Follow-Up After the Interview

Thank You Notes

Writing a thank you note is an essential component of the interview process. Not only is it a courteous gesture of gratitude—follow-up correspondence also helps people remember you. Although it is a simple task, many people forget to do it. While a thank you note won’t necessarily guarantee an offer, employers do notice when they receive one (and when they don’t!). Here are some additional tips for writing a thank-you note:

• Don’t delay! Send a thank-you note the same day as your interview (or the following day) to ensure that the interviewer is reminded of your unique qualifications and of your interest in the position.
• Thank the interviewer(s)  for giving you the opportunity to meet with them, introduce yourself in person, and tell them about your unique qualifications.
• Re-emphasize a strength that you spoke of during the interview. For instance, “I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the research project that you mentioned during our conversation.”
• Close by saying something like, “Thank you for your time and interest. I look forward to the possibility of joining your team.”
• In addition to an email, strongly consider sending a handwritten note. It can help you to stand out in a positive way! Just make sure that it arrives in a timely fashion to ensure that your note is received before a final hiring decision is made. Use formal stationery or a note card with a matching envelope. (Avoid flowery or cute cards). Print or write neatly, and consider writing out a draft first.
• You can find more tips about thank-you letters and follow-up correspondence in our Cover Letters & Communications Guide.

Sample Thank You Email (following an interview)

Dear Ms. Sullivan:

Thank you for an interesting and informative interview. Your information provided me with a solid foundation and an idea of where my qualifications would fit for the Legal Assistant position at XYZ Law Firm.

My combination of academic achievement and international law and experience will be exceptionally suitable to XYZ’s dynamic plans for the future. Client contact and the ability to analyze are quintessential for this job and this industry, and my summer internships at the ABC City law office and PQR County family court have prepared me for this opportunity.

Again, thank you for interviewing me and giving me the chance to learn more about the work of XYZ Law Firm. If I can provide you with any additional information, please do not hesitate to respond to this email or call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Additional Follow-Up Tips:

• Reflect and do a quick analysis of how things went.  Ask yourself, “What went well?”, “What questions really stumped me?”.  By thinking about your performance, and maybe even writing it down in a journal and keeping track of these thoughts in an organized way, you’ll be better prepared for the next interview. While it may be tempting to ask the employer for feedback (by phone or in the thank you note), it is not standard practice for employers to discuss how you performed during the interview, either positive or negative.
• If you do receive and accept an offer, inform and thank those people who helped you in the process!
• If you are notified that you did not receive the position, congratulate them in writing for finding a good fit for that position and ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities (after all, they did interview you—they were interested in you)! It can be to your benefit to be a “good sport” even when the outcome is not what you want. Congratulating them on a successful search (which is time-intensive on their end) can often leave a good impression!