How to Follow Up After an Interview

You had an excellent job interview a week ago. Both the job and company struck you as an excellent fit. You sent a proper thank-you letter soon after but haven’t heard anything from the recruiter. It’s time to send a follow-up message and see if you’re still in the running. But how?

A tactful follow-up email shows your continued interest in a job opportunity. It can also help sustain and drive your correspondence with a recruiter toward a second interview and possible job offer.

But that’s easier said than done. Sometimes it’s hard to know the right way to word this type of email. You don’t want to pester the employer or come off as pushy. But at the same time, recruiters and hiring managers are often considering many candidates and managing a large amount of daily correspondence. So, your message needs to be direct and engaging. Otherwise, it could easily go unnoticed or ignored.

Make It Easy

Luckily, there’s a simple way you can handle these considerations and strike the right balance on your interview follow-up. Just follow this rule: Always make it as easy as possible for the recruiter to respond to your message right away. To make your message easy to respond to follow these tips:

• Continue whatever email thread you already have going with the recruiter or hiring manager. That way, when they receive your follow-up, they can quickly scroll down and refresh their memory about your correspondence to date.
• Update the email subject line to something simple and precise, such as “Following up on [Company]’s [Job Title] opening.”
• In your email message, reference the specific date of your interview and the name(s) of anyone else you met with at the company that day. In addition to the email thread, these details help jog the recruiter’s memory about your interaction.
• At its core, your follow-up message is a simple yes-or-no question. So, word it as one. Include a line like “Do you have any update on the status of this hiring?” or “Can you please send me a quick update on the status of this job opening?” By posing your question as an actual question, you make it much easier for the recipient to know what you’re writing about and how they should respond.
• Specify any other ways the recruiter can reach you if they prefer. If you offer a phone number, clarify whether it’s your cell or home line and what times you’re generally available.
• Offer to answer any additional questions the recruiter may have about your candidacy.
• Thank the recruiter or hiring manager again for their time. (It’s always easier to spend time corresponding with people who know and state the value of it.)
• Repeat your contact information in your email signature. If you have a LinkedIn profile, include that hyperlink in your signature as well. That way, the recruiter can easily glance back at your career details and, seeing your profile photo, put a face to your name.
• Attach your resume to the email, so the recruiter can easily reference it again if they need to.

Sample Interview Follow-up Emails

Below are two examples of interview follow-ups. They both perform the simple function of asking about the status of an open position. But the first one uses all of the tips above, while the second uses none. See how much more direct and engaging the first message is and how much easier it would be for the recipient to respond.

The Bottom Line

When following up on an interview by email, use these tips to make your message easy to respond to. In doing so, you’ll help prevent your candidacy from falling under the radar of potential employers and build your confidence with this aspect of the job hunt. Through a clear and engaging follow-up style, you can help maximize the chance that your job hunt moves to the next stage.

Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.