Interview Follow-Up Email: How To Close the Deal and Get the Job

Now that your interview is over, what can you do in addition to sending an interview follow-up e-mail? First impression matter – and so do “last impressions”.  It takes more than just an interview follow-up email to seal the deal. Here are a few post-interview steps you can take to enhance your “last impression”.

At the end of your interview:

• Always ask about next steps.
• Use the name of the interviewer when you thank them. Ask for a business card if you don’t already have their contact information.
• On your way out, give a sincere word of appreciation to the person(s) who greeted you or escorted you when you arrived, if you see them as you leave. Use their name, if they told it to you.
• If any marketing materials are out for public distribution in a common area, such as a newsletter or a flyer, ask if you may take one with you. Doing so shows your interest, and may give you valuable information about current issues relevant to the organization that you can reference during a follow-up interview.

Follow-up tasks to do immediately:

• Make notes about the interview: the questions they asked, the answers you gave, and what you learned about your interviewer and the company.
• Send a thank-you note via e-mail to your interviewer(s), restating your interest in the position and mentioning something specific discussed in the interview.  Instead of regurgitating your resume or repeating what you said in the interview, offer something of value. Find a recent article or link to share related to the interview discussion that your interviewer might find interesting or useful. Attach it at the end (“P.S. I’m attaching an interesting article that made me think of our discussion about ____.”

Follow-up tasks to do as soon as you are home:

• Send a short and simple handwritten note on professional stationery. Thank them. Check your notes and refer specifically to something mentioned in your interview, so they know that your note is not a template sent to everyone. Restate your interest in the role.  If you use a folded card instead of letterhead stationery, the note should fit neatly inside, without squishing or writing up the side to finish that last sentence. 
• Contact your references.  Send an email or call to let them know about the position you have just interviewed for, and give them a heads up that they may be contacted. Thank them for their support.
• If you haven’t done it already – clean out your social media closet. All of it. Make sure that anyone looking at your online profile won’t see anything you don’t want them to see. That includes party pics and political rants.
• If you were asked to follow up in any way, either with documentation or with a phone call, be certain it gets done according to their expectations. For example, if you were asked to send another letter of recommendation, do it that day. Mark your calendar to call when they asked you to. Even if you are dying to call earlier, don’t. Show that you listen well, are detail-oriented, and follow instructions

What if you don’t hear from them?

If you don’t hear from them within the timeframe outlined when you asked about next steps, call to follow up and let them know you are still interested in the position.  Do not try to make them feel badly for not being in touch.  Do not attempt to pressure them into giving you an answer.  There may be very good reasons why the decision is taking longer than expected.  And you may be at the top of their list.  So do not try to make them wrong in any way.  Just be pleasant and professional, let them know you are still interested, and ask if a decision has been made. If they still haven’t made a decision, ask if you may follow up with another call in a week.

You worked hard to prepare for the interview, so take the time to finish strong. Send an interview follow-up email, and follow the steps outlined above to make sure that you make a great “last impression”. 

For more information about interview preparation, check out my other free tips here