If you have that feeling that things went very well and that you are interested in continuing in the recruitment process for a new role it is important to show your interest and appreciation by sending the interviewer a quick note.
It is important however that your follow-up email is professional and doesn’t hinder your chances of getting the job as opposed to helping.
We’ve put together 4 tips to help you craft an effective follow-up email for that position you really want!
The subject line is important
The subject line of your email is the first impression for your follow-up email. It is important that you do not get overly creative or too vague with your subject line. Keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers can be bombarded with emails in their inbox all day long. If you keep it to the point and direct it will be most effective. Consider something like “Thank you – Director of Marketing – Jane Smith” or “Update – Director of Marketing – Jane Smith”. This subject line lets the recruiter know the role you applied for, your name and that it is a thank you note for their time and follow-up. There are always a number of people and organizations sending salesy emails with clever subject lines that are most often ignored by most professionals in their inbox. Avoid being lumped into that category.
Keep it professional
Similar to the subject line approach, it is important to ensure you get to the point. Do not send lengthy emails with paragraph after paragraph of text. Keep in mind that recruiters and/or hiring managers likely have a lot of candidates in the process both for the role you are applying for as well as others. Make sure your purpose is clear and if you’re looking for an update, next steps, timing etc. make sure that it is short, sweet and pleasant in the tone.
Timing
Often interested candidates can be eager and want to know updates too soon after the interview. Listen to the recruiter or hiring managers timeline for the position and next steps in their process. If they say that they will be in touch next week, wait until next week to follow-up as they are likely interviewing a number of candidates for the role. Do not follow-up looking for an update before the timing that you were provided. While a short thank you note can be sent directly after the interview if you are looking for an update keep the timing in mind. Trust us, if you are a top candidate for consideration, both the recruiter and hiring manager will want to ensure they move you through the process as quickly as possible to reduce the time to hire and increase the chances of success.
Email Format
The introduction of your email should acknowledge the interviewer as “Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms./Mx. Last Name” unless otherwise told to acknowledge by their first name during your interview.
In the body of your email keep the purpose of your email at the forefront. You can re-iterate your thanks, and that you are following up with regards to the role (be specific about what role, and interview date you had). You can mention your interest and excitement to continue in the hiring process. Politely ask for an update on the process.
Finally, conclude your email with one line to let them know you are able to answer any additional questions they may have and that you are looking forward to hearing back from them. At the very end include your first and last name.
This format will keep your follow-up email professional, polite, and to the point, which the interviewer will greatly appreciate. Keep in mind that you should review your email to ensure there are no typos and grammatical errors. The same way you need to make sure your resume is triple checked before submitting, you’ll want to ensure the same for all your communications.