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How to Send a Follow-Up Email After an Interview (With Samples + Templates!)

After the interview, it's time to write a follow-up. Here's how to impress your hiring manager or interviewer with the perfect follow-up message—and yes, we made templates.

By Caileen Kehayas Holden
July 10, 2024

So, you just made it through a successful interview, and you want to know if you got the job, like, yesterday.

You felt confident, you asked the right questions, you genuinely had a good conversation with the hiring manager, and you sent them a carefully crafted thank-you note the next day.

You’re one step closer to the job of your dreams, but now it’s a waiting game, right?

Why do hiring managers torture job applicants with the wait? And it is a wait—the average job interview process takes 38 days!

There’s one component that can bring you that much closer to standing out against other candidates: the job interview follow-up.

The hiring process can vary from company to company, often taking weeks or even months. Considering the interviewer might meet with countless other candidates during that time, rather than sitting back and waiting for a response, show initiative by following up, ensuring you stay on the employer’s radar.

A follow-up is also a great chance for you to add any information you forgot to mention during the interview that can make you a more viable candidate, or highlight a way you’re still thinking critically about the role.

Now, I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of a stand-out interview follow-up. Here's what we'll cover:

When and how to write a follow-up email after an interview
What to write in your follow-up email, depending on which interview stage you're in (phone interview, second interview, etc.)
Lots of samples and examples of follow-up emails so you can copy, paste, and tailor them to your unique voice and situation

Since there's no time to waste, let's get started!

When to Send the Post-Interview Follow-Up Email

You’ve already done your due diligence by sending the initial thank you note within 24 hours of your first interview, but you haven’t heard back in a couple of weeks. That’s okay—sometimes no news is good news.

It’s perfectly fine to send a friendly follow-up note to let your interviewers know you are still interested and to see where they are in the hiring process.

Just don’t jump the gun: send a follow-up only if it’s been more than a week since your interview.

Pro Tip: Ask All Timelines Questions ASAP

The "when" question is easier once you have an understanding of what the hiring process looks like. The next time you're entering a job interview process, ask the recruiter or hiring manager for additional information about the timeline.

Here are some additional questions to ask about the timeline:

When are you looking to fill this job position?
What should I expect from the interview process? (This is a great question to ask during a phone interview!)
Is there an appropriate time that I might follow up on this position if I don't hear by [date]?
Who is the best contact for following up with any additional questions?

For example, if you know they plan on hiring for this role by the first week of February and it's the last week of January, you can address that by saying something like, "You mentioned the goal of filling [JOB OPENING] by February 1, so I wanted to follow-up to see if it had been filled yet."

Additionally, if your interviewer mentioned they aren't contacting candidates for second interviews till March 1 and it's the end of January, then please hold tight. We will address how to send a "top of mind" email later on in this post, too!

How to Prep for the Follow-Up During the Interview

You can never be too prepared. At the end of an interview, the employer almost always asks: What questions do you have for me?

This is your time to shine. If you come prepared with the right questions, you can easily determine if the company is the right fit for you and scope out any missing pieces you'd like to discover. But you’ll also ensure you have some material for a stellar follow-up.

Here are some helpful questions that will pay dividends down the line:

What do you think is the biggest challenge the company will face within the next six months/one year/five years?
What do you hope the person who fills this position accomplishes in the first 30/60/90 days?
What does success look like for this role?
What critical pain points will this role help with?

Make sure to listen carefully to their answers. When you write your follow-up, reference those goals, and mention a couple of ideas you’ve come up with during the waiting period.

When to Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview

As we mentioned earlier, you will want to send a post-interview thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview. We recommend you send the post-interview thank-you via email and personalize it as much as you can by addressing the names of the people who interviewed you (and spell them correctly, please!), pointing out what you like about the company, and reiterating why you would make a great addition to the team.

True story: we had a hiring manager tell us she never moved forward with a candidate until she received a thank-you email so, yes, it's important to send one and be timely about it!

And just in case you needed more evidence, this report shows that 91% of hiring managers prefer a thank-you note, and yet, less than half of people actually send one. Here's a quick example of what to say in your post-interview thank-you email.

Sample Subject Lines for Post-Interview Thank-You Email

Thank You, [Interviewer’s Name]! | [Job Title] | [Name]
Thank You From [Name]! | [Job Title] Interview Candidate
Thank You For The Opportunity! | [Job Title] | [Name]

Sample Post-Interview Thank-You Email

Email Subject Line: Thank You From [Name]! | [Job Title] Interview Candidate

Dear [Name],

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me about [the position/job title you’re applying for] today. I really enjoyed learning more about [include something they shared such as strategy/product goals/audience/clients insights/upcoming challenges/company culture or values/industry insights].

The information you provided really solidified my interest in this role and I feel confident I could make a valuable contribution with my skills and experience such as:

- [mention or reference to your specific area of expertise and how it can benefit your employer]
- [mention or reference to your specific area of expertise and how it can benefit your employer]
- [mention or reference to your specific area of expertise and how it can benefit your employer]

We also specifically discussed [issue discussed during the interview] and I wanted to follow-up on that. In my last role as [your current or most recent position] I addressed something similar by doing [provide example or explanation of how you would tackled a similar issue or challenge and back up with data].

Lastly, I mentioned sending you some examples of [project, example, client work, etc. that you mentioned], which are attached. Please feel free to contact me if you find you need any more information.

I look forward to [any next steps or timing they mentioned.] [If nothing mentioned you can just write, "I look forward to hearing from you.]

Thank you,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

Now, assuming you sent a thank-you email and assuming the interviewer didn't say anything specific about their timeline, when do you send a first follow-up email? We recommend waiting about three weeks. The logic behind this is that you sent an immediate thank-you email and now we want to give the company time to interview other candidates, review their notes, organize next steps, etc.

Sometimes a decision-maker might be out of office and there are other moving parts, so give them enough space to work through all of that—but not so much space that they forget about you.

Sample Subject Lines for a Follow-Up Email After an Interview

Checking In! | [Job Title] Interview Candidate| Your Name
Next Steps For [Job Title] | Your Name
Following-Up on [Job Title] Interview | Your Name

How to Write the Follow-Up Email

When composing your follow-up note because you haven't heard anything after your thank-note, remember that it’s not an essay. Make it short and to the point. Unfortunately, there is a thin line between being persistent and being, to put it bluntly, annoying.

Recruiters and hiring managers might have a very busy schedule—especially when they are looking to hire for multiple open roles. Nobody is a stranger to an overwhelming inbox and you're likely to be a little more focused on this particular email than the hiring manager. That doesn't necessarily mean they aren't interested.

That's why we like to think of this email as a "top of mind" email. We want to stay top of mind for the recruiter so they want to invite you back for a second interview.

Now’s the time you’ll bring up any challenges the interviewer mentioned and suggest some solutions you've thought about. This will show you went the extra mile to do research on how the company might improve. Here's a quick checklist for how to follow-up after an interview:

Checklist: How to Follow-Up After an Interview

Include the job title and your name in the subject line
Personalize the email and address the person by name
Express your gratitude for the interview
Reinforce your interest in the role
Refer to anything specific about the company and how your skills/experience/etc. can add value
Make this follow-up timely by mentioning any recent news, press releases, or solutions you've thought about since your first interview
Ask for any clarity about the interview process timeline

Sample Job Interview Follow-up Email

Email Subject Line: Following-Up on [Job Title] Interview | Your Name

Dear [Name],

Thank you again for the opportunity to interview for [job title you’re applying for] on [date]! During our initial conversation you mentioned the hiring timeline was pretty flexible so, I wanted to check-in on the status since I'm still very interested in this role.

Additionally, I saw that the company recently [mention something recent in the news or press release for company or industry] and immediately thought of your team because during our interview you mentioned [include a challenge, change, or important detail they mentioned during your interview.]

I really like your approach to [mention specific detail about the company] and I would love the opportunity to continue discussing how my skills can address your needs in the interview process.

Please, let me know if you have an update and if there are any additional details I could provide you with to facilitate the hiring process.

Best regards,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

Our Timeline for Sending "Top of Mind" Emails

Send your thank-you email 24 hours after your first interview.
Assuming there was no mention of the interview timeline and you don't get a response from your thank-you email, send a "top of mind" email three weeks later.
Assuming you don't get a response from that "top of mind" email after waiting another three weeks, send one final "top of mind" email.
If it's been six weeks since your first interview and you haven't heard anything from the company, move on. A toxic company culture isn't worth it!

How to Write a Follow-Up Email After a Phone Interview

Phone interviews are a common part of the interview process for a variety of reasons: they save time, allow you to interview non-local candidates, etc. And you might be wondering if your email follow-up for a phone interview should follow different rules. The answer is it depends. Here's a simple explanation:

If you had a phone interview after first submitting your application, follow the rules above.
If you had a phone interview because a recruiter/hiring manager reached out to you directly during the sourcing process, follow our advice below.

Many times recruiters will go out looking for candidates (also known as sourcing candidates) on job sites like LinkedIn. If you're a fit they will reach out to you about a job posting and set up a phone interview. This means that you didn't formally apply online for the job with a resume, etc.

After you have this initial phone call, it's critical that you engage the recruiter and reiterate your interest. With this hiring strategy the recruiter might interview 10 people on the same day—and they will want to move forward with the people who are geniunly interested in the role.

Show your interest and engage the recruiter by sending a follow-up email within 24 hours of your phone interview. Here's a quick checklist to help you know what to include in your follow-up.

Checklist: How to Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

Include the job title and your name in the subject line
Personalize the email and address the person by name
Express your appreciation for the interview
Express your interest in the show and get specific—what parts of the job interest you and why?
Reiterate why your experience is a good match for the role
Include your resume and/or cover letter in the email

Sample Follow-Up Email After Phone Interview

Email Subject Line: Thank You! | Your Name | [Job Title] Interview Candidate

Dear [Name],

Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the [job title] role.

It was great to learn more about [company] and the details of the role. I was most excited to learn about [included specific details and why they were exciting for you].

It was also great to learn that the company and I are both aligned on [connect the dots between what the company is looking for and your experience.]

I have attached a copy of my resume and cover letter. Please let me know if there are any additional details I can provide you! I look forward to hearing from you and continuing the interview process.

Best regards,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

We also want to address what you should send if you're not interested in the job after your phone interview. While you might be tempted to just ghost the recruiter/company, please don't! You don't want to burn bridges and you never know when that recruiter or company will have an opportunity you're interested in!

Send an email to thank the recruiter for their time and consideration. Next, politely explain why the job isn't a good fit for you and sign off by saying you'd like to stay in touch for future opportunities.

How to Write a Follow-Up Email After a Second Interview

It's very common for the interview process in today's job market to include more than one interview. And guess what?! A second job interview include a second email follow-up!

The difference between your first interview and your second interview is the details! After the second interview, you're learning more specifics about the job, company, team, and even the interviewer. Your answers are probably turning into deeper discussions like the plans you would take to fix a challenge, examples of how you've managed projects, etc.

And you're probably having second-round interviews with multiple people so this means each person will need their own unique follow-up email with details. Here's another checklist to help you.

Checklist: How to Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

Include the job title and your name in the subject line
Personalize the email and address the person by name
Express your appreciation for the interview
Show (not just tell!) your ongoing interest in the role the more you learn about the company
Provide specific details from your conversation and connect them to your experience

Sample Second Follow-Up Email After a Second Interview

Email Subject Line: Great Connecting With You! | Your Name | [Job Title] Interview Candidate

Dear [Name],

Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the [job title] role for the second time! Our discussions further solidified my interest in working with you and the team.

I really enjoyed learning more about [mention something specific] and recognize that one of your biggest challenges is [mention something that is a challenge/ pain point, etc.]. As a follow-up to that discussion, I wanted to share some [ideas, solutions, recent studies, etc] to help address this.

I described them briefly in the [bullet points below, attached presentation, attached outline, etc.]. Let me know what you think and I hope to have the chance to to discuss them with you later.

Best regards,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

How to Write a Follow-Up Email After a Final Interview

We know it can feel nerve-racking to go in for a final round interview. The pressure is on to seal the deal and leave with a job offer; however, there's a good chance that you'll conclude your interview without a final decision being made yet.

Very few final interviews include the job offer, but the good news is that your final follow-up email is one more opportunity to secure one.

Again, you want to send a follow-up email to each person you interviewed with a personalize the email based on things you said in your conversation. The difference between earlier interview rounds and now is that you can let them know you want a job offer and remind them why you are the person for the job.

Sample Follow-Up Email After a Final Interview

Email Subject Line: Thanks [Interviewer Name]! | Your Name | [Job Title] Interview Candidate

Dear [Name],

Thank you again for taking the time to interview me throughout this process. Over the last [number] of interviews I've learned so much about the role and company. A few things that have stood out include:

-[something specific]
-[something specific]
-[something specific]

Specifically I really align with the company and team's values around [include specific detail], and I would welcome the opportunity to have my skills benefit this company. Here are just a few reasons why I'm the right fit for this role and how I could add value to the organization.

-[something specific]
-[something specific]
-[something specific]

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and I look forward to (hopefully) hearing from you soon!

Best regards,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

How to Write a Follow-Up Email When You Don't Get a Response

It can feel strange to find yourself in the scenario where you've interviewed for a job, sent a follow-up email, and then weeks go by and you've heard nothing. Getting professionally ghosted hurts and send you down a negative self-talk spiral.

We know you so badly want some answers—and just to directly ask someone, "why aren't you responding to me?!"

The goal here is to get a reponse—but not come across impatient, rude, or annoying. In other words, it's a good idea to send a follow-up email when you don't gest a response but only if you do it the right way: polite and professional.

When Do You Send a Job Interview Follow-Up Email After No Response?

You will want to send a follow-up email after the offer deadline or interview timeline has passed. For example, they told you offers would be sent on June 1st and it's June 2nd. Or they plan to make an offer by the end of January and it's mid-Febuary.

You can also send an email follow-up earlier if you receive another offer. If you know you want to accept the other offer for Comany B, you can notify Company A to let them know you're accepting a new offer and thank for them for the opportunity to interview.

If you have an offer from Company B—but you would rather work at Company A, you can use your offer to try to speed up the process. If a company is interested in you and they find out you have another offer they will often speed up the interview process!

Checklist: How to Follow-Up After No Reponse

Include the job title and your name in the subject line
Personalize the email and address the person by name
Politely remind them of the timeline
Express your ongoing interest
Ask about next steps/ expectations

Sample Follow-Up Email After No Reponse

Email Subject Line: Checking In! | Your Name | [Job Title] Interview Candidate

Dear [Name],

I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to check in on the interview status of [job title] role.

During our last interview, you mentioned that you’d be making a final decision by [the established deadline]. Please let me know if there is any update to share and/or any additional details I can provide you with to facilitate the hiring process.

I'm still very interested in the position and I look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,

[Name]
[Contact Information]

Follow-Up Email Subject Lines to Try

Checking in RE: [job title]
Inquiry about hiring status
Following up regarding [job title]
Checking in about job interview! | [name] | [job title] Interview Candidate

Additional Email Follow-Up Tips

Pro Tip: Reply on Your Original Email Thread

Is it possible that your post-interview thank you email hit a spam folder?

To protect against that happening, send your thank you email and follow-up email on the original thread you used to set up your first interview.

Not only will this ensure that you're not hitting spam, but it will likely also give the recruiter access to your original job application, resume, and cover letter, which were attached in previous emails on the same thread.

Here is your checklist for what to include in your follow-up note after the interview:

Expression of appreciation for original interview (with date included!)
Mention of the specific job role along with your experience, as discussed in the interview
An idea or anecdote that shows you've been actively thinking about problem-solving in your (hopeful!) future role
Another thank you + your best regards

The Post Interview Follow-Up Email Template

Okay, you've been patient enough! Here is an email sample you may send after your initial thank you note. Make sure you check that names are spelled correctly and that your email is free of typos.

Hello, [INTERVIEWER'S NAME],

It was great meeting you [Date of Interview]. Thank you very much for giving me the exciting opportunity to interview for the [Job Title] position—and for giving me so much valuable insight into the role.

The more I learn about [Company Name], the more enthusiasm I experience, knowing I could be a part of such a dynamic team. After our discussion, I believe my experience in [Accomplishments] and [Qualifications] would render me a great fit at [Company].

Our discussion about [Discussion Point] sparked an idea that I think could really add value to the company. [Insert Unique Suggestion].

Thanks again!

Sincerely,
[Your First and Last Name]

Writing a simple note shows you are invested in the company, and employers will greatly appreciate that you took the time to follow up.

There are many effective ways of following up after an interview. If you do enough research and follow up throughout the interview process, you’ll better your chances of landing the job. Good luck!

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Caileen Kehayas Holden

Caileen is an experienced content creator with a demonstrated history of working to achieve healthy and organic growth. Enthusiastically skilled in SEO, content strategy, and creating evergreen, valuable, and actionable content Caileen has been working for over two decades in content strategy and writing for career-oriented startups. Caileen is passionate about writing content to help folks determine the best career for their ever-changing lives—especially mid-career professionals who find their career needs changing due to parenthood, values, and ambitions.

Caileen's advice has been featured by Thrive Global, FlexJobs, Microsoft, WeWork, The Ladders, FastCompany, and more.