Follow-Up Email after an Interview & 3 Examples

You might think that after you have had a job interview, you can relax and hope you did enough to secure the position, however an important part of the job application process is to send follow up emails post interview.  There are a number of reasons as to why it is important to send a follow up email, which we will discuss below.  However in essence, the way you follow up can make a significant difference in how you are perceived and measured when moving to the next stage of the application process process.

Read on to find out how to master the art of job interview follow-up emails and nail this stage of your job search!

In general, there are three reasons as to why you would send a follow-up email after a job interview:

The ‘Thank You’ email

The ‘Update’ email

The ‘Networking’ email

Whilst each serves their own purpose they are all equally important and useful in helping you to secure your dream job.

Thank You

One of the most crucial emails you'll send is the thank-you note after the interview. It shows gratitude, professionalism, and keeps you fresh in the interviewer's mind.  It also gives you an opportunity to reaffirm your interest in the position to the interviewer and can also be used as an opportunity to ask or clarify any points or questions you may have post interview.

The thank you email should be sent within 24 hours of the interview taking place in order to keep the momentum going and also, to immediately let the interviewer know you are keen to continue the job application process.

Here's a basic template:

[Subject line] Thank you for your time

Dear [Interviewer's Name],

It was great to meet with you yesterday and learn more about the [insert job title] position.  

I am very excited about the opportunity to join [insert company name] and was especially interested in [insert a comment on a talking point you shared about the company during the interview, e.g. learning more about the planned expansion into new sales territories in the next 6 months].  I believe that I can bring my experience in [insert relevant skill(s) you have gained in your career / education] to the role and help in driving forward the ambition of [insert company name].

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Kind regards,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

Update

This is often an email you don't want to send as it means you are still waiting to hear back from the employer to discover if your application is progressing further or not.  However, a follow up / checking in email is a useful one to send to try and get a bit more information as to where you stand.  

Unless you were told during the interview that you would be informed as to the status of your application by a specific date, the ideal time to send a follow-up email after the interview is between 7 and 10 days.  Assuming you have previously sent the thank you email we have referenced above, you can keep your follow up email relatively concise, and focus the email on getting a response, either positive or negative, so you can move on with your job search.

It is important to remember that sending in an ‘update’ email doesn't come across as desperate or annoying.  Although it can vary widely as to how long companies will respond after an interview, by sending this email, you’re highlighting that you are still keen to progress with the role and brining you application back to the top of their inbox!

Dear [Interviewer's Name],

I hope you’re having a good week!

Further to my email below, I wanted to check if there was any further update on the [insert job title] position.  As I mentioned, I really enjoyed hearing more about the opportunity as well as the plans for [insert company name] and I would welcome the opportunity to progress my application.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else you require from me at this stage.

Thank you,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

Networking

This is the email you send when you have found out that your application was unsuccessful.  The aim of this email is to maintain a professional relationship with an individual who still could have an opportunity in the future which will help you progress in your career.  

Similar to the update email, the networking email is short but again should aim to leave a lasting impression as to your professionalism as well as your suitability for any future roles that may arise.  It is important to remember that the aim of this email is not to change the mind of the individual after you have received a rejection, but rather to show that you accept their decision but would be happy to be considered for any further opportunities.

Dear [Interviewer's Name],

I wanted to reach out just to thank you again for your time and consideration for the position of [insert job title].  Although I was naturally disappointed to hear that my application was not successful in this instance, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you and the rest of the team at [insert company name] and wish you nothing but success for the future.

If you could keep me in mind for any future opportunities it would be greatly appreciated as I would very much welcome the opportunity to work alongside you in the future.

Kind regards,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Phone Number]

In summation, maintaining a level of communication post-interview is always a good idea.  As long as you keep it relevant and professional it should only strengthen your chances of success, either now or perhaps at some point in the future.  The great thing about an email follow up is that it takes very little time but can have a big impact on your chances of securing a job, so make sure you don't forget this important part of the application process.