Academics

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 16th.”
  • 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.

Acknowledge Confirm Inform Mention
Notify Remember Remind Reply
Respond

To Confirm an Appointment via Email

To: Dr. Tom Jones
Subject: Follow-up meeting
CC: Self (Stu Gally)
I am looking forward to our meeting on Friday at 10:00am at your office to discuss my status as graduate student in your program. I will see you then.
Thank you,
Stu Gally

After a Job Interview

To Miss Marie Hichock,
I would like to thank you for meeting me for the salesperson job. I enjoyed the interview and I hope you found it enjoyable as well. I really am interested in this sales position, and I feel that I can be a great benefit to your company.
If you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me at (202) 123-4567. Again, thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Alfred Norman

Acknowledgment for a Gift

Dear Jennifer,
How are you? How’s married life going? I am doing fine. I just wanted to be sure that you received the crystal vase I sent you last June. I know how busy life can be for newly-weds, so I thought that I would check to be sure that the mail got through to you. I wish I could’ve been there for your wedding, but it was just too much with Michael being sick. He is out of the hospital now and doing well. I hope that your wedding was a beautiful and wonderful day for you.
Take care and keep in touch!
Love always,
Your Aunt Hilda

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