Knowing how to follow up after an interview is an important skill to master for all jobseekers. Why? Because it not only leaves recruiters and interviewers with a good impression of you, but also keeps you fresh in their minds. Luckily for you, this article is full of tips and inspiration on when you should follow up after an interview, how to contact the interviewer, and what to say. So, get reading, and you’ll learn how to follow up after an interview in no time. Don’t have much time? Scroll down to the bottom for the short of it.
How to get in contact after an interview
How you follow up after an interview depends on how you’ve been keeping in contact with the employer previously. If you’ve been informally chatting via a messaging app, keep your follow-up there. Have you primarily been calling over the phone? Give them a call back. But, the most common method of follow-up is via email, as you’ll often get information about the interview there. That way, you can also take time to carefully formulate your thoughts. So, when deciding how to follow up on a job interview, we recommend emailing if it seems appropriate. Otherwise, stick to your previous method of contact.
The 4 ways to follow up after an interview
To ‘follow up’ an interview can mean a few different things; thanking them, asking for feedback, asking about the result, and sending them a reminder or question. Remember to always remain polite and positive about the experience, no matter why you’re contacting them. Also, don’t forget to proofread if you’re sending an email or chat - mistakes will hurt your professionalism. Let’s go over the different ways of how to follow up after an interview, including examples.
1. How to thank the interviewer
Calling up to thank the interviewer or sending a thank-you email is a great way to seem interested and invested, which is something employers value. Don’t overcomplicate it, though; keep it short and sweet. Respectfully thank whoever you’ve been in contact with (by name!), and highlight some positives about the interview and why you’re a good fit for the role. Check out an example of how to write a thank-you email after an interview below.
| Hi/Dear [interviewer], |
| Thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed sharing my skills and interests with you, as well as hearing more about [company] and [job]. I felt like it was a great fit because of [reason], and I hope to work with you in the future. |
| I’m looking forward to hearing more. |
|
Kind regards,
[your name] |
Learning how to send a thank-you email after an interview is also crucial for when you want to decline an offer or get rejected. Always be polite, as you never know when you could come across the interviewer or company later in your career. If you’re interested, we have articles on both how to decline a job offer and how to reply to a rejection email.
2. How to ask for interview feedback
Are you looking to improve as a candidate? Then it would be a good idea to ask for some feedback from your interviewer. Typically, this is done after you unfortunately haven’t landed the role. But, you can ask for feedback no matter the result, whether you’ve been accepted or rejected, and even when you’re still waiting. So, below is how to write a follow-up email for interview feedback.
| Hi/Dear [interviewer], |
| While I was disappointed to learn I would not be joining your team, I wanted to thank you for considering me for [job]. As I want to better understand how I come across, I would appreciate it if you could give me any feedback on what went right or wrong in the interview. It would be highly valuable to my growth. |
|
Kind regards,
[your name] |
We also have an entire article dedicated to how to ask for feedback after an interview for you to take a look at.
3. How to ask for an update after your interview
Something everyone is eager to know after their interview is the result. But, are you wondering how to write a follow-up email after a job interview? The main thing to keep in mind is to remain respectful of the interviewer’s time and decision-making process - you’re likely not their only candidate. Here’s an example email for how to ask about your interview result.
| Hi/Dear [interviewer], |
| I wanted to check in about our interview on [date] for [job], as I’m highly interested in the position. I understand the decision-making process takes time, but any updates would be appreciated. If there aren’t currently any updates, when can I expect to hear from you with more information? Please let me know if there’s anything else you need from me. |
| I hope to hear from you soon. |
|
Kind regards,
[your name] |
4. How to follow up after an interview for a second time
Has it been a fair amount of time since you last heard from the interviewer, and are wondering how to chase up after a job interview? Or do you simply have a question to ask the employer, like what salary they’re offering? This is when a second follow-up would be appropriate. Need an example? Let’s walk through how to send a second follow-up email after an interview.
| Hi/Dear [interviewer], |
| I just wanted to follow up after my last email, where I asked [question]. I understand the recruitment process can be a busy time. When you have the chance, I would appreciate your reply. |
|
Kind regards,
[your name] |
If you’re calling up your interviewer or recruiter for the second time, use the above example, but just phrase it as a question. Or, a voicemail in this style can be left.
How long after an interview should you follow up?
A common pickle people find themselves in is how long to wait after an interview before following up. Well, when to follow up after your interview all depends on what your reasoning is.
- Wondering when to send your thank-you email after the interview? It’s best to do it the day of or the day after. Leave a good impression on the interviewer while you’re still fresh in their mind.
- Want to ask for some interview feedback? This one is really up to you. But, if you only plan to ask after rejections, it’s best to ask asap after hearing while your interview is still recent.
- Looking to be updated about the status of your application? Depending on how many candidates there are, the typical results wait-time after interviews can vary quite a bit. If you haven’t heard back in a week or more, we would recommend checking in and asking when they think they’ll get back to you. Some interviewers share their decision-making timeframe at the end of the interview. If given one, use this as a guide for when to follow up.
There’s no hard and fast rule for when to call or send a follow-up email after your interview. Just keep in mind that the interview process can take some time; no worries if you don’t hear back right away! Has a company ghosted you? Your best course of action is to put yourself back out there and apply for more vacancies.
How to follow up on an interview: in a nutshell
There’s no need to stress when figuring out how to follow up after an interview - it’s actually an easy process!
- Method of communication. Email is the simplest and most effective way to share your thoughts, but stick to the form of communication you’ve been using with the interviewer. So if you’ve been calling or messaging online, follow up using that.
- Identify the kind of follow-up. This can be thanking the interviewer, requesting interview feedback, asking about the interview results, and chasing them up after asking a question previously. For all kinds, you just need to be polite and positive about the interview experience. Also, and this is important: don’t forget to proofread! You don’t want to be caught with spelling or grammar mistakes in your email or message, as it can make you lose credibility.
- When to follow up after your interview. This varies depending on what you’re sending. When thanking the interviewer or asking them a question, you’ll want to do this within the first couple of days. When following up for a result, wait at least a week. So there you have it; how to follow up after an interview effectively and professionally.
Need some more interview advice? We have loads of other interview tips articles. Or, are you just planning ahead and haven’t actually been invited for an interview yet? Maybe a new CV will help you get noticed by employers. Check out our CV tips or our free CV maker.
FAQs about
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When should I follow up after an interview?
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Why should I follow up after an interview?
How long you wait after your interview before following up depends on what you want. Thanking the interviewer or asking a question about the job should be done within two days. Asking about the result of the interview can be done after a week.
Following up after an interview is a great way to show recruiters that you care about the position and are dedicated. After all, you want to impress the recruiter as they decide if you get the job.