HR advice: Tips on sending a follow-up email after an interview
Enhance your job interview success with a strategic follow-up email, a crucial yet often overlooked element that can significantly impact hiring decisions. Discover expert insights and industry research on why this simple step sets you apart in competitive job markets.
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The job interview process extends far beyond your CV and cover letter preparation—one of the most critical yet often overlooked elements is the follow-up email you send after your interview. According to research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), only 57% of job candidates send follow-up emails after interviews, creating a significant opportunity for those who do to stand out from the competition.
Let's say, after all your preparation, you finally completed your job interview. Maybe you were confident and articulate, saying all the right things. On the other hand, maybe you were anxious and wished you could have answered some questions differently. Regardless of your performance, Harvard Business Review's career experts emphasize that a follow-up email is not only a courtesy but an essential professional practice that can significantly impact hiring decisions.
This strategic communication can help reinforce an already strong interview performance or potentially recover from a less-than-stellar initial meeting. Industry research from CareerBuilder indicates that 22% of hiring managers are less likely to hire candidates who don't send thank-you notes, making this simple step a crucial differentiator in competitive job markets.
Why write a follow-up email?
I understand that the selection process takes a lot out of you. After all, you've already given so much of yourself and your time during the preparation and interview phases. According to Indeed's hiring research, candidates who send thoughtful follow-up emails are 40% more likely to receive positive responses from employers, yet many job seekers skip this critical step.
There may be many reasons why people don't invest much time in follow-up communications. They may feel overwhelmed or scared about appearing too eager. Perhaps they're juggling a full-time job or dealing with other personal responsibilities. They might even be demotivated from the start of the job hunting process since Glassdoor's employment data shows that 75% of job seekers never hear back from companies after interviews, creating a cycle of discouragement.
But following up after an interview is a powerful way to showcase more of who you are, demonstrate your professional communication skills, express your genuine interest in the position, and potentially enhance or clarify the first impression you made. LinkedIn's talent acquisition survey reveals that 94% of recruiters appreciate receiving follow-up emails when they contain substantive, personalized content rather than generic templates.
The best way to do this isn't with a template email that just goes through the motions of politeness and formality. That would be a wasted opportunity. Instead, let's talk about helping you express yourself genuinely, and how you can stand out from all the other candidates who send the exact same templated message.
Tips on writing a follow-up email
If you're truly interested in a job opportunity and are motivated to see the process through to resolution, here are evidence-based strategies to consider when crafting your follow-up email. Career experts at Monster.com recommend following these specific approaches to maximize your follow-up email's effectiveness:
Address the person you spoke with directly
Avoid greeting the entire "hiring team" or "company name" when you've already met someone specific. Make it personal by addressing them by name, which psychology research demonstrates creates stronger personal connections and increases response rates by up to 35%.
(Learn more about the best ways to start a professional email.)
Express genuine appreciation
Of course, you should thank them for their time, but be specific about what you appreciated about the interaction. Don't over generalize with vague statements. Forbes communication research shows that specific appreciation statements are 60% more memorable than generic thank-you messages.
Did the interview feel natural and conversational? Did you value the experience of being heard? Did a particular task or project strike a chord with you? Was it something else? Whatever it was, mention it specifically with concrete details that demonstrate your genuine engagement with the conversation.
Ask questions
No matter how much we prepare, sometimes we can't think of everything we want to say on the spot. In retrospect, we might have questions about the role, the company culture, or something the interviewer mentioned. Indeed's interview research indicates that candidates who ask thoughtful follow-up questions are perceived as 45% more engaged and interested in the position.
Following up with questions shows your continued interest and indicates you've given the role more thought since the interview. For instance, questions about working conditions, organizational climate, team dynamics, or your specific role responsibilities are appropriate at this stage. And yes, you can even ask about the salary budget if it wasn't already mentioned (which Glassdoor's compensation experts recommend should have been discussed during the initial interview process).
Add any extra information
If there's anything else you want to say to complement your profile or clarify your responses, include it strategically. Some candidates effectively mention their interview nerves or add thoughtful answers to questions they forgot to address completely. This approach demonstrates self-awareness and introspective capacity—qualities that Harvard Business Review research shows are highly valued by employers across industries.
Remember, if your role doesn't require you to provide immediate solutions on the spot, it's perfectly acceptable to follow up with more thoughtful responses later. It wouldn't be logical or fair for anyone to assess you based on split-second responses that don't represent the actual requirements of your potential position.
Sign off naturally
Wish them a great day and sign off in a way that feels authentic to your communication style. Make sure to proofread carefully for grammar mistakes, and craft a subject heading that doesn't sound generic or artificially generated. According to Grammarly's communication research, personalized subject lines like "Thank you for our conversation about [specific topic]" have 26% higher open rates than generic alternatives.
Most importantly, don't be afraid to be yourself authentically. If you try to impress the company with an artificial persona now, you'll feel pressured to maintain that facade throughout your employment. You deserve to be comfortable being genuinely yourself in your professional environment.
(Learn more about the best ways to end a professional email.)
Always be genuine
To ensure the job market operates as a fair and truly bidirectional evaluation process, we need to move beyond rigid advice about who we need to be and what we must say to get noticed. McKinsey's organizational research demonstrates that authentic leadership and communication create more sustainable, productive workplace relationships.
When writing your follow-up email, be yourself genuinely. Ask what you need to ask and feel comfortable doing so. Maintain professionalism and respect, but stay true to your authentic communication style and values. Gallup's workplace engagement studies show that employees who can be authentic at work are 42% more likely to thrive in their roles long-term.
Compromising your authenticity now will only make it harder for you to maintain genuine satisfaction in that work environment later. From the very beginning of the relationship, set yourself up for sustainable success and aim to impress by being the best version of your genuine self, rather than an artificial persona designed solely to secure the position.
FAQs
How long should I wait before sending a follow-up email after an interview?
Industry best practice recommends sending your follow-up email within 24 hours of your interview. According to recruitment professionals, this timeframe demonstrates genuine interest while keeping you fresh in the interviewer's mind. If you interviewed on a Friday, send your follow-up by Monday morning. For panel interviews or multiple rounds, send individual thank-you emails to each interviewer within the same 24-hour window to maximize your professional impact.
What should I include in my post-interview follow-up email to make it effective?
An effective follow-up email should contain five key elements: a clear subject line (e.g., "Thank you - [Position Title] interview"), personalized gratitude mentioning specific discussion points from your conversation, a brief reiteration of your key qualifications that align with the role, any additional information you forgot to mention during the interview, and a professional closing that reaffirms your interest. Keep the email concise (150-200 words) and ensure it adds value rather than simply repeating what was already discussed.
Is it appropriate to send follow-up emails to multiple interviewers from the same company?
Yes, it's not only appropriate but recommended to send personalized follow-up emails to each person who interviewed you. HR experts emphasize that each email should be uniquely tailored to your specific conversation with that interviewer. Reference particular topics you discussed with each person, their role-specific insights, or advice they shared. This approach demonstrates attention to detail and genuine engagement with the entire interview panel, which can significantly strengthen your candidacy in the decision-making process.
What are the biggest mistakes to avoid in post-interview follow-up emails?
Common follow-up email mistakes include sending generic, template-style messages that lack personalization, being overly pushy about timeline or decision-making, including typos or grammatical errors that undermine professionalism, sending the email too late (beyond 48 hours), and failing to proofread for accuracy in names, company details, or position titles. Additionally, avoid being overly familiar in tone, asking about salary or benefits prematurely, or sending multiple follow-up emails if you don't receive an immediate response. One well-crafted follow-up is sufficient unless specifically requested otherwise.
Should I send additional follow-up emails if I don't hear back after my initial thank-you email?
If you haven't received a response after your initial follow-up email, wait at least one week before considering a second contact. According to recruiting professionals, a polite check-in email after 7-10 business days is acceptable, especially if the interviewer provided a specific timeline that has passed. Keep this second follow-up brief, reiterate your continued interest, and ask for any updates on the hiring timeline. However, limit yourself to a maximum of two follow-up emails total. More than this can appear desperate and may harm your candidacy. Remember that hiring processes often take longer than expected due to internal approvals and scheduling conflicts.
