\u200bTime seems to move like molasses when you\u2019re in line. It gets even slower when you\u2019re working out. And it\u2019s most sluggish of all when you\u2019re waiting for a hiring manager to follow up after an interview.<\/p>\n
Every day (okay, maybe every hour), you refresh your inbox to see if they\u2019ve emailed you. Nothing. Then you look at your phone to see if they called. They haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n
You already sent the requisite thank you note the day of your interview, but now you\u2019re wondering if you should send them a quick (polite!) nudge to check the status of your application. It can\u2019t hurt, right?<\/p>\n
Wrong. A poorly worded, annoying, or inappropriate follow-up email can harm\u2014sometimes even kill entirely\u2014your shot of getting a job. To ensure that it never happens to you, here are the four rules of a good message.<\/p>\n
First, it\u2019s important to wait an adequate amount of time before sending a follow-up. You definitely don\u2019t want to annoy the hiring manager\u2014they\u2019re the one making the call on this decision. If they gave you an expectation of when they\u2019ll be in touch, like \u201cWe should make a decision by the end of the month,\u201d wait until that day\u2026plus one business day.<\/p>\n
That means if the end of the month falls on a Tuesday, you should follow up on Wednesday afternoon at the earliest. If the end of the month is a Friday, check in on Monday if you haven\u2019t heard anything.<\/p>\n
Rather than asking, \u201cHave you decided on who you\u2019ll be hiring?\u201d or even \u201cCan I please have an update?\u201d, write, \u201cAre there are any other materials or information I can provide?\u201d<\/p>\n
This makes you look helpful rather than pushy. It can also inspire them to respond back with, \u201cActually, can you please send us a few examples of your design work.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the interview, you (hopefully) expressed why your skills and experience make you a good fit for the role. In your thank you note, you (hopefully) expressed your enthusiasm for the job and company.<\/p>\n
Your follow-up note isnot<\/i>the place to keep selling your case. You\u2019re simply getting in touch to see how far along in the process they are and when they\u2019ll have an update. It won\u2019t help to bring up five more reasons they should hire you.<\/p>\n4. Only Use One Channel<\/h2>\n
Searching for a job can be incredibly stressful. Unfortunately, your anxiety may entice you to try things you normally wouldn\u2019t. Follow up with the hiring manager over email, and that\u2019s it. Don\u2019t send them a message on LinkedIn, don\u2019t Tweet at them, don\u2019t follow them on Instagram, don\u2019t friend them on Facebook, and don\u2019t send a letter to their house, or a gift to their office (you might laugh, but job seekers try this!).<\/p>\n
Although people use these tactics to try to stand out and prove they\u2019re truly interested in the job, they may come across as over-the-top, desperate, weird, and\/or out of touch.<\/p>\n
We know this process can be excruciating. However, it\u2019s far too easy to shoot yourself in the foot. Observe these four rules to ensure that your follow-up message is delivered the right way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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