How to Follow Up After an Interview

A candidate’s actions after the interview have equal weightage to their efforts during the interview. Some believe it yields the power to change the outcome in favour of the aspirant.
This article will impart a timeless principle that can help scale up your chances of getting your dream job.
After the interview round, a candidate’s verbal and non-verbal gestures like a thank-you email or message are an active part of the post-interview etiquette. Post-interview etiquettes or follow-ups are an effort that candidates make to ensure that the interviewer remembers them longer than others, ascertaining the status of their application. Look at it like a tactical move to land your dream job.

Steps on How to Follow Up After an Interview

1. Send a thank you note to the hiring manager. A study conducted in 2017 revealed that 68% of hiring managers believed that a note of gratitude does impact their final decision. Email is one mode of communication that doesn’t seem pushy. It is also a great way to show your effective communication skill.
2. Enquire about how to follow up after completing the HR interview round. It will give you a clear picture of what steps can be undertaken to express gratitude.
3. Follow up with the HR manager or recruiter to know about the status of your application.

With the above points, you can successfully follow up with the HR department about your job and thank them for the opportunity. Now that you know how to follow up after an interview, we will look at how to write a follow-up email after an interview.

How To Write The First Follow-Up Email After An Interview?

Right after your interview, send a thank you email to the interviewer. Here are some things you must ensure when writing your first follow-up email:

• A note of gratitude for their time.
• Demonstrate your interest in the role by drawing parallels between your personality traits, interview skills, qualifications, and the job role.
• Personalize the thank you email for each and every one. You can add small and evident touches to your email to enhance its quality.
• If you have forgotten to ask about the next step after the interview, you can do that in the first email you send to the recruiter.

Here are some things to avoid:

• Don’t write a long and excruciating email emphasizing why you deserve the job.
• Don’t apologize if the interview wasn’t perfect. It can deeply affect your chances of landing the job.
• Don’t speak more about yourself in the follow-up email. Remember to prioritize the employer, company, and opportunity more than your skills and experience.

Now that you know how to write a follow-up email after an interview, it is imperative to know how to write a thank you email after an interview.

How To Write A Thank You Email After An Interview?

A ‘thank you’ email is a tactical tool to enhance your chances of landing the job. Every ‘thank you’ mail helps the employer understand an aspirant’s ethics, personality traits, and mindset. For instance, the tone and words used in the mail provide a peek into the mindset of a candidate. Therefore, sending a thank you is imperative and beneficial for your career. Moreover, a study reveals that 80% of Human resource managers consider thank you notes while evaluating a candidate. Below are some prerequisites to remember while writing a thank you email.

• The best time to send a thank you note is between 24 to 48 hours after the interview.
• Address the HR manager by their first name while sending an email. It helps in building a connection that can go a long way.
• Send a personalized greeting with the email.
• Use words that demonstrate your enthusiasm toward the job and the role.

Adhering to these prerequisites will help to formulate an excellent thank you note that will sharpen your chances of getting the role. Don’t annoy the interviewer by using the wrong set of words and wait for a couple of days before you send the mail.

If you find it hard to tackle the HR interview round questions, then it would be wise to take a short-term course to develop your skills. Emeritus India has some of the best courses that help develop the candidate’s aptitude. Furthermore, we have some of the best leadership courses that prepare them to tackle complex HR interview questions with finesse.