Once you’ve made initial meaningful contact with a hiring manager – through an interview, online or phone inquiry, informational interview or networking experience – the best way to turn that encounter into opportunity is through sustained follow-up.
Once you’ve made initial meaningful contact with a hiring manager – through an interview, online or phone inquiry, informational interview or networking experience – the best way to turn that encounter into opportunity is through sustained follow-up.
You already know – or should know – to send an initial thank-you after a hiring manager has given you some of his or her time and consideration. But you should also continue to follow up if you’ve heard nothing after 10 days, and then 10 days after that if you’ve still heard no definitive decision. Another suggested guideline is to contact the hiring manager up to three times over a two-week period.
In fact, you should persist with follow-ups. That’s the advice of executive talent agent and senior-executive job search consultant Debra Feldman, who writes, “be consistent and demonstrate you are reliable by keeping in touch with everyone you met, using a variety of channels and always-attractive messaging until you are told in no uncertain terms to ‘scram Sam!’”
Below are sample follow-up messages to send via email for a variety of post-contact scenarios. The first one follows Feldman’s suggestion to “write and publish an article or presentation applicable to this opportunity that can be repurposed as a work sample credential on LinkedIn or submitted to a professional organization or presented at an internal meeting.”
Follow-up letter that shares candidate’s role-related content:
Dear Mr. Miller:
As you continue the selection process for the product-safety manager position I interviewed for earlier this month, I wanted to share with you an article I recently published about how products that make our foods safer are so important right now. You’ll find it at [insert URL here].
The article aligns well with our discussion about priorities for this position. As you know, my product background qualifies me well for this role. Mr. Miller, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to meet with you. Please enjoy the article; I’d love any feedback you might have. I look forward to hearing from you soon about my status in the search.
Best Regards,
Sylvia Sullivan
Follow-up after second interview:
Dear Ms. Buckingham:
What a great pleasure it was to meet with you again on Dec. 17 about the Operations Manager position at [name of company]. After this second meeting, I am even more excited about this position and the contribution I intend to make. Thank you for an excellent meeting and for sharing so openly your plans and goals for the position.
I very much admire your commitment to the revitalization of the IT department, and I welcome the opportunity to take the team to next level. I further look forward to enhancing the firm’s success through my visionary ability to grasp the big picture and develop a strategy to improve the infrastructure and overall departmental performance.
As you know, the scope of responsibility for this position closely parallels my background. In fact, our conversation further convinced me that I am exactly the person you need to raise the level of IT service to the organization. I have no illusions; I am well aware that the position will be quite demanding and that it is a critical position within the company. But I am totally confident of my ability to develop and mentor managers to enable them to develop their teams, my skills in managing budgets exceedingly well, and my knack for interacting effectively with various levels within the organization.
The wonderful rapport I feel I have already developed with you provides the foundation for a terrific working relationship.
Again, Mr. Buckingham, thank you so much for meeting with me a second time. Please feel free to contact me if you need additional information. Thank you again for the enjoyable and thought-provoking meeting.
Sincerely, Reese Thomason
Post-interview follow-up when candidate has decided against the job but still wants to work with the company:
Dear Mr. Bower:
I’d like to thank you for talking with me on Tuesday about the account executive position in your company. I truly appreciate the opportunity to interview, as well as all the time and care you took in telling me about the job, learning more about my qualifications and reviewing my portfolio.
Although we both recognized that this position is not the best match for me, I was delighted to realize that my background, both my 10 years of direct-marketing experience and my design skills, provides me with excellent qualifications to solve your creative advertising dilemma on a freelance basis.
I have frequently been called upon to apply my understanding of the art of the sale to positioning a product to sell. My philosophy is that a specific formula applies to direct-market advertising, but you don’t have to sacrifice exceptional design to sell the product. I am one of those rare designers who grasps the selling concept yet can also make a product look appealing.
I would very much appreciate the opportunity to present my portfolio and design solutions to your core marketing team. I know that the insufficient creative support that your firm is currently experiencing must be a huge weight on your shoulders, and I am poised to lift that burden.
While the account executive position is not right for me, I am very glad I had the opportunity to interview with you, and I am very much looking forward to the possibility of working with your firm on freelance projects. Please feel free to contact me if you need more information about my qualifications. Thank you again for the enjoyable interview.
Sincerely, Don Wallman
Follow-up to a job creation proposal:
Dear Ms. Ferry:
I am writing to follow up on my letter of [date] proposing the creation of a Project Manager position within your firm. I also wish to take this opportunity to reiterate my enthusiasm for bringing my project-management talents to [name of firm], along with my strong interest in proposing, developing, and executing ongoing travel projects to enhance your organization’s success.
Having gained solid experience in travel-industry project management, I’ve determined that I can make a significant impact on an organization like yours. I’d like to make that impact in a Project Manager capacity, specifically contributing the following to your bottom line:
- A solid project-management background and the experience to plan, schedule, monitor, and document projects from inception to completion, along with an extensive understanding of the project-management best practices that drive today’s service businesses;
- The management savvy to envision the big picture while guiding projects, along with the organizational skills to handle the smaller details.
I would very much like to share my ideas with you on how your company could benefit from a Project Manager like me. I will contact you soon to arrange for a discussion. Feel free also to reach me using the contact information listed above.
Sincerely, Barry Jansson
Follow-up to an inquiry made online about a job:
Dear Mr. Karkas,
I am following up on my online inquiry of Feb. 8 about the Executive/Senior Administrative Assistant position you have open in your firm. I also wish to take this opportunity to reiterate my enthusiasm for working with you at Zytronic.
After further studying the job description, I conclude that the ideal candidate should possess solid organizational and interpersonal skills, acute attention to detail, and a willingness to operate in a hands-on manner. The person selected for this position will also have to be a quick study to thrive
in a fast-paced environment and to ensure the office runs smoothly.
I am convinced that my skills and abilities align well with your needs.
This position is extremely similar to my position with Hybrid Networks, where I demonstrated proficiency in supporting executive-level staff and managers. In addition, my employment history attests to my dedication and penchant for hard work.
I would very much appreciate an interview for this position. You can reach me at 555-555-5301 or via e-mail at
Again, Mr. Karkas, thank you for your time and consideration.
Cordially, Barbara Kelly
Follow-up to conversation at networking event:
Dear Ms. Gilfillan:
I so enjoyed talking with you at last night’s networking event about consulting positions you have open at your firm. I also wish to take this opportunity to reiterate my enthusiasm for working with you at Capgemini, along with my strong interest in contributing to ongoing consulting projects.
Having recently called your office to follow up on my previous submission, I am following the advice to again enclose my application materials, including my resume.
I can be available in Spain for an interview within a month. I am in the final stages of obtaining my Portuguese citizenship, which will enable me to work in Spain.
After further studying the Career section of your Spain Web site, I note that the ideal candidate should be committed to a Collaborative Business Experience through high performance and obtaining lasting results. The person selected for a consulting position will be innovative, honest, confident, able to obtain the confidence of clients through trust, possess a bold and enterprising spirit, and demonstrate the team spirit that results in rich collaboration. I am convinced that my solid education and experience, along with my international background, align well with your needs.
My employment history attests to my dedication and drive for success.
I would very much appreciate an interview for this position. You can reach me using the contact information atop this letter. Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Cordially, Marcos V. Martins
Follow-up/thank you email that mentions willingness to return for additional interviews:
Dear Dr. Kellogg:
It was wonderful to have the opportunity to speak with you concerning the family-medicine position with your practice, and I thank you. I know how limited a physician’s time can be, and your timely involvement in the interview process impressed me. After speaking with you, I felt certain that we can develop an effective working relationship.
After reflecting on our discussion, I deduced that you are looking for more than a competent family practitioner; you seek someone with an exceptional ability to communicate with patients. Holistic health-care skills are critical, and I can execute mine readily. I intend to use not only my integrity and dedication in this position, but my open communication and interpersonal skills to their fullest extent.
The scope of responsibility for this position parallels my residency. I dedicated many hours to becoming proficient in numerous areas, and my tenacity was quickly recognized. I would like to share the same experience while contributing to the success of your practice.
If you decide that I should interview with any of your partners, I will be available at your convenience. Until then, I look forward to the possibility of working with you. I thank you again for taking the time to meet with me.
Sincerely yours, Michelle E. Fitzgerald
