Why is it important to follow up after an interview?

Following up after an interview can benefit both your company and the candidate. For your company, following up helps you leave a lasting impression on the person you interviewed. It also shows you care about the time they spent doing the interview, which can help create a positive company reputation. 

Sending a follow-up to the candidate helps create a better interviewing experience. You’ll also make them feel valued — whether they get the job or not. 

Why is email the best way to follow up?

There are a number of ways you can follow up, but email is the best option for a few reasons:

• You can send the email at your convenience without worrying about whether the candidate is busy.
• The candidate can read (and potentially respond) to the email at their convenience.
• The information in emails is easy to reference later.

However, this is only true for the interview follow-up. If you’re reaching out to a candidate to let them know they got the job, a phone call may be a better option. On that same note, you can also use email to let candidates know they didn’t get the job. 

Tips for following up after an interview

Here are a few tips for following up after the interview:

• Send your follow-up email within three days of the interview, at most.
• Try to insert your brand voice whenever possible.
• Include ways that candidates can connect with your company.
• Include your contact information.
• Be courteous and polite, and provide timeline expectations for next steps, if applicable.
• Remember to add any information pertinent to the specific interview.

How to write a follow-up email after an interview

One of the best ways to write an email following an interview is to start with a template. We’ve included two templates below that you can use, but if you feel that neither one fits your company, you can create one for yourself.

When crafting your template, you want to leave room for personalization. A few small changes for each email can make candidates feel as though you’ve taken the time to craft a response specific to them, even when you’re working from a template.

Interview follow-up email template

Your interview follow-up email should adhere closely to your brand’s voice and personality. Some organizations may be much more formal and serious, while others may have a more playful and casual company culture. We’ve included two template options below, so you can choose the one that best represents your brand. 

Template option 1 (more formal)

Dear [candidate’s name],

I wanted to reach out to thank you for attending today’s interview for our [job role] position. It was a pleasure to get to know you and your qualifications better. 

At [company name], we value transparency in everything we do. We’d like to inform you that the next stage of our hiring process is to evaluate each of the candidates we’ve interviewed. We expect this part of the process to take [number of days] days, although it may be slightly longer or shorter. You can expect an email or phone call at the end of this time with our determination. 

While you’re waiting, please feel free to learn more about our company at [company website]. You can also connect with us on social media at [insert social media links]. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email] or [phone number].

Sincerely,

[Your name][Job title][Contact info or email signature]

Template option 2 (more casual)

Hi [candidate’s name],

Thank you so much for attending today’s interview for [job role] at [company name}! It was great getting to know more about you and what you could bring to our company.

The next part of our interview process is to evaluate everyone we interviewed today to see who is the best fit for our company. This should take around [number of days] days. Shortly following that, we’ll be reaching out to let candidates know what we decided, so you can expect to hear from us then.

While you’re waiting, I invite you to get to know [company name] even better. You can check out our company’s blog at [insert blog link] or social media at [insert social media links]. Of course, you can reach out to me personally at [email] or [phone number] if you have any questions or concerns. 

Hope to talk to you soon!

[Your name][Job title]{Contact info or email signature]

What if you already know you won’t be hiring them?

Sometimes you know someone isn’t a great fit for your company or the job position. Even when you know you won’t be hiring someone, following up after the interview is still important because it provides a positive interaction with your company. When an interaction is positive, the candidate is more likely to apply again in the future and may even recommend others to your open positions. 

That being said, it’s more time efficient (for you and the candidate) to send a reply that tells them you’re no longer considering them for the position. The person who interviewed for the position can refocus their efforts on a different position that may be better suited to them, while you can reduce your efforts during the next stage of the hiring process. 

Here’s an example interview follow-up email template you can use in situations where you already know you won’t be hiring the candidate:

Dear [candidate’s name],

I’m reaching out to let you know I appreciate you interviewing today for [job role] at [company name]. It was a pleasure getting to know more about you and your qualifications!

Unfortunately, after careful consideration, we have decided to move forward with another candidate who more closely aligns with our current needs and requirements. We encourage you to apply again at a future date when we have more openings and wish you the best in your job search.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally at [email] or [phone number].

Sincerely,

[Your name][Job title]{Contact info or email signature]

Sending a follow-up email is beneficial for your company and the candidate. You’ll help build a more positive company reputation while making the candidate feel valued and appreciated. Using an interview follow-up email template can help streamline the process.