Index
The job interview is over, and now it’s time to wait. Asking about the status of your application becomes more tempting every day. However, you must be careful not to do so inconsiderately or at an inappropriate time . Therefore, it’s best to follow a structured approach.
What to do after an interview?
Table of Contents
Even before inquiring about the status of your application via email, through the so-called follow-up letter after a job interview , there are other ways to get them to remember you. Some of them are the following:
- Business cards : Ask for business cards right after the interview. This has two advantages. On the one hand, it may make you stand out from the other candidates, and on the other, it will be very useful when you write the post-interview email. Instead of contacting HR, you can write directly to the specific person.
- Questions about the process : Before the interview ends, take the opportunity to ask about the process. They’ll likely give you a guideline for how long it will take to select a candidate, helping you decide whether or not a follow-up letter is appropriate after the interview. It will also help you show more interest.
- Thank-you email : If you want to be remembered, sending a polite thank-you email can help. Without putting on any pressure, you can send an email shortly after the interview and make a positive impression.
Advice
It’s often difficult to stand out from the crowd in the job market. A creative way to differentiate yourself from the competition is to create a website for your application. We explain how to do this easily in our article on how to create a website for your resume .
The right time for a follow-up email after an interview
Finding the right moment isn’t easy. Usually, you don’t know when the right time to act is . Above all, you should avoid writing too early to avoid the risk of upsetting the HR managers in charge of making these decisions.
Because timing is a sensitive issue, it’s worth asking the question on the day of the interview . If the timeframe you’re given is too broad, you can refer to it in your interview follow-up email. However, keep in mind that the application process can be stressful. If you don’t show some flexibility, you won’t make a good impression.
If you haven’t been given a timeframe for a decision, you should set a deadline between two and six weeks . Consider the company’s characteristics and the specifics of the selection process: larger companies, in particular, often require more time, as there are typically many people involved in the decision-making process, which lengthens the time required.
The right tone for a follow-up email after an interview
Consider carefully how you express yourself because you’re still in the job application phase. If you come across as impatient or impolite, you could ruin everything you’ve done so far. Under no circumstances should you express reproaches, demands, or threats.
Obviously, it would be nice to get a response right away, but the most important thing is to get the job. Don’t push for a quick decision; instead, ask about the status of applications and how the process will unfold. Try to emphasize your interest over your desire for the position or even expressing frustration.
What you should express is understanding toward the other party . This attitude will also give you an idea of how to word your follow-up message: it should be brief. Get straight to the point and clearly state what you want to know. This way, you make it easier for the recipient to respond.
When writing your follow-up email after a job interview, choosing the subject line is also important. Formulate it so that it’s immediately clear that the email is about your job application. You should refer to the interview in the body of your text, so it may be helpful to briefly revisit specific points from the interview. This demonstrates your interest and gives the recipient more insight into the candidate you’re asking about.
Advice
A phone call may be faster, but it’s not always the right solution. Your call could catch the other person at a bad time. In the case of an email, the recipient decides when to process it. If you still prefer a phone call, think about what you really want to say beforehand and try to keep it short.
Even if you follow all the advice, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on getting a satisfactory answer. There are four possible scenarios:
- They respond with a decision : you move on to the next phase or they reject your application.
- They tell you that you have to wait for a specific amount of time : now you know how much time you have left to wait and you can decide whether to accept the wait or opt for another offer.
- The contact person keeps postponing the decision : you have to keep waiting.
- You get no response : The email recipient ignores your question completely and will only respond when they have made a decision, or they will not respond at all.
If after a reasonable wait time you still don’t receive a response, it’s worth changing the means of communication and making a phone call. On the other hand, if they give you a waiting period or don’t specify a specific date, you’ll have to keep waiting. If the company lets too much time pass again, you can calmly ask again, but remember to always maintain a friendly and respectful tone.
Two examples of emails after an interview
To make it easier for you to follow up after a job interview, we’ve prepared several templates for you. Of course, you’ll need to adapt them to your own situation. Try to personalize your follow-up letter as much as possible so it’ll be more memorable.
Example 1
Title: Re: Invitation for a job interview on 15.01.
Dear [name of contact person],
I’d like to thank you again for the interesting interview for the [job title] position. I feel I fit in well with the team, and I also really appreciated your feedback on the job, especially the aspects related to the [special discussion point]. After the interview, I see my future at [company name] even more than before.
Therefore, I would like to inquire about the current status of the process. Can you estimate when a decision will be made?
If you need more information about my application, please contact me anytime. By email or by phone [your phone number].
Thank you very much in advance,
[Your first and last name]
In the example, we assume you haven’t yet sent a thank-you email for the interview; you’re simply responding to the email invitation you received. This makes things easier because the recipient will be able to correctly identify you. To avoid the contact person having to read the entire conversation, briefly mention what position you’re discussing in the first sentence . If possible, send your email directly to the person who interviewed you. Therefore, it’s a good idea to ask the interviewer for a business card before leaving.
Note
Pay attention to the address bar, especially if you’re replying to a previous email. Interview invitations often come from the HR department, but in this case, you’d like to write to a specific person. So, change the addresses and move the entire department’s email address to the CC field .
Next, thank them for the interview and personalize your message with specific content related to the interview, reiterating your interest in the position advertised. After this brief introduction, outline what you’re interested in and emphasize that they can contact you if they need more information during the decision-making process.
Example 2
Subject: Job Interview Request [Job Title]
Dear [name of contact person],
I’d like to get back in touch regarding my application for [job title] and express my interest in the position once again. I think it’s the perfect company for my future. I’m also excited to hear any news about the application process. Could you please let me know when I can expect a decision?
I invite you to contact me – also for further questions or information – by phone at [your phone number].
Sincerely,
[Your first and last name]
In this second example, we’re assuming you’ve already contacted them with a thank-you message immediately after the interview. That’s why this second template is shorter than the first. In this case, you’ll create a new subject line for the email, but it should be clear . Despite the brevity, it doesn’t hurt to reaffirm your interest in the position. Next, you should explain the real reason for the message. All of this fits in a single paragraph and the recipient won’t take long to read it.
Advice
The tone of your email should be the same as that of the interview. If, for example, you used the familiar form, you can also do so in the text of your follow-up letter. The decision to start the email with a formal “Dear” or a more conversational “Dear,” as well as whether you should call them by their first or last name, will also depend on the atmosphere that was created beforehand.
Dos and Don’ts
When you write a follow-up email after the interview, you may tip the balance in your favor, but you can also jeopardize your candidacy. You need to pay attention to the following:
To do
- After a reasonable wait time, use a follow-up message to reaffirm your interest.
- Send a short, direct message that facilitates a quick response.
- Show genuine interest and understanding toward the other party to make a good impression.
- Adapt the tone and level of formality of the message to the one you used in the interview.
- If time passes and you still don’t get a response, consider following up by phone.
What not to do
- Don’t contact too soon, as you may appear impatient or demanding.
- Avoid beating around the bush in your message, as this may cause the recipient to postpone their response.
- Don’t use threats or demands, as they will make you appear unprofessional and could result in you losing the opportunity to get the job.
- If you act impatiently by sending a new email right away, you could annoy the people responsible for the decision.
- Don’t rush your message and check for errors, as this can negatively impact your application.
Advice
Haven’t been invited to an interview yet and are waiting for a response to your application? Read our article on how to track your application .
