The ultimate guide to interview follow-up emails & thank you notes

Following up after an interview is an unwritten rule: companies expect it, although few would explicitly tell you to do it. Glassdoor Community members generally stick to a proven formula for the post-interview thank-you note. A member of the Accounting Job Search Community Bowl explained, “My typical structure is to greet, thank them, talk again about my interest and how I’m a good fit, and end with a thanks and please let me know if you need any additional information. Brief and to the point.”

 

A follow-up demonstrates that you’re serious about the opportunity. Proving that you’re invested in a job and company signals to a recruiter that you’re the type of hire who will stick around for the long haul.

 

Remember that, at any given time, a recruiter may be coordinating with dozens of candidates to fill the open requisitions they’ve been assigned to. While recruiters usually have first-rate organizational skills, things can slip through the cracks. If you don’t follow up — especially if you need to submit additional materials or information — you might get left behind.

Sending a thank-you note shows your interviewers that you are appreciative, gracious, and thoughtful — all great qualities to have in a potential employee. A thank-you note should express three elements:

• Gratitude for your interviewer’s time
• Appreciation for gaining more information and insight into the position and the company
• Enthusiasm for the role.

Feeling stumped about what to write?  Try personalizing these templates as they apply to your situation.

Follow-up after phone interview

The phone screen follow-up is the shortest of the three interview thank-you notes. After a phone screening, your thank-you note should thank the interviewer and confirm your interest in continuing the conversation.

 

Dear [Interviewer’s Name],

 

Thank you for discussing the [name of job] opening with me [today/yesterday]. I’m impressed by [quality or trait of the company or team that sparked your interest in working there], and I would love to continue talking about how I could support the [team that is hiring]. 

 

I look forward to more conversations about this role.

 

Best,

 

[Your Name]

Follow-up after panel interview

After a panel interview, you have the option of sending a single email to multiple people, or, if you want to double down on the wow factor, a personalized email to each panelist. Similar to the one-on-one or final interview thank-you note, your panel interview follow-up should reference specifics of your discussion with the panel.

 

Dear [Interviewer’s Name],

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me [today/yesterday]. It was incredibly refreshing to hear your perspective on [issue/problem] and how it will impact your [goal/project]. Given my background in [background area], I believe I could help your team [execute goal/increase revenue/streamline processes, etc.]  I’m impressed by the caliber of the [hiring] team, and I hope to have the opportunity to join you as a colleague. 

 

Please let me know if I can provide any further information to you.

 

Best,

 

[Your Name]

 

Who to send your follow-up emails to

You should send a personalized thank-you note to every person who interviews you for a job — even if you have a full day of interviews, or you have to interview with a large panel. If you did not receive your interviewers’ contact information before or during the interview, be sure to ask the recruiter for it.

How to note in your follow-up that you have a competing job offer

If you’re entering an interview with a competing job offer, disclosing the existence of that offer can help the company either accelerate their timeline to make you an offer, or give you the option to simply part ways. 

 

There’s no need to be shy or secretive. Janel Abrahami, career strategist and content creator, says this:

 

“When you have multiple offers, don’t rush to play them against each other—pause and get clear on what you value most (comp, role, growth, flexibility). Once you know your priorities, you can go back to the first company and say: “I’m really excited about your offer. I do have another opportunity on the table, and I’d love to see if we can get closer on [salary/start date/etc.].”

 

Best of all? If both companies are interested in hiring you, you’ll have more leverage to negotiate your salary.

Additional tips for email follow-ups

Interview thank-you notes do not need to rival Shakespeare. Keep it simple, and remember:

• Take notes during your interviews so you can reference specifics in your follow-up emails
• Use a subject line that includes the name of the open position, your name, and the words “thank you” or “follow up”, (e.g., Tom Jones | Inside Sales Representative Opening: Thank you)

• Avoid excessive exclamation points, emojis, typos, etc.

• Go digital: While handwritten notes have some sentimental value, it’s too much for an interview. Plus, if you mail a note, your interviewer likely won’t receive it until days after they’ve spoken with you.

Usually, your interviewer(s) will give you clear next steps on what they need to proceed and when you will hear back. But if they fail to provide this information during the interview, and you didn’t remember to ask, it’s worth including a line to the end of your thank-you note that addresses this:

 

“Please let me know what next steps are needed from me, or what other information I can provide you during this process.”

 

Hopefully, the recipient will respond with the information you need, but if it’s been a while, you can (and should) follow up once more.

The key to the follow-up message is to come off as engaged, not overbearing. That means sticking to a proven follow-up formula. If you have an actual conversation, or if someone in the hiring process makes an effort to provide you with information you requested, you should send a thank-you email. Conversations include phone screenings, one-on-one interviews, and panel interviews. Production follow-ups apply if someone within the hiring company has to research and respond to a question that you asked during the interview.

When sending follow-up notes, your timeline should be:

• Within 24 hours of an interview
• Two or more days after the hiring manager’s promised response date, or, if no date was provided, one week after you send your thank-you note
• Two to three weeks after the first check-in, if the company has not contacted you
• Within 24 hours of a firm rejection

Every day you go without hearing back from an employer after an interview can seem like an eternity, but following up requires balance. You want to be persistent, not annoying.  We generally recommend you follow up again in either of the following situations:

• It’s been 2+ days since they said they would contact you
• You haven’t heard from them in over a week

How to engage a company that’s ghosting you

Don’t panic if it’s been weeks since you last heard from a company where you interviewed. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ghosting you — they might just need a reminder. 

 

Send a brief note that comes off as friendly and professional, not scolding. Try customizing this interview follow-up email template:

 

Dear [contact name],

 

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to follow up about the [job title] role. I really enjoyed meeting you and the team last week, and I’m very interested in the opportunity. I’d love to know if there’s any further information I can provide during your hiring timeline.

 

Thank you,

 

[Your name]

 

Most of the time, even one follow-up will be enough to prompt your contact to follow up with you, but if you still don’t hear from them within a couple of days, you might want to send one more note, two weeks after your most recent communication:

 

Just wanted to check in here — anything I can help with? Let me know!

 

If you’ve taken the time to interview with an employer, they’ll typically extend the courtesy of providing you with an update — even if it’s not the news you were hoping for. Don’t despair if they don’t. If nothing else, each interview you go on helps you improve your skills for the next one that comes along. 

How to keep the conversation going after a rejection

No one wants to receive the dreaded “We have decided to move forward with a different candidate” email, but it happens to everyone at some point. Once you’ve been formally rejected, you still need to send one more follow-up within 24 hours to solidify your status as a gracious applicant. Again, you can keep this email simple, but also use it to build your professional network.  Try something like:

Dear [Hiring Manager],

 

Thank you for the update. While I’m disappointed that we won’t have the opportunity to work together at this time, I really enjoyed getting to know you and the team. I hope you’ll keep me in mind for future openings.  Until then, please stay in touch via [email/professional networking platform].

Best,

 

[Your Name]

 

Looking for more on sending a follow-up email after an interview, or other job hunting tips? Professionals in the Glassdoor Community Job Seeker Support Bowl have tons of wisdom to share.