Job interviews can be quite the rollercoaster. Your body is pumping tons of adrenaline as you meet someone new, you’re hoping everyone likes you, and you’re pouring sweat almost the whole time. Thankfully, if you’re reading this, you’ve most likely already survived that job interview (whew!) and are trying to figure out the next step: the follow-up email.
Why Send a Follow-Up?
Most employers need to take time to think about your incredible skills and discuss your potential with others in their department before making a decision. During this time, you may want to help yourself stand out from the other prospective employees by sending a quick note of thanks for the time they took to interview you.
What does a follow-up letter look like in practice? We have a few tips for composing your follow-up message that you can use after your job interview. From our experience, the worst thing you can do is drag things out too much. Overdoing it can lead to the employer seeing you as a desperate groveler without taking you seriously as a business professional.
Keep it short, sweet, and simple.
Where to Start
If you’re typing a follow-up email, start by addressing the interviewer by name. “Hello Mr. Sanders,” works great as a way to show them you remember them as a person but aren’t going to tell them your entire life story. Save the “To Whom It May Concern” for your cover letter and preliminary introduction emails. This note should remind them that you already met – it should feel comfortable and familiar without being too lofty or cold.
Next, you should start out by thanking them for their time and saying you really enjoyed getting to know more about their company/organization. Pick one thing that stood out to you about your conversation and mention it. Again, don’t go into depth about how you got the founder’s mission tattooed on your arm and sing the company’s theme song in your head every night before you go to sleep.
Keep it short, sweet, and simple.
Maybe you felt confident about your discussion of the company’s market trajectory, or you appreciate their ability to connect with a variety of different consumers – mention that! One sentence should be good, just to highlight your interest, remind them of your knowledge, and move on.
Close the Deal
To wrap it up, tell the employer that you are looking forward to hearing from them again soon. No need to bring up the time crunch (we wanted their job offer, like, yesterday!), but it is good to let them know you’re anticipating a response.
You’re the Real Boss
At the end of the day, you are the one who was in the job interview, and you’re the one who is making the impression – so you decide how you write this follow-up email. Just remember to be a polished version of yourself, and let them make the next move.
Because of the pandemic, employees everywhere are looking for ways to get jobs and make money. Don’t let yourself fade into the crowd. Send a follow-up email to get your future boss’s attention and stand out!
