How To Follow Up After An Interview (+ Examples)

How To Follow Up After An Interview (+ Examples) Youve landed the interview and youre wondering what to do next. Should you follow up after an interview? The answer is yes! You should absolutely follow upbut it has to be done the right way. Well show you exactly how to follow up after your interview effectively. Zipjob has a wide network of career experts and professional resume writers to answer all your resume and job application questions. Follwo the link below to learn more about how our process works. What’s the best way to follow up or send a thank you email after an interview? Similar to following up on a resume submission, you want to follow up on your interview in a way that shows interest and enthusiasm without coming off as desperate or annoying. Its more about keeping yourself on the mind of the hiring manager, not pestering them to choose you. Here are some tips. 1. Follow up quickly Many job seekers ask how soon should you follow up after a job interview. You should send a short thank you note as soon as possible after your interview. You’re just thanking your interviewers for their time and summarizing a key point or two. If you can get a sense of the selection timeline at the interview, its best to coordinate your follow ups accordingly. For example, ask your interviewers when they plan on making a decision or when they would like the new hire to start. If they make it clear that there are still factors that may delay the selection process, its best to follow up accordingly. If they tell you they are making a selection in a few weeks, wait at least a week before following up again. Without any further information, the first follow up should come 24 to 48 hours after your interview. Example of a first follow up email Your first follow up email after an interview should look something like this: Email subject: Thank you for your timeMax Hi [name of interviewer], I want to thank you for our interview yesterday. I love the innovative way in which [company name] is redefining [industry] and Im confident that my [specific experience] and [specific experience] experience is ideal for the [name of role] role. Im looking forward to hearing back from you and would love to help take [company name] to the next level of success. Best, Max Remember, you dont want to be pushy. Just make it clear that you’re enthusiastic, remind the hiring manager of the skills that set you apart, and show that you’re interested in the company itself. If you read about them in the recent news, include your thoughts on that too! You also dont want to use the common and outdated thank you for your consideration closing line. Its boring and looks like its straight out of a template. Mix it up a bit and re-word it to be more original and effective. We wrote a great post here for some alternatives to thank you for your consideration. 2. Follow up again If you dont hear back, how long should you wait before sending another follow up? This depends on the information you have available. If the interviewers made it clear that the selection process would be a couple weeks, wait a week and a half before sending another follow up. If they make it clear that they will be making a selection in the next few days, send a second follow up in three to five days days. Without any further information, its best to assume that they will be making a decision sooner rather than later, and follow up accordingly. Example of a second follow up email Email subject: Follow up on interviewMax Hi [name of interviewer], My name is Max Scott and I interviewed for the xxxxxx position on 11/15. I just wanted to check in and see if a decision has be made. If there is anything more you need from me please let me know. Best, Max 3. Follow up consistently Your second follow up didnt get a response, now what? If it’s been a few weeks and your follow ups arent getting any response, dont give up. Until you get a negative response, you can send short follow ups every three weeks. These emails should be similar to your first follow up, reiterating what makes you special and why you’re interested in the company. 4. Keep in touch It’s been six to eight weeks and you havent gotten a response to any of your follow ups; should you continue to reach out? At this point, it’s likely that the company already made a selection or have decided to push off the hiring process. If you’re still interested in the company, you can send an occasional email to your contacts at the company. These emails should not regard a previous interview or job search. Rather, send casual emails that contain either a congratulatory message, news article regarding the company, or other related issues. This won’t come off as pushy, but it will keep your name in the mind of the hiring manager should another position become available. Follow up timeline (infographic) Here are 5 quick tips to keep in mind when following up: Keep your email short and to the point. Writing long emails will annoy the hiring manager and even seem desperate.Donot keep emailing the employer if you dont get a response. There is a reason theyre not answering you and it will annoy them.Only contact employers through a professional email address. If the email is coming from an email like aBy1micmthey wont take you seriously. Your email should be a combination of your name and avoid using too many numbers.Do not stop job hunting when youre waiting for a response. Many job seekers stop applying for positions and put all hope into landing the job they interviewed for. Keep on applying to as many positions as youre qualified for.Only contact the hiring manager via their email address. Dont message them on LinkedIn orany social media. This will be a major turn off and make you seem desperate. Dealing with rejection Its normal to be a bit disappointed when they go with another candidate. Dont be too hard on yourself, and continue on your job search. Remember that most job seekers go on a few interviews before they land the job. The other candidate couldve been more qualified, experienced, or even referred by someone within the company. Summary Follow ups are one of the most difficult parts of a job search because theres no right way to do it. If youre organized, keep track of your follow up schedule, and carefully navigate the line between excited and desperate, youll be on your way to that dream job in no time! And remember that you dont want to come off as annoying. Check out this Forbes article on 4 ways to follow up without being annoying. 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