Sending a Follow-up Email after an Interview
Sending a follow-up email after an interview is a good way to take advantage of the dictates of etiquette to remind hiring managers of why they should hire you. In a job search, one of your primary tasks is to advertise yourself to your potential customers – those who need your services. Look for every opportunity to reinforce your message – how your qualifications meet their needs. Sending a follow-up email after an interview is a good opportunity.
Contact information
Hopefully, during the interview you obtained names, titles and contact information for everyone with whom you had an interview. You may have made some notes after each interview to remind yourself of who asked what and whether you connected with the interviewer in any special way – that is good practice. Refer to those notes now.
Timing of the follow-up email
Ostensibly, you are sending a follow-up email after an interview to thank the interviewers for their time and interest, so you should send it promptly – no more than 24 hours after the interview. Send an individualized email to each person with whom you met.
Content
You email should be short and to the point – no more than three paragraphs. Mention the name of the position in the subject line. Then, begin the body by thanking the interviewer for their time and interest. Next, express your enthusiasm for the opportunity and support your candidacy by giving a few good reasons why you are a great fit for the position. These can be reasons you already discussed during your interview or new points, but they should be directly relevant to the most important requirements of the job.
It is always nice to show the addressee that you are writing specifically to him by mentioning something you discussed during your interview – perhaps something personal that was discussed, such as “enjoy your vacation next week.” This shows that you have taken the time to personalize your message.
Close your email by repeating your enthusiasm for the opportunity and interest in the position. Let them know that they should contact you if they would like any further information and include your phone number. In your email to the hiring manager, open the door for further contact.
Opening the door for further contact
Hopefully, during your interview you discussed when you would expect to hear from the hiring manager or the Human Resources representative about their selection of a candidate. It is a good practice to call the hiring manager if you have not heard back from them within a week after the date they mention. So, your email to the hiring manager can close with a hope that you will hear from them soon and a mention that you will call on such a date to follow-up if you have not heard from them by then. Then, be sure to do it!
Note that this advice specifies contacting the hiring manager rather than the HR representative. This is because it is always best to build a relationship with the one who will ultimately be making the hiring decision and will be your boss – the hiring manager. There is no problem with contacting the HR person as well, but the only reason you would not contact the hiring manager is if you were specifically told not to do so. Unless, of course, they contact you first -- hopefully with an offer!
Alternatives to a follow up email after an interview
Although an email is the most expected, quick means to follow up after an interview, another option is to send a note in the mail. This can be typed on normal business stationery or hand written (legibly) on a thank-you card. The content remains the same – be sure to mention the job title and date of your interview and include your contact information (phone and email). There are pros and cons to this approach. Going to the effort and expense of sending something in the mail, especially a hand-written note, expresses your attention to detail and consideration. On the other hand, the note can easily become lost in a stack of junk mail and not be seen, wasting the effort.
Whatever approach you take, use the opportunity of sending a follow up email or note after an interview not only to be polite, but to provide a targeted advertisement of your candidacy.