Following up after an interview is a critical step in the job search process. 91% of employers like to receive follow-up thank you notes, yet 57% of candidates don’t send them! We’ve provided guidance below on how to follow up after four typical interview scenarios.
Follow Up After a Phone Screening
A phone screening may be short and sweet, but it can make or break your inclusion in the hiring process for a particular position. Make it clear that you are interested in the company and this job!
In a follow up email, thank the interviewer for their time. Emphasize your interest with specific key points from the phone call. Attach your resume and cover letter even if they already have it. (It’s always good to have it at their fingertips.) They key for this email is to keep it brief and to the point.
Follow Up After the First Interview
After an interview, you want to send an actual thank you note to the interviewer. It’s much faster to send this via email, but if you think you can get it to arrive quickly you could opt for a written note.
First, use a unique subject line – ideally one that references something you spoke about. Within the email, thank the interviewer for the time they took to speak with you. Reiterate important parts of the conversation that stood out to you and explain how you are excited about the chance to work with them. Mention any action items you came away with – for example, if you spoke about a specific certification, let them know that you plan to check it out. If you have any additional questions that you weren’t able to ask during the interview, now is a good time to pose them.
Follow Up After the Second Interview
Now that you are deeper into the recruiting process, your follow up email should contain more concrete information. It should be personalized and reference something you spoke about, even in a non-work-related side discussion.
If there were multiple people in the interview, you should take the time to write each person their own email. Do not copy everyone on the same email! The key here is personalization and establishing a connection with each person one-on-one.
This is also a great time to briefly expand on an upcoming project discussed that you are excited to work on.
Follow Up After You Haven’t Had a Response
A follow up to your follow up might feel awkward to you, but the interviewer(s) likely are just caught up in other matters. If a timeline was given for the decision making process, then wait until that point to follow up. If not, it’s perfectly fine to follow up if you haven’t had a response after a week.
This email should be brief but positive. Make it clear that you are still interested in pursuing this job opportunity and ask if there are any further questions you can answer.