Follow-up email after an interview

Your job search is moving right on track! Your application caught a potential employer’s attention, and you just aced the interview. Now, you’re feeling confident, energized and ready to move forward toward your dream job.

But wait! While the interview finished well, it’s not quite over. Keep the good vibes going by taking the next, sometimes underestimated, step in the interview process — sending an interview thank you email. This is your opportunity to express your gratitude for the interviewers’ time, remind them of what makes you a great fit for the position, and invite them to contact you for further information that would assist in their hiring decision.

Not quite sure how to write a follow-up email after an interview? Use these tips to quickly get your message in the hiring manager’s inbox and keep your name top of mind!

How to write a follow-up email after an interview

Follow-up emails should always be concise, but the specifics of what to include depend on the kind of message you want to send. There are three different types of follow-up emails:

• Thank you email — sent within 24 hours of your interview
• Checking-in email — sent about a week later if you haven’t heard anything
• Staying-in-touch email — sent if at least two weeks have passed since your interview with no contact from the potential employer

For this article, we’ll focus on the first type — the interview thank you email. These tips can help you create the ideal follow-up email immediately after an interview.

1) Choose the right email subject line

Effective subject lines are short and sweet and prompt the reader to open the email. Interviewers are busy people, so they’ll appreciate a subject line that gets straight to the point. Most include an expression of thanks and perhaps your name, the interviewer’s name or the position title. If there were multiple people in the interview, be sure to send a thank you to each of them, varying the content a little in case they compare (which is likely)!

Here are a few subject line ideas to get you thinking:

• Thank you for today’s interview, [insert interviewer’s name]!
• I appreciated your time today
• Great discussion today!
• Regarding today’s interview for [position title]
• [NAME]’s interview follow-up: Thank you!

2) Open with a “thank you” paragraph

A good thank you email begins with just that — a note of thanks. Start off by saying how much you appreciated your interviewer’s time and insight regarding the role. Be sure to mention the specific job title as well as the company’s name. This is also an appropriate place to emphasize your continued interest in the position and in joining the organization.

3) Talk about what makes you a good fit for the role

Next, remind the interviewer of the reasons you’re the best candidate for the position. You can do this by restating your relevant qualifications and highlighting a few key skills listed in the original job post. Remember to keep it short. It’s great to reference what was discussed, but they don’t need an exact play-by-play!

Also, if you meet a particular requirement that was discussed in the interview or that seemed important to the interviewer, emphasize that in your message — it could move you ahead of the competition!

4) Make yourself stand out

Another opportunity to make yourself stand out is in the last paragraph of your email, where you can highlight the overall expertise or value you would bring to the company. You may also want to provide links to your online portfolio and/or list the professional networks you’re active in. (Be sure everything’s up-to-date and represents your expertise and abilities!)

Finally, invite them to contact you if they need additional information or have questions. Conclude your message by reiterating your excitement about the opportunity and eagerness to hear back from them soon. If you asked in the interview when you should expect to hear back, this is a great time to remind them of their suggested timeframe.

5) Include a signature and contact info

To wrap up your email, include a warm but professional signature, such as “Best Regards,” “With Thanks” or “Sincerely.” Include your typed name on the next line, followed by your contact information. It’s okay to restate your email and phone number — you want to make it easy for the hiring manager or interviewer to follow up with you.

Grow while you wait

Make the most of the time you spend waiting for a response by brushing up on your leadership skills and learning more from our career resources hub.   

This article is for informational purposes only and based on information that is widely available. We do not make any guarantees or promise any results based on this information.

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