How to follow up after an interview
While some interviewers take extensive notes, many may not even remember exactly what was said. Especially during behavioral interviews with many candidates, your interviewer may only have a vague impression of you and your experiences. Sending a follow up after an interview doesn’t only prove that you’re thoughtful and understand workplace etiquette–it gives you another chance to share an elevator pitch for why you’re a good fit. You can even use it as an opportunity to answer behavioral and technical interview questions you may not have answered clearly.
You may not have been able to make your case as well as you would have liked during the interview. While some details or achievements may have been unclear in the interview, you can reconvey them in a few simple lines of text. It could make the difference between being pushed to the next round or never hearing back. But how do you follow up after an interview in a way that helps your chances without coming off as desperate? These insider tips and recruiting secrets will help you write the perfect follow up email.
Hack: Take notes during the interview for the perfect follow up after an interview
Job seekers often struggle to remember anything specific discussed in their interview. Which is understandable. A prepared candidate is focused on their performance, answering using the STAR method while practicing good interview etiquette. But this makes writing a follow up interview feel impossible. Candidates will often opt for short generic messages, or worse, mention something that they didn’t even discuss in the interview (often they mix up details from other interviews or interviewers).
Immediately after your interview, make a note of something specific you and the interviewer discussed. Not only can you mention this in the follow up email, but you can also mention it in the following interviews. This proves you’re curious and an active listener.
How to follow up after an interview with no contact info
If you do not get their contact info during the conversation, that’s ok! You can usually find the email online with ease. Free tools like Career Connect or Rocket Reach can quickly find the interviewer’s email. If you can’t find their email online, ask the recruiter or your contact at the company for their email address. But emails are almost always easy to find yourself.
Should you use AI to follow up after an interview?
AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming recruiting and the job search. Job searchers are using AI to make resumes and cover letters while recruiters use AI to instantly screen out applicants with the ATS (Application Tracking System). But probably their most useful application is automatic outreach and networking. AI tools like Career Connect can instantly write the perfect follow up email for you. Every sentence of these AI emails is optimized based on job seeker data to get you an interview. Sending a personal email after your job application 3x your chances of hearing back. A follow up email after an interview can have a similarly powerful effect.
However, AI emails are designed to get you an interview, not follow up after one. Even the perfect AI tool requires a personal touch, especially when as important as a follow up email that could be the difference between a job offer or a rejection. While we recommend AI emails or templates, the key is customization.
When should you follow up after an email?
The best time to follow up after an interview is immediately after the interview. Job seekers often overthink the timing. They might think it’s too soon to thank the interviewer immediately after the interview, choosing to wait a day. Others might try to time the thank you email for the highest chance of a response, such as early morning on the weekdays. None of this is nearly as important as sending a prompt follow-up while you’re top of mind.
Try to avoid sending your email on a weekend if possible as response rates are far lower. But in the end, the only “timing” that really matters for a follow-up is just not waiting too long.
Who should you follow up with after an interview?
When you send a follow up after an interview, you should address the person who interviewed you. But you should always CC the recruiter. This is the first person you talked to, usually on the phone. They’re your point of contact throughout the process.
Often, you will be interviewed by multiple people, often team members. In this case, it’s best to send separate emails to each interviewer, especially if it’s an onsite or later round interview.
It’s not uncommon for days or even weeks will pass between rounds. If it’s been a while since previous stages, you can CC the previous interviewers. This is especially important if the final interview is a 1-on-1 with a VP instead of a group interview.
How to follow up after an interview via email
When you send a follow-up email after the interview, you show them you are polite, excited about the opportunity, and ready to work. See below for a template you can adapt.
- Thank the interviewer for their time: At the beginning of the follow up, graciously thank the interviewer. You can also mention any personal connection you may have, such as a shared college or city. You can also mention some small talk they mentioned, like an upcoming work trip or even the weather in their area. This humanizes you and proves you’re an active listener.
- Mentioning something specific you learned or discussed in the interview: Include something you discussed in the interview, especially if it’s memorable. This proves you’re an active listener and keeps you top of mind. If you can’t remember any specific details, mention something specific about the company that interests you.
- Explain how you’ll make an impact based on prior achievements: After thanking the interviewer and mentioning a specific detail you discussed, explain why you think you’re the right fit to make an impact. Mention how your past experiences will help you quickly achieve some of the key goals of the role.
- Reaffirm your interest in the company and their culture
- Thank them for their time
Follow up email template
Hi [Interviewer name],
Thanks for meeting with me today to discuss the [role]. Hearing about [some specific you discussed like their career journey] was so insightful. Learning more about [specific detail about the role or company culture] makes me more convinced this position is an excellent fit.
I think my experience [performing key job duty in a past role] will help me quickly make an impact at [company]. I’ve worked with [key tools], which allow for a smooth transition. I also have experience [another key skill]: at [prior company], I [achievement quantified with numbers].
[Company’s] culture that emphasizes [company value] and [company value] also seems like an excellent fit.
Thanks again for your time. I look forward to hearing more.
Best,
[Your name]
Optional: Revisit a question from the interview
Candidates often spend hours thinking back to tough interview questions they could have answered better during an interview. Maybe they froze up on a technical question, or answered a behavioral question too bluntly. These awkward moments can have candidates wishing they could go back in time and change their answer. Luckily, with a follow-up email, you can. Even for a technical interview question.
If you feel like you didn’t do well on a specific question, you can follow up after an interview with how you would answer it differently. For example, if you were stumped by a technical question, you can write, “I was thinking more about the question you asked. While I was a bit confused in the moment, I think [xyz] might have created a more optimal solution.”
Since candidates almost never revisit questions in follow-up emails, interviewers are usually surprised and impressed. While some candidates worry that revisiting a question will make them seem unsure or desperate, interviewers usually see the opposite. To them, it shows that you have follow through and curiosity. If you’re still thinking about the question after the interview, you’re obviously a thoughtful candidate who cares about the role.
But time is of the essence. Revisions to questions are most effective on the day of the interview. At most, a day or two after. The interviewer may have completely forgotten the question by then. Or they may assume you just looked up an answer online.
Follow up after an interview with a team member or executive
Team member interviewers need to see you as a likable teammate. You not only need to pass the technical questions, but also the “airport test”: would the interviewer be okay spending a day with you at the airport? Be especially gracious and include personal touches in every interview follow up. While the above template is a good start, you may benefit from mentioning something specific you discussed besides work, like initial small talk or even a joke during the interview.
Follow up after an interview with a recruiter
Generally, the format for a follow up with a recruiter and an interview should be similar. The above template works fine for either scenario. However, you don’t need to put as much effort or specific personal touches into follow up emails with the recruiter. They’re your touch point throughout the process, so plenty of emails may be more logistical. Recruiters do have an understanding of the specific skills required, but they’re likely not an expert in the technical skills of your role, meaning that highlighting your technical skills and achievements may be less effective.
Hi [interviewer name],
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today!
It was great learning more about your work at [company] and the [job title]. I especially enjoyed our conversation on [specific topic and how it relates to your experience], and I’m convinced this position is an excellent fit at this stage of my career. Any information about the next steps in the recruitment process would be greatly appreciated. Also, feel free to ask me any follow-up questions that may have arisen since we last spoke.
I’m looking forward to continuing on in the process with [company] and hope to meet more people on your team.
All the best,
[your name]
Follow up after an interview with no response
You likely won’t get a response after sending a thank you. This is completely normal. But if more than a week has passed since you sent a follow-up email to the recruiter and you’ve heard nothing back, you should follow up again in the same email thread. No need to send a lengthy email. Just a quick sentence asking about your status is enough. You can also use this to mention that you’re applying and interviewing for other jobs to let them know you’re under time pressure.
Following up after an interview matters much more than candidates think. But it’s not just that it’s good etiquette. If used intelligently, a follow up email gives candidates a second chance to prove their value and even answer questions they may have gotten wrong.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people land their dream job in tech. Our career mentors are experts on all phases of the job search. They can happily share insider secrets even less well known than answering interview questions in follow up emails.
On average, fellows see their interview scores double and their response rates triple. For expert help landing your dream job faster, try Pathrise. It’s free until you land a job.
