How to write a follow up email after an interview (with 3 templates)

When to send a follow up email

There is no single rule, but one guideline is widely used: send your thank-you email within 24 to 48 hours after the interview, while the conversation is still fresh for the interviewer (LiveAgent gives this as a general rule). Sending it the same day is fine. Waiting a week makes the email feel late.

There are two different emails, and they are sent at different times:

• The thank-you email. Send it within 24 to 48 hours, whatever happens next.
• The follow-up email. Send it only if you have not heard back by the date the employer gave you. If they gave no date, a common guideline is to wait about a week. This is a habit, not a rule, so adjust it if the company said the process would be slow.

If you met several people, you can send each person a short, separate email. Do not send the same copy to all of them. Change one detail so each message feels personal.

The structure: four parts, about five sentences

Career advisers describe the same shape for these emails: a subject line, a short opening, a body, and a polite sign-off (Michael Page lists these steps). For a thank-you email, a simple version is:

1. Greeting. Use the name you were given: "Dear Ms Patel," or "Hi Julie," if the interview was informal. Use "Dear Hiring Manager," only when you do not know the name.
2. Thank them. One sentence, with the role and the day of the interview.
3. One specific detail. Mention something you talked about. This proves you were listening, and it is what makes the email different from every template online.
4. Why you fit. One sentence that connects your skills to what they need.
5. Close. Say you look forward to the next step, and sign with your full name.

Finally, read it aloud once before you send it. If a sentence makes you stop or sounds strange, it will read strangely to the interviewer too. Check the interviewer's name and the spelling of the company.

Subject lines that get opened

A good subject line is clear and plain. Michael Page suggests including your name and the interview details, in a format like: John Smith – Re: Interview on Tuesday at 4pm. If you do not have the interviewer's contact details, because a recruiter arranged everything, the same page recommends using your name, the date and the time.

Some options:

• Your name, Re: Interview for [Job title] on [day]
• Thank you for meeting with me, [Your name]
• Following up: [Job title] interview on [date]

Avoid vague lines such as "Hello", all capital letters, and exclamation marks.

Template 1: the thank-you email

Copy this, replace the words in brackets, and make sure the detail in the third sentence is real.

Template 2: the follow-up when you have not heard back

Use this when the date they gave you has passed. The tone should be friendly, not impatient. You are asking for information, not complaining.

The question "Could you let me know where things stand?" is also the polite way to ask about an interview result. It is softer than asking directly for the decision.

Template 3: replying after a rejection

A short, gracious reply after a no leaves a good impression and keeps the door open for other roles.

Asking for feedback is optional. Some employers will not give any, and that is normal.

English mistakes to avoid in follow-up emails

These phrases are common in emails by non-native speakers. They are understandable, but they can sound too pushy, too stiff or simply wrong to an English-speaking recruiter.

Two more habits help. Keep the email short, because recruiters read many emails a day. And avoid repeating your whole CV: one new, relevant detail is worth more than five repeated ones.

A phrase bank you can reuse

Opening

• Thank you for taking the time to meet with me on [day].
• Thank you again for the interview today.
• It was a pleasure speaking with you about the [Job title] role.

Showing interest

• I was glad to hear more about [topic], and I am even more excited about the role.
• Our conversation about [topic] confirmed that this is the kind of work I want to do.

Closing

• Please let me know if I can provide anything else.
• I look forward to hearing about the next steps.
• Thank you again for your time and consideration.

If you feel nervous about the interview itself, practise your answers out loud first. Our guides to telling an interviewer about yourself, why we should hire you and the questions to ask at the end give sample answers you can say aloud, and a speaking partner such as an AI English tutor lets you rehearse them before the real day.