The interview is over and now comes the wait: Did you make a good impression? Are you better suited than the competition? Especially if employers take a long time accepting or rejecting candidates, it can strain your nerves. Asking questions can get more and more tempting. However, this should not happen on the spur of the moment– after all, your future is at stake. To avoid faux pas, you’re better off sticking to a template.
Before you even send an enquiry by e-mail – and a so-called follow-up letter – there are other ways you can stand out.
It’s not easy to find the right time. You’re usually operating in an unknown window of time. Above all, you don’t want to write too early and run the risk of annoying personnel decision makers. However, you don’t want to wait too long either: After all, demand gives you the chance to make another positive impression. In addition, you may also have to make a decision because you have another job offer.
Since time is such a sensitive issue, it’s worth asking the question on the spot. If you have been given a rough time frame, you can also refer to it. If, for example, you are told that the application process will still take two weeks, you can follow up by e-mail up to three weeks after the interview at the latest. Nevertheless, don’t be carried away by the fact that you will be following up directly after the expiry of the specified time frame. An application process can be stressful, and not everything always goes according to plan. If you stick too pedantically to the details, you won’t make a good impression.
If you have not been given a time frame, you should set a deadline for yourself for sending a follow up e-mail. You should plan between two and six weeks. In order to find the right time, consider both the characteristics of the company and the circumstances of the application: Large companies in particular usually take longer to make decisions. This has to do with the large number of applications, and with the internal structures. There are usually more people involved in the decision-making process, which costs a corresponding amount of time. From small companies with a manageable number of applicants, on the other hand, you can expect a quick response.
Think carefully about how you want to express yourself – after all, you are still in the application phase. So, when you send a follow up e-mail after the interview, pay attention to the wording. If you seem too impatient or unfriendly, you can ruin everything you have achieved already. In order not to put your foot in your mouth, make it clear why you are asking and don’t forget your counterpart’s perspective. Make sure you remain friendly and polite.
Of course, it would be nice to receive an answer directly, but even more important would be to get employment out of this – and that’s what we’re waiting for. So, don’t push for a decision, but find out what’s going on. Let your interest in the position come through, instead of pressing for an answer or expressing your frustration.
What you should express, however, is understanding: There could be many possible reasons why you have not yet received an answer. Changes in the department or a delayed interview process are more likely than you think. This insight also tells you how to write the follow-up e-mail: keep it short.
Get to the point quickly and formulate what you want to know clearly. This will make it easier for the recipient to respond. A rambling e-mail, which may contain several paragraphs, will be left for later and may be forgotten. However, if they can reply within a few minutes, recipients do tend to do so directly.
When formulating the e-mail, the subject is also important: Make it as easy as possible for the recipient, and formulate the line in such a way that the e-mail can be clearly assigned to your application. In the body of text, refer directly to the interview. Here it can be useful to address concrete points from the interview again briefly. This shows you’re paying attention and gives the recipient another clue as to whose message they are dealing with.
A call can be even quicker. However, this is not always the right solution. Your call could get off on the wrong foot or arrive at an unfavorable time. When it comes to e-mails, the recipient decides for themselves when to process it. If you still prefer a phone call, think about what you really want to say beforehand and keep it short.
Under no circumstances should you make any accusations, demands, or threats:
If you drive the decision makers into the corner or attack them, you can be sure not to get the job.
Even if you follow all the tips, you should not rely too much on a satisfactory answer. A total of four scenarios are possible:
If you do not receive an answer even after a reasonable waiting period, it’s worth changing the medium. You now have the chance to persuade your contact to make a statement by telephone. If, on the other hand, you are promised a waiting period or are not given a precise answer, you will have to wait further. Should the company let too much time pass by, you can ask again – but be sure to remain friendly and polite.
To make it easier for you to follow up after an interview, we have prepared various templates. Of course, you will have to adapt them to your own situation. Try to design the follow-up e-mail as individually as possible after the interview in order to be more memorable.
Example 1
Subject: Re: Invitation to interview on 01.15.19
Dear [Name of recipient],
I would like to thank you again for inviting me to the interesting interview about the position as [insert job title]. I truly believe that I would be a perfect fit for the team. I was also fascinated by your comments regarding the job – especially the aspects relating to the [special discussion point] area. Even more than before, I can see my future at [insert company name].
Therefore, I would be grateful for an update on my current application status. Can you estimate when a decision on the position will be made?
If you need further information about my application, please contact me at any time. Either by e-mail or under [your telephone number].
I wish you all the best in the meantime,
[Your Name]
The above example assumes that you haven’t already sent a thank you e-mail after the interview. You are just replying to the interview that you received by e-mail. This makes it easier for the recipient to assign you correctly. In order to avoid the contact person having to scroll through the entire conversation, you should briefly state in the first sentence which position is actually involved. If possible, address your e-mail to the specific interviewer. It is therefore a good idea to ask for a business card after the interview.
Be sure to pay attention to the address bar – especially if you are replying to a previous e-mail. Often, you receive invitations from the HR department address, but would now like to write to a specific person. Swap the e-mail addresses, and move the department e-mail address into the CC field.
In the following, thank them for the interview, individualize the message with concrete conversation content, and confirm your interest in the advertised position once again. After this brief introduction, you will come to your main concern and offer to support the decision-making process through your willingness to communicate.
Example 2
Subject: Request for job interview [job title]
Dear [Name of contact person],
I would like to contact you again regarding my application as [job title] and would like to express my great interest in this position once again. [Company name] seems to be my perfect future employer. I would be keen to know if there is any news regarding the application process. Can you estimate when I can expect a decision?
Please feel free to contact me – also with any further information or questions – by telephone at [your telephone number].
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
In this second example, we assume that you have already contacted them with a thank you message immediately after the interview. That is why the second sample is shorter than the first. In this case, a new subject will be formulated, but will still make the facts clear. Also, in the follow up e-mail itself, you can briefly clarify the context. Despite the brevity, it does not hurt if you affirm your interest in the job. Then the actual reason for the message follows. All this fits into one paragraph and costs the recipient hardly any reading time.
The tone of your e-mail should be based on that of the interview. If, for example, you have spoken formally at the interview, this tone can also be retained when writing the follow-up e-mail.
With an interview follow-up e-mail, you can make a positive impression, but you can also put your foot in it.
| Dos | Don’ts |
Time point | After enough waiting time has passed, you can confirm your interest by requesting information | Write your contact too early, appear impatient and aggressive |
Scope | A short and concise message invites you to respond quickly | If you beat around the bush, the recipient may postpone processing the application |
Tone | Honest interest and listening well means you’ll come off as likeable. | With threats and demands, you scare off your contact and perhaps even lose your chance at the job |
Formulation | When addressing the interviewer, be guided by the formalities of the interview | Ignoring the tone of the conversation may push your contact’s buttons |
No answer | After sufficient waiting time, you can try again with a phone call | If you become impatient and send another e-mail, you will annoy the decision makers |
Mistakes | Check your e-mail for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors to make a good impression | If you write your message too hastily and make too many mistakes, this can jeopardize your application |
You have not yet been invited to an interview and are waiting for feedback on your application? Read our article on following up on an interview.
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An interview is not an easy situation - neither for the applicants, nor for you as the employer, who ultimately decides who to accept and who to reject. If you have to conduct an interview, you should do it in such a way that you can get as detailed a picture of the candidate as possible. A structured process and open, credible communication will make this process a lot easier for you.
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