By Michelle Vessel
For BioSpace
One of the universal commandments of the job search literature is to follow up on each interview by contacting the hiring manager soon after your meeting is concluded. The rationale behind this advice is that a follow-up contact can help jobseekers establish themselves as professional and polite, while simultaneously giving a boost to their post-interview momentum and ensuring that their name will remain fresh in the interviewer’s mind as he or she proceeds with the selection process.
However, one conundrum that has long puzzled jobseekers is determining the best way to go about initiating a post-interview contact. The traditional method -- a handwritten thank-you note sent by postal mail -- is thoughtful but potentially too formal for some interview situations. Furthermore, the relatively slow speed of mail delivery can often hurt the sense of immediacy that should be a centerpiece of your follow-up strategy.
On the other hand, most experts caution against following up on your interview with an immediate phone call. Although this method may be more expedient, it could also be perceived by the hiring manager to be intrusive and overly forward.
The Email Follow-Up: Instantaneous and Low-Profile
Thankfully, technology has provided today’s jobseekers with a perfect compromise solution to this dilemma. An email follow-up offers the best of both worlds: you can rest assured that the interviewer will receive your message soon after you send it, but he or she has the option to choose to read and respond to your message as time permits.
Before you dash off your first email follow-up, consider the pros and cons of this approach. Use these tips and guidelines to develop an e-mail follow-up strategy that aligns well with the aims of your job search.
• Make sure email is appropriate. Although email is used widely these days, there are certain situations in which a traditional handwritten note might be preferable. For example, if you are interviewing for a high-ranking position or if the hiring manager seems to prefer a more formal mode of communication, an email follow-up might not be ideal.
• Adopt a formal tone. Although email is by its nature an informal medium that has given rise to its own unique lexicon of slang and abbreviations, it’s important to write exactly as if you were composing a handwritten thank-you note. Your job search-related emails should be as carefully composed as a cover letter or any other important business communication.
• Briefly recap why you are good fit for the position. After an opening paragraph expressing thanks for the opportunity to interview, refer back to a few key moments or memorable exchanges that took place during the meeting. Then, in no more than one or two sentences, reiterate your key qualifications for the position.
• Convey gratitude, interest, and engagement in the process. After expressing appreciation and restating why you’re the right candidate for the position, offer to provide any additional information that may aid in the decision-making process. Close with a low-pressure inquiry about the timetable for the selection process.
• Don’t come on too strong. Aim to remain humble and appreciative in your tone, and suppress the urge to pepper the hiring manager with a barrage of emails. If a week or more has passed and you haven’t received any updates or replies, consider following up with a phone call.
Used thoughtfully, email can be a great medium to remain in contact with a hiring manager after an interview and throughout the selection process. Just remember to err on the side of formality when it comes to composing your job search-related email communications.
