Follow-Up Thank You Emails

When you communicate with potential employers, it’s important to be persistent and consistent. Email communication between you and the employer should start upon the initial submission of your application and throughout the interview process. 

Initial Application Submission Follow-Up

When submitting your application through a portal, it’s fair to assume that the right people will see it. Part of being proactive through the application process includes finding a direct contact at the company, or even a Human Resources email address outside of the application portal. 

  • Send an email to this contact, giving a brief overview of who you are and why you would be a good fit for the position.

  • Include your resume and cover letter for an employer to reference.

  • Provide your direct contact information, including your email address and phone number, as well as your availability to connect further. (Provide several blocks of time to ensure they can choose a time easily.)

  • Be consistent with this email address—once you’ve found a direct point of contact, it’s helpful to follow-up every 2-3 days if you don’t initially hear back.

Interview Process Follow-Up

  • Ask your main point of contact for the email address for the person(s) with whom you’ve interviewed. You may also be able to find this information online.

  • Send a short, simple “thank you” to this point of contact, thanking them for their time and consideration.

  • Convey confidence and be sure to express your continued interest and availability. For example, write, “I’m looking forward to learning about next steps.”

  • Be specific about parts of the conversation that stayed with you. For example, you can write, “It sounds like the role’s internal project management responsibilities would complement my skills and offer a great next step for my career.”

Best Practices for Email Writing - General

  • Match the tone of the company—are they more casual? Do they call each other by their first names? Is it a larger, more formal company where you’re communicating with an executive? In the latter instance, you should use titles. 

  • Space out your paragraphs. Two smaller paragraphs that are 2-3 sentences are sufficient.

  • Ensure that you’re using proper grammar to be as professional as possible.

  • It’s worth including your first and last name in the subject line so that the receiver can easily identify who you are if your email address doesn’t include your name.

  • Sign off the email using professional salutations such as “Best,” “Thank you,” “I look forward to hearing from you,” “Have a great rest of your day,” or “Sincerely.”

Click here to access the Follow-Up Thank You Email Template & Repository