Send a Follow Up Email After Your Job Interview

Fast follow up emails after the interview are better than handwritten notes.

Lots of job seekers underestimate just how important it is to say "thank you"....for the time, for the conversation, for the opportunity to meet. And it's also important that you get it to your interviewer fast: within 24 hours of your interview. A handwritten, snail-mailed note just won't do that. Send an email.

Why is it so important?

Hiring decisions (or decisions to offer a second interview) are often made very quickly. You don't want to lose an opportunity to sway their opinion in favor of hiring you.

Are follow up emails really OK?

Thank you emails are entirely appropriate. They show you understand the speed of business and are comfortable with technology. And most importantly, they keep you in the conversation that could be happening already. You don't want them to make a decision while the post office still has your letter.

What should it say?

Follow up emails should always be substantial. Don't just say 'thanks.' This is another selling opportunity here. Another chance to point out why you'd be a great fit. Tie it in with something you spoke about in the interview conversation. So mention that you enjoyed talking with them, add some additional thoughts about how you and your skills are a great fit, and what you learned makes you even more enthusiastic about working there. Say something about how much you appreciated the opportunity to meet with them, how much you enjoyed learning more about the organization, how you think your XYZ will really help them with their ABC, and how you’re looking forward to talking with them further.

Who should you send a note to?

Send a thank you email to everyone you speak with. They will be talking to each other about you, comparing notes. So make sure everyone you speak with gets one, and make sure they are tailored to the person you're writing it to about the conversation you had with them. A 'form letter' thank you is almost as bad as no thank you at all.

What if you don't have their email address?

If you didn't get their email address, here's a trick: Use Google. Do a search of the general email addresses of the company. Type in a * and then @ plus whatever the name of the company is, so it looks like this: "*@thecompanyname.com". That should lead you to the address of everyone who works there, or at least show you how their email addresses are constructed.