Following up after an interview

Following up after an interview

Once you’ve completed the interview process it may feel like things are out of your hands. In many ways they are: you’ve completed a job application, shared your CV, and then sat through at least one interview. What more can you do?  There’s one final thing you can do to make yourself stand out as a candidate; send a follow-up note to the interviewers.

When to send a follow up note 
At the end of most job interviews, the interviewer or recruiter will let you know when you will likely find out the outcome. In most scenarios, it’s best to wait until after this date, before chasing for an update.  
However, to stand out from other candidates, it’s a good idea to send a thank you note to the interviewer immediately after the interview. The interviewer has taken time out of their busy schedule to interview you, so it’s only polite to thank them for this. It is not only courteous and shows how keen you are to secure the role, but also helps you to stay at the top of the hiring manager’s mind. It also provides you with an opportunity to ask any questions you may have forgotten, or didn’t have a chance to ask during the interview.  

What to include in your post-interview follow-up email  
Your message doesn’t need to be too complicated. Here’s some tips on what to include:
Thank the interviewer for their time 
Say how interested you are in the job and company 
If you have any questions about the job or company that haven’t been answered, perhaps include them  
Tell the interviewer you’re looking forward to hearing from them  
 

What to include in a follow-up reminder email 
If the date you were given for a response has passed, and you still haven’t heard from the recruiter or interviewer, send an email to enquire the outcome.
Remember to be polite and ask how they are  
Remind them of your name, job situation and interview date 
Don’t mention that the deadline has passed. You won’t gain anything from reminding the interviewer of this and you could risk upsetting them, which may affect their decision! 
Ask them if the role has been filled or what the status is 

Evaluate a job offer

Once you’ve completed the interview process it may feel like things are out of your hands. In many ways they are: you’ve completed a job application, shared your CV, and then sat through at least one interview. What more can you do?

There’s one final thing you can do to make yourself stand out as a candidate; send a follow-up note to the interviewers.

When to send a follow up note

At the end of most job interviews, the interviewer or recruiter will let you know when you will likely find out the outcome. In most scenarios, it’s best to wait until after this date, before chasing for an update.

What to include in your post-interview follow-up email

What to include in a follow-up reminder email

Examples of follow-up emails