Follow-Up Email Messages and Letters for Interviews

After a job interview, it's both polite and advantageous for your job search to send a thank-you email or letter. Your follow-up note is an opportunity to reinforce your strengths as an applicant, affirm your interest in the position and, if necessary, respond to any concerns that came up during the interview.

Note

Taking the time to follow up after an interview gives you one more opportunity to make a good impression.

To write a strong follow-up letter or email, you can’t just dash off a few lines and hope for the best.

The Benefits of Sending a Follow-Up Message

An effective thank-you note does more than just express your appreciation. It helps you make the case for your candidacy and gives you another chance to impress the hiring manager. A Robert Half survey reported that 58% of hiring managers thought thank-you messages were somewhat helpful, and 22% said they were very helpful.

To get started on your note, review examples of follow-up emails and letters. Then, customize your message to reflect your goals.

Tips for Writing a Follow-Up Email or Letter

Consider Sending an Email: If time is of the essence, send your follow-up letter via email, with your name and "thank you" in the subject line of the message. If you do send an email, be sure to do so within 24 hours of the job interview.
Express Your Enthusiasm: Emphasize your enthusiasm for the job. This is your final chance to tell the employer that you believe you are a good fit for the position with their organization.
Include Anything You Forgot: If you forgot to share an important related experience or some other valuable piece of information, this is a good place to do so. You might also clarify anything from the interview if you feel you did not make a strong first impression in the interview.
Proofread and Edit: Whether you send the note by mail or by email, be sure to read through the message carefully before sending it. You are still trying to make a strong impression, so a professional, well-written letter is key, and typos or a misspelled name will hurt your chances. If you choose to send an email, send a test message to yourself first to make sure the formatting holds up.

Job Interview Follow-Up Email Examples

Review examples of emails sent to follow up after a job interview. Be sure to include your name in the subject line of the message, and reiterate what you have to offer the employer.

Sample Job Interview Follow-Up Email #1

Subject Line: John Smith – Thank You

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

It was a pleasure meeting you the other day and discussing the teaching assistant position at ABC Middle School. I really appreciate the time you took to interview me for the position.

I enjoyed meeting everyone on the sixth-grade team and getting to ask them questions about the teaching assistant position. The more I spoke with you and the team, the more I was convinced that my teaching experience and my passion for small-classroom learning make me a strong candidate for this position.

I look forward to hearing from you next week regarding your final decision. Feel free to reach out to me beforehand with any questions or concerns. Again, my phone number is 555-555-5555.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Best,

John Smith

Sample Email Follow-Up Message #2

Subject: Your Name - Thank You

Dear Name:

It was a pleasure to finally meet you after our many emails and phone conversations regarding the Production Editor / Proofreader position. I truly enjoyed hearing about the Management Group and learning more about the needs of the Sales Intelligence Department. I appreciated being able to share some of the reasons why I feel that I am the ideal candidate for the job.

I also appreciated touring your facilities. They are quite impressive, and it would be a true joy to work in such beautiful surroundings.

Thank you also for introducing me to several members of your Sales Intelligence team. They were all so kind and accommodating. Please let them know I appreciate how comfortable they made me feel. I agree it was unfortunate that Bob Brown, the actual person to whom I'd report, was not in the office. I hope he is feeling better, and I look forward to coming back to meet with him when it's convenient.

After talking with you, meeting the team, and getting a better understanding of what is involved in the position, I am even more confident that there can be no better match. Don Pearce showed me several recent projects, and Jody Fryer explained the process and gave me a look at the computer applications that I might be using. I am very familiar with the entire setup and have done work almost identical to the examples that I was shown.

Currently, my schedule is flexible and knowing your urgency to fill the position; I would like to meet Mr. Brown at his earliest convenience. Please drop me an email or a quick call with a date and time, and I'll be sure to arrange my schedule so that I can meet Mr. Brown. Thank you again for your time; I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

First Name Last Name

Sample Job Interview Follow-Up Thank You Letter

Download the letter template (compatible with Google Docs or Word Online) or read the example below.

Download the Word Template

Sample Job Interview Follow-Up Thank You Letter (Text Version)

Joseph Q. Applicant
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-212-1234
joesphq@email.com

October 12, 2021

Jane Smith
Director, Human Resources
Acme Office Supplies
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

Dear Ms. Smith:

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me about the Senior Programmer Analyst position with Acme Office Supplies. I appreciate your time and consideration in interviewing me for this position.

After speaking with you and the group, I believe that I would be a perfect candidate for this position, offering the quick learning and adaptability that is needed for a diversified position.

In addition to my enthusiasm for performing well, I would bring the technical and analytical skills necessary to get the job done.

I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing from you once the final decisions are made regarding this position. Please feel free to contact me at any time if further information is needed. My cell phone number is (555) 111-1111.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Signature (hard copy letter)

Joseph Q. Applicant

Key Takeaways

Send Your Thank-You Letter As Soon as Possible: It’s best to send your letter or email right after the interview.

Use Your Follow-Up Letter to Help You Land the Job: Express your enthusiasm for the role and clarify anything that you forgot to mention during the interview.

Edit and Test Your Message Before Sending: Be sure your note is free from errors, typos, and formatting mistakes.

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Sources

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