So let’s say you just had your in-person interview, and you’re feeling confident. You had a great conversation with the hiring manager and you were able to get a tour of the office. So what’s the next step? Well, let’s talk about the follow up email.
The follow up email is something that many candidates overlook during the job hunting process. So much emphasis goes into the cover letter, the resume, and the interview itself, that the follow up email is easily forgotten. However, this email is a great way to follow up with any talking points you had during the interview. It’s also an excellent opportunity to share ideas, share suggestions, and all in all a professional way to say thank you to whomever you met with to discuss the position.
So what even goes into a solid follow-up email? Well, there are three components: the Thank You, the Active Listening, and the Call to Action.
The Thank You
The first part of your follow-up email shows gratitude to whomever you interviewed with. You want to say, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me regarding the position of XYZ.” This is also a great way to show your enthusiasm for the role and working with the company and team.
Again, you want to make sure you make it clear that you are the best candidate for this position, especially since you discussed all of your qualifications previously in the interview.
The Active Listening
The second part should tie back to the conversation that you had with the hiring manager. Perhaps you two were speaking about teamwork and management styles. This could be a great way for you to suggest some ideas that you may have.
You may also want to show initiative and help train your coworkers on a skill the firm would benefit from. This could also be a great opportunity for you to show that you were actively listening. Maybe in between interview questions, the hiring manager mentioned something about her schedule or even weekend plans. In this email, you could include something that ties back to that, such as “Best of luck to the team with the upcoming presentation” or “Wishing you a relaxing trip with your family this weekend.” You don’t have to go overboard with this. Just a sprinkle of active listening goes a long way.
The Call to Action
Now for the third part – a subtle call to action by reminding the hiring manager to follow up with you. This is a great way for you to invite them to view a writing piece you attached or something similar. If the hiring manager said they will be in touch with you by next week – then mention towards the end, “I look forward to our call next week as discussed.” This isn’t pushy but shows that you truly have the enthusiasm for this role.
**Below is a sample of a great Follow Up Email, use it as a reference after your next interview.
Proofread Before Submitting
Lastly – when is it a good time to send this email? According to our staffing specialists, the best time to send this email is within the 24 hours after your interview. Any later it might seem forced or irrelevant. The fresher the hiring manager has you in their memory, the better. Also, send the email through your desktop/laptop – not your phone. It’s easy to rush and have typos when you send emails through your phone, so wait to send the email until you are home. And of course, make sure that the message sounds genuine, not generic.
As always, make sure you proofread, proofread, and proofread before hitting the send button. Have someone you trust crosscheck and read it aloud for you. You want this follow up email to enhance your eligibility for this role – so make it count!