before sending a second follow-up email. If you contact the company again too soon, they may think you’re desperate.

Next, make sure that your follow-up email is polite and professional. Address the interviewer by their name and start with a courteous phrase such as “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.”

In your email, remind them of who you are and why you’re interested in the position. You can also mention something that you talked about during the interview to help them to remember you.

Finally, be sure to thank them again for their time and express your interest in the position. Do this naturally though, and try not to sound too eager.

Here you’ll find a few examples of a second follow-up email, subject lines, and email body:

A kind reminder

Asking how the process is going

Status

Requesting more information

Requesting the status

Informal request

“Can I do anything else?”

Using “FWD” to speed up the process

If you don’t hear back from the potential employer up to two weeks after your interview, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a follow-up email. In fact, it’s expected.

When you do follow up, reference something specific from the interview conversation that you had. This could be anything from a shared interest to a project you discussed working on together. If there were multiple interviewers, CC them all on the email.

You can also check the company’s website to see if there are updates on the status of the role. If the vacancy announcement disappears from the career page or it is past the time frame provided in the recruitment process, it’s safe to reach out. Even if it potentially means that you didn’t qualify for the position, it’s better to know so you can quit guessing and continue your job search.

And if you don’t hear back at all, just move on. There are plenty of other opportunities out there. And while it is in good practice for companies to reply to all candidates, sometimes they don’t.

Summary

A follow-up email after the interview is important to show your continued interest in the position and to thank the interviewer(s) for their time. It can also be a good opportunity to reiterate your qualifications and remind them of your availability.

Sending a well-crafted polite follow-up email after the interview can make you stand out from the dozens of candidates and increase your chances of getting the job.