What is a letter of interest?
Candidates send a letter of interest (usually via email) to indicate their interest in working for your company. Unlike a targeted job application, a letter of interest for a job can be sent even if your company isn’t actively hiring. You may also see this letter referred to as a statement of interest.
Why should you respond to a letter of interest for a job?
One of the best ways to attract candidates to your workplace is by having an outstanding reputation. You want people to know what a great company you are to work for, and part of that involves demonstrating that you value your current and future employees’ time. Responding to a letter of interest shows you care enough to create an individual response for applicants.
Plus, a response to a letter of interest can help introduce candidates to your company culture and provide some insight into what working for you might be like. If this initial experience is positive, there’s a greater likelihood that candidates will mention your company to other job seekers.
How do you reply to a letter of interest?
Creating the best possible reply can help you make the most of one of the first impressions a candidate has of your company. Below are some valuable tips on how to craft a positive reply to a letter of interest.
Make it personal
Although you may use a templated response for letters of interest (especially if you get a lot of them), take the time to personalize it where possible. For example, you can include the individual’s name instead of a generic greeting. If the letter of interest is for an open position, you can also let the candidate know the approximate date to expect a follow-up response.
Set the candidate’s expectations
You can set the candidate’s expectations in two ways:
- By providing an approximate date when you’ll complete the initial candidate screening process
- By telling candidates you aren’t actively hiring right now, but will keep their letter of interest in mind for future roles with your company
Provide a glimpse of your company’s culture
Try to provide a glimpse into your company culture by infusing the email with its overall tone and personality. This can be a great way to customize your templated email to best represent your organization. If your company’s voice is more formal, you may want to keep things professional and direct. If the tone is more light-hearted, you might include more casual language.
Use your response to grow your network
You can include links to your company’s social media pages and your personal contact information in the email to help grow your network. Networking is an excellent way for hiring managers to cast a wider net into their industry’s talent pool and can serve other professional purposes, too.
Thank the candidate for their letter
Always thank candidates for their letters of interest. It’s a simple yet effective way to help maintain a positive company reputation and make potential future employees feel valued.
Letter of interest response examples
Below are two examples of templated letter of interest responses. The first example can be used during an active hiring process, while the other can be used to respond to cold letters of interest. You can use these examples as-is or alter them to better represent your brand.
Example A: During an active hiring process
Subject: Thank you for your letter of interest in working with [company name].
Hello [candidate’s name],
Thank you for your interest in working with [company name] as [job title]. Right now, we’re in the middle of our recruitment process, which means we’re still screening candidates for the [job title] position. We estimate we’ll be done with these initial screenings by [estimated date]. Around this date, you can expect an email with more details.
While you’re waiting for a follow-up email, you can learn more about [company name] by reading our blog [insert blog link] or following us on social media [insert social media links].
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me at [insert contact information], and I’ll respond as soon as possible. Thank you again for your letter of interest, and I hope to speak with you soon.
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your job title]
[contact information/email signature]
Example B: Outside of an active hiring process
Subject: Thank you for reaching out to [company name].
Hello [candidate’s name],
Thank you for your interest in working with us. Right now, we’re not actively hiring for an open role, but we’ll keep your letter of interest on hand for future available roles in [candidate’s industry or preferred job title].
In the meantime, we’d love to connect with you. Feel free to learn more about [company name] on our website [link website here] or social media accounts [link social media accounts]. You can also reach out to me personally at [email address] or [phone number] if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Thank you again for your letter of interest, and I hope to speak with you in the future.
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your job title]
[contact information/email signature]
Responding to a letter of interest can show candidates you care about their time and effort. This can create a positive initial encounter for the potential future employee while also helping build a favorable reputation for your company. By keeping the tips above in mind, you can make the most out of this opportunity.
Letter of interest FAQs
How long should you wait before applying to a letter of interest?
Ideally, you should respond to a letter of interest as soon as possible. At most, you should reply within a week to avoid losing the candidate’s interest.
Do you have to respond to a letter of interest?
You don’t have to respond, but there are many benefits to sending a reply to letters of interest. Plus, you can make responding easy and time-efficient by using a templated design that allows some personalization.
Should you reply to follow-up emails asking about the status of letters of interest?
That’s up to you and your company policy. If you replied with an estimated end date for an active screening process and a candidate reaches out because they haven’t received a follow-up, you can go ahead and send a reply. However, you aren’t required to respond to anyone who continues to reach out repeatedly.
