How To Follow Up After A Job Interview Without Seeming Desperate

So you’ve just interviewed for your dream job (or at least a dreamy job) and as far as you’re concerned, you nailed it ! It’s only a matter of time before they call you with an offer. But after a couple of weeks pass without a peep, you start to get a sinking feeling that perhaps it wasn’t the slam-dunk you imagined.

At this point, you might feel as if it’s best to lick your wounds and move on. But the better response would be to follow-up with the employer. In some ways, the job interview is only the beginning of the conversation. While you certainly don’t want to be annoying, you want to stay on the employer’s radar. Here’s the right way to follow up after a job interview, without being a pest.

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Thank You Note
Of course, the first follow-up email should come in the form of a thank you note. This should always be sent, without fail, to every person you interviewed with as soon as possible, no later than 24 hours after the interview. The note should be brief, friendly and conversational, restating your interest in the job and any relevant details on why you’re qualified.

The thank you note is also a great opportunity to add any significant information you may have forgotten to say in the interview. Here’s an example:

Hi [interviewer name],
Thank you so much for meeting with me today. After learning more about the position, I’m very excited about the opportunity to join your team and help [create world-class marketing campaigns, inspire prospective clients, increase revenue, etc.] for [company name].

I feel like my past experience [creating mobile apps, working on catchy advertising taglines, bringing in new forms of revenue, etc.) would be great fit for your company.

Please keep me posted on the status of the hiring process. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Warm regards,
[your name]

If you’re really ambitious, you might even try to impress the employer with an idea that could add value to their company. For example, you could say,

“Our discussion about (A, B and C) gave me an idea. Has your team considered trying [X, Y and Z]? I found it to be super effective in my last job.”

Make it easy on them by reminding them why you deserve the job.

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Checking In
Sending a thank you note after an interview is the easy part of following up. It’s a different thing when you’re following up after a couple of weeks. You might worry that checking in will make you seem annoying, or worse, desperate. But if you do it right, you won’t seem like either. After all, you want them to know you want the job. Why pretend like you don’t.

If it’s been a while since you last heard anything, don’t jump to the conclusion that you didn’t get the job. Sometimes these things can take a while to settle, especially if the decision makers have a lot on their plate.

If you’re smart, you ended your interview by asking about the next steps in the process, the timeline and when you should expect to hear back. If that date has passed without a peep, wait a couple of days before following up to avoid annoying them.

You could say something like,

“Hi Jane, I hope all’s well! You mentioned that you’d be finalizing your decision for the IT position this week. I’m eager to hear when you have an update. Please let me know if there’s anything I can provide to assist you in your decision-making process.”

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Stay in Touch
This is the part that takes a little finesse. Even if you don’t get the job, it might be useful to have this employer in your network. So rather than seeing them as a somebody who can give you something, treat them as colleague you’re working on building a relationship with. This means keeping the conversation going by periodically sending articles or information that might be relevant to them or congratulating them on recent accomplishments.

See if it’s ok to add them to you LinkedIn network. But remember, don’t overdo it. Be cognizant of whether you’re being helpful or a nuisance. Always be genuine.

The key is to remain is to be proactive and useful, not pushy and over-eager.