Help me follow up to an interview!

July 14, 2009 7:15 AM

Help me write the perfect follow up email to a job I desperately want!

I've been interviewing for a position over a period of about 6 weeks. At the the last interview, I was informed that there were 4 candidates left at this stage, and that I was the first to be interviewed. This was two weeks ago.

After my last interview (which I think went well), I sent a thank you email to the person I interviewed with (as I have after each step pf this process). The person wrote back that it was nice to meet me too, and that they would be in touch sometime after the 16th. I would like to send another email around now just to get back on their radar since it's been two weeks since my interview, and I have the disadvantage of being the first candidate interviewed (and so probably the easiest to forget).

All the advice I find online about following up at this point is hard-sell stuff. I don't want to go this route. I also am not concerned about annoying HR, because this is a very very small organization where the hiring manager for this position is the person I'm directly communicating with. My questions are:

1) When should I send the email for maximum effect (today, tomorrow, the 16th?)
2) What should I include- I'm thinking, greeting, confirm continued interest in position, recapitulate three best qualities briefly, and say something to the effect that I know they have a difficult hiring decision to make, but I would be the best?
3) How can I phrase that last part without being creepy, falsely empathetic or otherwise undesirable?

posted by whodatninja to Work & Money (7 answers total)

They told you they would get back to you after the 16th. You've already thanked them after the interview. I wouldn't follow up until sometime next week. I promise... if you are a top candidate for the job, you haven't fallen off of their radar. If you aren't a top candidate, no e-mail is going to help your case. Most hiring managers (self included) find these types of communications annoying.
posted by kimdog at 7:25 AM on July 14, 2009 [6 favorites]

If the interview process has taken six weeks, you have to consider that the selection process may also take a bit of time. If you are in the last five candidates, you won't be forgotten. They have already told you you'll be informed after the 16th, so to contact them before that time might push you from the "maybe" pile to the "maybe not" pile. kimdog has got it right. You have already followed up - there is no need to do so again.
posted by futureisunwritten at 7:46 AM on July 14, 2009

What kimdog said. I work in recruitment, and to be quite honest I would be more annoyed than anything else. I know your intentions are good, but if they told you the 16th, it's for a reason. There are probably decisions/discussions/approvals that have to take place behind the scenes before anything definitive can happen. Don't send anything before the 17th, and considering that that's a Friday, I would advise waiting till at least Monday. With that said.. good luck! =)
posted by Kattiara17 at 9:35 AM on July 14, 2009

If someone gives you a date by which they will get back to you, it is (IMO) rude to get back to them sooner than that, unless you have something new to discuss. Doing so tells them that you don't trust that they will do what they said they would when they said they would do it. This applies to any professional relationship, including applying for a job.
posted by Simon Barclay at 10:10 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oh, and since the duration of the application process is being measured in weeks, give them at least another week (ie: the 23rd) before another follow-up.
posted by Simon Barclay at 10:11 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Definitely don't get in contact until at least the 20th.

I have the disadvantage of being the first candidate interviewed (and so probably the easiest to forget)

Have you ever done hiring? It's actually the exact opposite. You remember the first person and compare everyone afterwards to that person. They start to seem better and better over time. Being interviewed first is a huge advantage. Don't ruin it by being a pest.
posted by decathecting at 10:49 AM on July 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Don't follow up until Monday and don't recapitulate your best qualities when you do - you've already done your sales pitch and could actually lose the job by pushing too hard right now. Leave it until Monday and then just make it a casual "when can I expect word" type contact. You could totally blow it by seeming over-anxious, so be careful about your approach - you don't want to come across as high-maintenance at his point.
posted by Lolie at 12:00 AM on July 15, 2009