You’ve found a position at
a company that you are really excited about, and now that you’ve had the big
interview, what’s your next step?
If you want to be the one they choose, you need to let the team know
that you are interested, even more so now that you’ve met them. Landing a great job takes a bit
of work and some skill – and your work isn’t finished after that interview. Make sure to take the next step and follow
it up with a nicely-written, professional email.
Here are our DO’s and DON’Ts
when it comes to following up:
• DO take the time to thank the person or team who
met with you
Not only does sending a
thank you note show your good manners – it also provides you with the
opportunity to show the team just how enthusiastic you are to work at their
company. Take the time to ask a
good follow-up question in order to keep the conversation going. Your follow-up will keep you fresh in
the minds of the hiring team, which is right where you want to be!
• DO make sure to send your follow-up to the right
people
Try your best to get the
necessary contact information during your interview, but if you can’t then
follow up with your recruiter and request the information for the manager or
the most senior person who interviewed you. Direct your email either to the team or to the lead person
you met. Also take the time to
thank an HR person who may have helped you set up the interview. And always contact people at work, not
through a personal email address or phone.
• DON’T be a pest
During your interview, ask
up front about the hiring timeline so you can set your expectations
accordingly. Send your follow up
and wait for a response. If there
is none and you feel it’s appropriate, you can send another email, perhaps
gently asking them where they are in the hiring process. And then move on. At this point, they know you are
interested in the position and they will contact you if they want to meet with
you again.
• DO be prompt & precise
It’s best to promptly
follow-up by sending your thank you email the day after your interview. This will give you some time to think
of what to ask or how to present yourself carefully, while still making sure you
are responding in a timely manner.
Carefully proofread your email for errors before sending it, and try to
note precisely what excites you about the company and the position and what you
can bring to the team. If you made
some technical mistakes during the interview and have now had the time to think
them through, you can also attach a corrected solution to the problem.
•DON’T be long-winded or generic
Don’t waste people’s time
with a long-winded letter; take care to craft a concise follow-up note that
cites specific reasons for your interest in this particular company. The team should feel that your message
was written especially for them, and not a generic thank you note you send to
other companies as well.
