It can be tricky to decide when and if you should follow up after an interview. If you ended the interview on a good note, and feel good about the opportunity, following up can be a great way to stay top of mind and let a company know you’re interested. Keep these tips in mind for best practices to follow when reaching out.
Learning the Timeline
During your interview, find out as much as you can about the hiring timeline and next steps. If you know that the company is urgently trying to fill the position, your follow-up timeline can also be relatively short. If you know that it could take a few months, it may be better to slow down your inquiries.
Thank You Note
No matter what the timeline, it’s important to send a thank you note within 48 hours. This can be a quick, succinct email. Thank the person for taking time to meet with you and reiterate your interest in the position. In this email, don’t ask anything about timing or whether you are still in consideration. Simply express your thanks and ongoing interest.
Inquiry
If you haven’t heard anything within a week for a position that is urgently being filled, send a simple follow-up inquiry. Watch your tone, and make sure you don’t sound like you’re pestering anyone. Just reiterate your interest in the role and inquire as to whether there are any updates on the process. If the position isn’t going to be filled for a while, wait an extra week or so before sending this email.
If you get a response, follow any stated instructions, such as “Email me again if I haven’t gotten back to you in 10 days.” Otherwise, it’s generally okay to send a second follow-up about two weeks after the first.
Letting It Go
If you don’t get any response from your inquiries, it’s time to let it go. Maybe you will hear something in the future, and maybe you won’t. Either way, conduct a mental review of the interview experience, learn what you can from it, and move on. Any time you spend worrying about a prior interview is time that you could spend on landing your next interview instead.
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