When Should You Follow Up After a Job Interview?

 Have you recently had a job interview with a potential employer?  You might be wondering if you should send a follow-up email and how long you should wait to do so.  As a potential candidate for the position, you should always send a follow-up email.  However, the type of message you are sending will determine when you should send the email.

1. The Thank You Follow-Up. This email should be used by any candidate who has recently been interviewed. It should be sent out within a day of the interview and include your gratitude for the interviewer’s time as well as a mention of a specific topic discussed during the interview. This will not only demonstrate to the employer that you have good manners and value their time, but also that you are seriously interested in the position.
2. The No-Response Follow-Up. This email should be sent out only after the allotted amount of time the employer has given you for receiving a response has passed.  For example, if they say they will let you know within two weeks, make sure you wait until after the two-week period is complete. This email should respectfully remind the employer of the passed deadline and ask about the status of your application. 
3. The Follow-Up If You Received Another Job Offer.  The period for this response varies depending on the situation. If you are accepting an offer from another company you should let the employer know as soon as possible so they can pursue other candidates. Your email should include a thank-you to the employer for the opportunity to speak with them as well as asking that your application be pulled.  If you would like to receive your application status before you reply to your other job offer, you should let the employer know that you have another offer and respectfully ask about your application status.  In this case, it would be appropriate to wait out the time frame that they have given you before you contact them.

 

What tips can you share about how to appropriately contact a company after an interview?