How To Stand Out As An Applicant: Write A Follow-Up Email

If you want to stand out as an applicant in the job search, you should send a follow-up email to thank your interviewer. 57% of candidates don’t send follow-up thank you emails, but 91% of employers like to receive them. The importance of following up can’t be understated! Follow up with your interviewer and thank them within 24 hours of the interview to stay at the forefront of the hiring manager’s mind.

Why write a follow-up email

A follow-up email should do three things: first, it should show gratitude to the interviewer or interviewers. Second, it should reiterate your interest in the position and/or tell them why you’re a good fit for that job. Last but not least, it should offer documents or details about your background that are relevant to the position.

 

Make sure to address these three elements in your follow-up thank you email to ensure that you’re among the top applicants, if not the top applicant. It’s important to note that if you had multiple interviewers, you should send a personalized email to each one.

5 steps to writing the perfect follow up email

Writing a thank you note to your interviewer can be as simple as the five easy steps we’ve outlined below. Keep reading to learn how to write your message with email etiquette in mind.

Step 1. Include a greeting

Opening with a formal greeting with the hiring manager or interviewer’s first name shows personalization. Make sure you spell their name correctly to show attention to detail.

Step 2. Show gratitude and interest in the position

Make sure to thank the interviewer for their time and don’t be afraid to mention the name of the position you interviewed for — companies hardly hire for just one role at a time, so hiring managers are busy interviewing multiple people for different roles.

Step 3. Suggest how you’ll benefit the company and help them achieve their goals

Think about your experience and knowledge as it pertains to the position you’re interviewing for. If you’re a seasoned writer, mention what publications you’ve written for or what projects you think will help the company achieve its goals.

Step 4. Offer additional information

If you forgot to mention your website or a project you think lends itself to the responsibilities of your potential new role, speak now or forever hold your peace! But in all seriousness, use this email as an opportunity to offer the interviewer more than what they required in the job application.

Step 5. Sign off

The last part of your follow-up email should be your signature. This can be as simple as “sincerely” or even “looking forward to hearing from you.”

 

For an example of what your thank you email should look like, read below. Feel free to utilize this template and customize it to your own voice.

 

Dear [Interviewer Name],

 

Thanks for your time today. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me about the [Position Name] role at [Company Name].

 

After learning more about the job, I am positive that my experience and education will be a valuable asset to help [Company Name] achieve its goals. Given my years of experience in the industry through my work with [Previous Company Name], I believe this will help me excel in this position given the opportunity.

 

If you require any additional documentation of my credentials, please let me know.

 

Sincerely,

 

[Your Name]

 

If you want to level up your follow-up email, mention a topic you covered in the interview that you wanted to go into more detail about like your portfolio project or an achievement you’re particularly proud of. Thinking outside of the box will ensure that the recruiter remembers you.

Writing your subject line

Arguably one of the most important parts of your email is the subject line. Since recruiters and hiring managers receive hundreds of emails each day, it’s imperative that your subject line is clear and concise in order to increase your chances of getting noticed. Below, we’ve included some subject line examples you can use for your follow-up email.

 

• Thank you for your time today, [Interviewer Name]
• Great speaking with you today
• Following up regarding [Position Name] interview
• Following up: [Position Name] interview
• Thanks for your time
• [Position Name] Interview follow-up
• [Company Name] [Position Name] interview follow-up
• Interview status follow-up
• [Position Name] Interview

Do’s and Don’ts for your follow-up email

Before you click send, read the do’s and don’ts below to ensure a good follow-up email to your interviewer.

 

• Do say anything relevant you forgot to mention in the interview.
• Don’t brag about your unrelated achievements.
• Do keep your email on the shorter end so it’s easier to read.
• Don’t pressure the interviewer to give you a hiring decision faster.
• Do use a positive attitude and tone to show your best self.
• Don’t skip editing your email for grammar or spelling mistakes.
• Do address the interviewer by name in the greeting.
• Don’t send the follow-up email right after the interview.
• Do send your follow-up email within 24 hours of the interview.

 

Now that you’ve got all the knowledge needed to write a successful follow-up email, check out AngelList’s infographic detailing the follow-up email process.