How to follow up after a job interview

Have you recently scheduled a business appointment or a job interview and want to confirm the meeting date? Have you just had a job interview? Do you need to find out if you have been accepted for the job? This section will give you tips and samples on how to write your follow-up letter.

Guidelines for writing follow-up letters:

• Mention your reason for writing the letter. Use phrases like, “I haven’t heard from you, so I thought I would contact you again to see.” or, “I wanted to confirm our meeting time of 2:00 pm on Tuesday, November 16^th.”
• If you are confirming an appointment, make sure you refer to the date, time, location, and subject of the meeting.
• After a job interview, it is a good idea to send a follow-up letter, as this may sway the interviewer’s opinion in your favor. This letter should state how much you enjoyed the interview and how much you would like the job. Indicate that you are willing to provide additional information or references. This is also a good time to clarify anything you may have not fully discussed in the interview.
• If a meeting has been scheduled several months or weeks in advance, it is a good idea to send a follow-up letter closer to the appointment date. Repeat all the necessary information, including date, time, location, and any items he or she should bring. Most importantly, indicate that you look forward to seeing the person.
• Indicate if you need a response and how the person can respond to you: via phone, E-mail, in person, or by mail.
• If this is a second follow-up letter, and you have not yet received a response from your original letter, include a copy of it with your new letter, or repeat the message. Emphasize the importance of his/her response.
• When writing your letter, avoid negative remarks. Do not imply that the reader is thoughtless, forgetful, or negligent. If you make the reader feel defensive, they will not be likely to respond in a positive manner. Showing your frustration only makes the situation worse.
• If you have sent a gift and have not received an acknowledgment, send a follow-up letter a few weeks later. Make sure you describe the item you sent. It is possible that the person did not get it, it may have been misidentified, or opened by someone else, especially if it was sent to a business.
• When writing an email, the letter will be a little less formal. Keep the email as short as possible and stay on the one subject.

Helpful verbs you can use: Click on each word to get definitions and examples from WordNet 1.6 Vocabulary Helper.

To Confirm an Appointment via Email

After a Job Interview

Acknowledgment for a Gift