Follow up emails

So, after all your work and preparation, your job interview is done. And breathe… Time to sit back and relax. All you can do is wait to hear if you got the job, right?

Wrong! Now is the time to be proactive and set yourself apart from other candidates by sending a follow up email.

When should I send a follow up email?

‍ It’s always a good idea to send a follow up email after you’ve had a job interview. You should aim to send it within 24 hours of the interview.

Why should I send a follow up email?

‍There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to send a follow up email after a job interview. The first one is simply that it’s polite to do so. Secondly, applying for a job can be a difficult process and sending an email like this can help to manage stress and make you feel like you have some control over the process.

Contacting the recruiter will also make sure that you stay at the front of their mind and it has the added benefit that it gives you an opportunity to get across anything that you’ve missed. It’s very rare to feel like you’ve got across everything you wanted in a job interview. If there are any points you forgot or weren’t able to make then this is your chance. If you have a link to some relevant work you want to share, you can also add those into the email.

What should I write in a follow up email?

When it comes to a follow up email, good practice starts at the top - the subject line. Make sure the subject line is clear (for example Job Interview Follow Up) so it doesn’t get lost in the recruiter’s inbox. If they have previously emailed you, you could choose to reply to that email.

Start the main body of your email with a thank you. People are busy and the team that interviewed you had taken time out of their day to do so and it’s a good idea to acknowledge this. It shouldn’t be over the top, just a polite thank you and a reminder of who you are.

Next, confirm your interest in the position. This is where you can mention anything you have missed or anything which has happened since the interview that might be relevant. Remind them why you’re a great choice for the position but keep it short, sweet and to the point.

End the email with all your contact details so you don’t need to worry that they’ve lost them and they’ll be easy for the recruiter to access quickly when they get back in touch. Finish with another thank you and a polite sign off.

Anything else?

‍It sounds basic but check the email thoroughly before you send it. In any industry it’s important to send a professional email that is free from mistakes.

Don’t worry if you don’t get a quick response. However good your email is, everyone is busy and replying to you might not be top of their to-do list. Sending a perfect follow up email won’t guarantee you get the job but not only can it make you stand out, it might keep you in the recruiter’s mind if another role comes up that they think you might be a better fit for.

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