Follow up Email After Interview: Interview Thank You Email

Should you send a follow up email after interviews? Yes, Let’s say you just walked out of a job interview and it went really well. You could tell the hiring managers were impressed by your answers and enjoyed the conversation. After a few days, you realize you haven’t heard anything. You wait and wait. But, guess what? The interviewer is waiting too. They are waiting to receive a thank-you email from you. After reading through this guide, the next time you finish an interview, you will know how to confidently send a follow-up email that will surely get you a response.

1. When to send a follow-up email after an interview?
2. Should I send a thank you email right after an interview?
3. What’s the best interview follow-up email subject line?
4. How to write a thank-you email to send right after an interview?
5. Interview thank-you email example
6. How to write a follow up email after an interview when you haven’t heard anything from them?
7. Interview follow-up examples
8. Should I send a thank you email after a phone interview?
9. How to write a “staying in touch” email after an interview
10. Post-interview thank you email tips

When to send a follow-up email after an interview?

There are typically three types of after interview emails you could send after an interview. A thank-you email to the interviewer right after the interview, a follow-up if you haven’t heard anything back, and an email to stay in touch in the future.

In most cases, you will only have to send one after interview email, one that thanks the interviewer and expresses your interest for the position. The sooner the better when it comes to sending the thank-you email. Try for the same or next day, and do your best to send it no later than 24 hours after the interview.

If for some reason you haven’t heard anything from the employer since your interview, you can send the second follow-up email to check-in with them. If you don’t hear back and have a strong feeling you didn’t get the job, you can send an email saying to stay in touch with the hiring manager. This is a great way to expand your network and show the employer you are still interested. We will go through each type of after interview email with examples below.

Should I send a thank you email right after an interview?

Yes. The answer is yes; you should always follow up after interviews. Following up on your interview with a thank-you email is a way to put you ahead of the other job candidates. It’s something so small that will go a long way. The first follow-up email after an interview should always be a thank-you note. If you’re wondering how to write a thank-you email after an interview, it doesn’t have to be anything too fancy or long-winded. We will go into further detail about how to follow up on a job, but for now, when you send a thank-you email after an interview, keep these tips in mind:

• Be brief and conversational
• Reiterate your interest in the position
• Thank the interviewer for their time
• Add any other significant information you forgot to mention in the interview

What’s the best interview follow-up email subject line?

Make it clear, concise, and straight to the point. Here are some sample subject lines when sending your interview follow up:

• Thank you for your time today!
• Thank you for the opportunity!
• Appreciate your time!
• I enjoyed meeting with you!
• Thank you, [interviewer’s name]

How to write a thank-you email to send right after an interview?

You have the subject line written but now you need the after interview email substance.

Want to know how to write a thank you email after an interview? Follow our steps below for the perfect ingredients to write the best thank you email after an interview.

1. Open with a greeting. Make sure to address the hiring manager by their name.
2. Thank them for spending their time with you.
3. Reiterate your interest in the position and express your appreciation.
4. Personalize the thank you email. Refer to specific things they mentioned in the interview and suggest how you can be an asset to their company.
5. End it off explaining that you’re willing to provide them with any additional information if they need and then confirm when you will hear back from them.

Interview thank-you email example

Hi [Interviewer Name],

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me today about the [position your applying for] with [company]. After learning more about the position, I’m very excited for the opportunity to join your team and help [marketing campaigns, inspire clients, increase monthly revenue etc.] for [Company Name].

The details you provided me about the position really showed me that this is a job I would enjoy and one I would excel in. I know my years of experience of working on [past job/experience.] would greatly benefit your company.

Please keep me posted on the status of the hiring process. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Warm regards,

[Your sign off]

It’s important to remember that following up with the interviewer to thank them right away is a crucial part of the hiring process. It’s a sure way to put yourself above other candidates.

How to write a follow up email after an interview when you haven’t heard anything from them?

If you haven’t heard back from the hiring manager after your interview or after your post-interview thank you email, you can send an email “checking in” with them. If you aren’t sure how to follow up on a job, you should typically send the follow up email if you haven’t heard back after about two weeks since your interview. Remember to send the interview follow-up email to whoever said they’d be in touch, or whoever it is you have been in touch with for interview scheduling. Follow our tips below on how to write a follow up interview after an interview.

Interview follow-up subject line

The interview follow-up subject line is important. The email subject line is what the hiring manager will see right away and based off the subject they will decide whether your email gets opened and how fast they’ll get to it. In the subject line, remember to include the job title you interviewed for. Here are some sample interview follow-up subject lines:

“Following up regarding the [job title] position”.

“Following up on an interview for [name of the position]”

You could also reply to the latest email between you and the hiring manager. It’ll look something like, “Re: Interview on Wednesday at 11 AM”. Typically, they will open this immediately because they’ll see that it is part of a previous email.

Interview follow-up body

For the interview follow up, it’s nice to keep it short and sweet. Don’t be shy or unclear with your words. In its simplest terms, this email is to tell the interviewer you are excited to hear back and wanting to check in to see if there have been any updates. They have already received the thank-you email immediately after your interview so you don’t need to go into as much detail in the follow-up. Keep it short, well-spaced, and right to the point.

Follow these 7 steps for the best follow-up email after an interview:

1. Address the hiring manager by their first name.
2. Explain that you are following up the job interview you had with them.
3. Be specific. Include the job title and the date you interviewed.
4. Reiterate your interest in the position and how you are excited and eager to her about next steps.
5. Ask for an update and say you are looking forward to hearing back from them.
6. End it off by saying thank you and signing off with your first and last name.
7. Lastly, make sure to spell check and proofread before sending it off.

If you didn’t send a thank-you email immediately after the interview but still want to send a follow-up, that’s okay. It’s suggested you still send some sort of follow-up. Follow the steps listed above but be sure to include a note thanking them for taking the time to interview you.

Interview follow-up examples

Hello [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I wanted to follow up in regardsthe interview I had last Thursday for [position]. I’m excited about everything we spoke about and wanted to check in and see if there have been any updates on your end.

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Dear {Hiring Manager’s Name],

I wanted to check in with you as, during our interview [include the date of your interview], you mentioned that you would be making final decisions on the [name of the position] by [include the date].

I’m excited about this opportunity and wanted to see if there have been any updates or decisions made on your end.

Thank you so much your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Should I send a thank you email after a phone interview?

Always plan to send a phone interview thank you email. Not only is it good manners, but it also confirms that you are interested in the position to your potential employer. The thank-you follow up keeps you top of mind as the hiring manager goes through and narrows their list. Like an in-person interview, you ideally want to send the note immediately after the interview. If that isn’t possible, aim to send the email within 24 hours.

Like any other thank-you email, it gives you the opportunity to share anything you may have forgotten to mention. Sometimes it’s tough to get everything you want to say in on a phone call, so the thank-you email after the phone interview is a great place to clarify. Make sure to express appreciation for the interviewer’s time, and always remember your main goal: to move on to the next step in the interview process.

Thank-you email after phone interview sample:

Dear [Interviewer’s name]

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me on the phone today. It was great having the opportunity to learn more about [company name]. It was so great to hear about [company name]’s goals and future plans.

I’m looking forward to meeting with you and your team in person to discuss this further. Please find attached cover letter and resume with more detailed work experience.

Thanks,

[Your sign off]

How to write a “staying in touch” email after an interview

If you haven’t heard back after checking in, or you found out you didn’t get the job, you can still email the hiring manager explaining how you’d love to stay in touch. The goal of this email is to establish a relationship and for them to keep you in mind and help you grow.

Just like the post-interview check in email, this one is short and sweet.

• Send this email to the hiring manager.
• Thank them for their time and consideration in the interview stage.
• After addressing them, mention what it is about them that you find interesting or inspirational.
• Limit this email to one to two paragraphs and include a proposed time to meet for a call or for coffee.

Sample “staying in touch” post interview email

Subject line: Staying in touch

Dear [Hiring Manager}

Hope you are doing well. I’m reaching out to say thank you again for your time and consideration. I really enjoyed my speaking and learning fro you and others at my interview. In particular, I found the details you shared of your own career path very to be very eye-opening and inspirational. As someone who’s aspiring to build my career myself, , I’d love to learn more about how you’ve developed your skills.

I know you must be busy, but if you have 20 minutes to chat, it would be greatly appreciated. Are you available for a phone or coffee chat sometime in the next few weeks?

Thanks again,

[Your Name]

Post-interview thank you email tips

Keep it simple

Whether it’s writing a job interview thank-you email or a follow-up, be up front with what you want. Keeping the follow-up simple is a great way to expect a response without coming across as pushy or insecure.

Be patient

If you don’t get a response to your emails right away, that’s normal. Most hiring managers are busy and they’re likely not ignoring you on purpose. As long as you are polite and understanding, your follow-up email is a simple indication of your passion and interest.

Proofread

Always remember to proofread your emails before sending them. Both the thank-you email and the second follow-up will be their only impression of you after the interview, so you want to make sure your emails are typo-free.

Ask about timeline in the interview

Sometimes it is normal for a response to take about one to two weeks after the interview, which is why it’s recommended to end each interview asking when you can expect to hear feedback. Asking this will save you a lot of stress when it comes to figuring out when you should follow up or not.