Sometimes, you know you nailed it. You had the perfect answers to every job interview question, got along well with the interviewers, and felt like a perfect fit for their company culture. In your eyes, it’d be a huge mistake not to hire you.
At the end of your last interview, they said they’d call you back within a week or two.
This is where the head games begin. From your first interview, the average time-to-hire is 38 days. Between interview rounds and skills tests, there are often long periods of silence. And while you’re waiting, what started as confidence can easily turn into anxiety. Did the interview go as well as you thought? Are they reaching out to other candidates? Are they just busy?
You’d like to follow up, but you don’t know when or what you should say. You’d rather not appear desperate or pushy, but you also don’t want your recruiter to forget about you.
It’s a tough line to walk. But sending an interview follow-up email after two weeks is both customary and essential if you want to stand out from the pack. Here’s what you need to know.
Why do follow-up emails matter?
It’s customary to send up to two emails post-interview. The first follow-up email should occur no later than 48 hours after you meet your recruiters, thanking them for their time spent meeting you.
These are busy people, and they allocated company resources to reviewing your application and cover letter, planned questions to ask you, scheduled an interview, and then spent time getting to know you.
A small thank-you letter is only polite — it shows you appreciate all the effort they put into meeting you.
In a second follow-up email after an interview, the status of your application is likely your main concern. The ideal time when to send a follow-up email after the interview is after two weeks. But if your recruiters said in their last email or the interview that they’d call you by an earlier deadline, you can email them a day or two after their promised date — even if it’s before the two-week mark.
Sending a second follow-up email helps you look good in a few ways. It shows that you are:
- Organized. Timing your email correctly shows that you’re the master of your calendar. You made a plan and executed it — a potent skill in any role.
- Motivated. You’re so determined to be successful that you’re willing to take the initiative in your own hiring. If you show this kind of enthusiasm now, imagine what you’ll do as an employee!
- Serious about the position. When applying for a new job, it’s normal to cast a wide net. You won’t follow up on every role you applied to, and employers know this. When you do send a note, they know you care more about them than the others.
A second follow-up also has some nice secondary effects:
- It puts your mind at ease. Follow-up emails will give you a sense of agency during the hiring process, which can make waiting for an answer a lot less anxiety-inducing.
- You’ll have an opportunity to show off. In your note, you can include project ideas or other thoughts about what you can do with the role. This is a chance to demonstrate that you’ve been thinking about the company and why you’re a great fit.
- It can move things along or give you closure. Your note could be the trigger the recruiter needs to speed up their process. This can lead to a quicker job offer, final interview, or firm rejection. In any case, you’ll have closure.
- You’ll stay in the recruiter’s mind. Seeing your name appear in their inbox will remind the hiring manager what they thought of you. If you made a good impression, your note would make sure they don’t confuse you for someone else or forget you altogether.
What to say in a follow-up email two weeks after an interview
When you’ve gone two weeks after an interview with no response, you might feel disappointed. Surely they would’ve reached out by now if they planned to hire you.
But it’s not time to worry yet. When they’re busy putting out fires, addressing staff concerns, and running team meetings, it’s easy for managers to go weeks before returning to their interview process and connecting with job seekers. The right email at the right time can put them back on track and remind them why they need your help.
Here’s how to check your after-interview status with a follow-up email:
1. Make sure you’re allowed to reach out
Some employers specifically ask candidates not to reach out after an interview, potentially because the company is receiving many applications or the hiring manager is overloaded. If this is the case for you, it’s better to honor their request.
Also, if they said they’d contact you by a certain date, don’t follow up before then — even if the wait is longer than two weeks. They know their internal processes better than you do, and you don’t want to appear impatient.
2. Write a relevant subject line
The subject line of your email is the first thing your hiring manager or coordinator will see. To avoid getting lost in their inbox, you want to make sure the subject gets to the point and properly summarizes the intent of your message.
Consider these examples:
- “Inquiry about hiring status”
- “Following up regarding [job title]”
- “Checking in about job interview”
3. Follow proper email etiquette
This isn’t an IM message in your favorite app — it’s a professional email. Proofread thoroughly and use proper grammar and formatting. This means avoiding abbreviations like “lol” or “thx” and skipping the text-based emojis.
You’ll also need a formal salutation such as, “Hello, [hiring manager’s name].” And don’t forget to sign off with your email signature, which should contain your contact information and relevant links (like to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile).
4. Start with some background
Your interviewer might be rushing through their inbox, so mention the position you applied for right away. This will help them recall the exact details of your conversation. Feel free to add additional information, like the date and time you completed the interview and a memorable portion of it — a personal connection with the manager, like a shared hobby or connection.
For example: “We first spoke when I interviewed for the role of [name of position] on [date]. It was a pleasure meeting you, and it’s always nice to meet a fellow bread-baking enthusiast.”
If it wasn’t a one-on-one interview, email each panel member directly and personalize the note.
5. Ask your question
You emailed them for a reason, after all. It’s time to get to the point: ask them for a status update on the position. There are a few ways you can phrase this question:
- Have you made a hiring decision?
- Are you still considering me for the role?
- What are the next steps in your decision-making process?
6. Show your interest
After asking about the job application process, reiterate your interest in the role. This is also a good place to share any thoughts or ideas that would help you in the job.
Here’s an example: “I’m still very interested in being your social media manager. I spent some time reading your Twitter posts, and I think we could easily boost our user engagement with more polls and call-to-actions.”
7. Proofread, then proofread again
Remember what we said about using proper grammar and avoiding typos? Here it is again, for the people in the back: avoid mistakes at all costs. Errors in your writing could severely hurt your chances of landing the job. If your attention to detail is lacking in your follow-up note, there’s no reason to believe you’ll have it later.
Bringing it all together
Here’s a follow-up email template you can use that combines all the elements above. This applicant is hoping for a content marketing position:
Email Subject line: Content Marketer position at [Company Name].
Hi [interviewer’s name],
I hope you’re well.
We last spoke on Wednesday, September 28, during my interview for the role of content marketer at [Company Name]. I really enjoyed sharing my professional experience with you, and we seem to have a similar passion for making music in our free time.
I wanted to check in about the next steps in the process. Have you come to a final decision?
I’m still very interested in the role. I would happily share some of my content ideas in a second interview.
Thanks again for your time. Hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
Christopher Pike
[Email address]
(555) 555 - 5555
[link to portfolio] | [link to LinkedIn]
Level up your follow-up
Follow-up emails are essential tools for landing a job. Within one to two business days after an interview, sending a thank-you email is helpful to avoid appearing rude. And two weeks later, provided you haven’t been instructed to do otherwise, you should send another one to stay at the top of your employer’s mind.
A poorly-written interview follow-up letter after two weeks can harm your chances as much as improve them, so it’s important to knock it out of the park. Keep your message concise, and make sure it’s courteous, clear, and error-free. With any luck, your potential employer will decide in your favor and end your job search.
