You’ve just walked out of a job interview. What’s next?
You might want to send a “Thank You” note one to two days after your interview to express your appreciation to the interviewer. It sets the tone as your first interview follow-up by showing:
- Your enthusiasm for the position
- You have the required skills, attitude and experience for the role
1. Contacting the interviewer
- Email: Sending an email to the hiring manager is the fastest and most direct way to express your gratitude. Look up their email address on public websites or get their contact from the person who arranged for the interview.
- LinkedIn Message: Most hiring managers are on
LinkedIn. Connecting with them online allows the hiring manager to privately view your profile, reminding him/ her of your potential fit.
2. Crafting your Thank You message
- Be polite and respectful
- Remind them why you would be a good fit for the position
- Thank them for taking the time to interview you
- Share what you have learnt from the interview. It shows that you were paying attention and are actively reflecting on their words
- Close off initiating steps for the next interview, and finish by reiterating your plus points
Example of a Thank You message
Hi Jeffrey,
I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to your office today. It was great to hear about ABC’s goals to streamline your software, the company’s emphasis on human-centred UX design, and how you see the engineering department playing a role in these initiatives. ABC seems like a wonderful place to work in! I really admire the mission that drives your business, and look forward to the opportunity to work with your team to implement some of the ideas I mentioned around redesigning the homepage.
Please let me know if there’s anything else you need from me to move the process forward.
3. Following up
- Wait four to five business days for a response before sending up a follow-up email, do not spam their inbox
- Continue all your communications on the same thread. The hiring manager can easily reference your earlier conversations, which is useful for future follow-ups
Example of a follow-up message
Subject: Following Up on [Position Title] Application
Hi Nabil
I hope this note finds you well. You mentioned that you’d be making a decision on the HR Manager position by the end of last week. Do you have any updates on the role? Please let me know if there’s anything I can provide to assist you in your decision-making process.Best regards,
Joash Lee
Joash Lee is a certified Career Coach, with 10 years of experience in guiding professionals to navigate through the whole spectrum of the job search process, which includes resume customisation, honing interview skills and post-interview follow up.
“If the job search is done the right way, a simple follow-up note could be what seals the deal.”
