So you’ve landed an interview for your dream job, set up your call, dressed the part, and totally rocked out the Zoom call.
Go you!
Your remote interviewing experience has been going gangbusters so far. You’re doing great, champ, but you’re not quite across the finish line yet.
Even a great interview can still end without you getting the job. Often, it’s no fault of yours – the company was looking for someone with a slightly different focus or skill set, they got stuck with a last-minute hiring freeze, or someone’s psychic chihuahua decided they liked Candidate Q better.
But while interviewing is unpredictable, you can still maximize your chances of landing that dream job even when you’re not able to wow the interviewer in person.
One way to do that is by sending a fantastic thank you note after your remote job interview.
Why Send a Thank You after a Job Interview
Your mama taught you right – always send a thank-you note or follow-up after someone does something for you.
And yes, an interview is doing something for you! As much as you’re interviewing to see if you want to pour your time and energy into this company and role, you’re also looking to, you know, get paid by the people who are filling the position. Making a good impression counts!
Besides, they took the time to arrange a call and talk with you; it’s only polite to thank them for their interest.
Hiring managers do notice thank-you notes – according to one recruiter survey, more than 80% said that their decision was affected by receiving a thank you from a candidate, but only 24% of candidates sent a note!
So sending a thank you is a super-easy, effective way to stay on the hiring manager’s radar and in their good graces. It’s a no brainer.
But while there’s all kinds of rules and recommendations for how to follow up after a normal job interview, what happens after a Zoom job interview?
How To Send a Great Remote Interview Follow Up
1. Wait a Day
Don’t be too eager to send that follow-up. Although a lot of companies are recruiting fast right now, as economies open back up and they seek to fill positions that might not have existed a few months ago, you don’t want to seem desperate.
Waiting about 24 hours to follow up is appropriate. If you had your interview in the morning and you’re really excited, you can follow up later that afternoon, maybe 3pm.
But mostly, breath and chill for a sec, mmkay? Give yourself time to craft the right message. If you really want to get it done now-now-now, draft your note and use a Send Later tool in your email like Boomerang to schedule it for later.
2. Make the Subject Clear
Don’t let your note get lost in the shuffle. Keep your subject line crystal-clear; the hiring manager shouldn’t even have to open your email to know that you’ve sent a thank you follow-up.
Examples
- Thank you – [position] – [your name]
- Interview thanks – [your name] – [position]
- Thank you – [your name] – [position] interview
So for instance, you might write: Thank you – Jane Doe – superhero sidekick interview
3. Choose the Right Greeting
When opening your email, use the name the interviewer used with you. If you called them Mr. Smith and they left it at that, address your email to “Mr. Smith.” If they asked you to call them “Robert,” do that.
(Okay, so maybe don’t call them “Kittens McGee” even if they asked you to call them that in the interview….but also, maybe now’s the time to assess some choices here. Just sayin’.)
4. Thank Them for Their Time
Thank your interviewer for taking the time to talk with you, and for working within the constraints of Zoom or Skype. As we’re all figuring out, virtual meetings are friggin’ exhausting, and interviewing someone over video call isn’t fun. So acknowledging this shows some good emotional intelligence even as you acknowledge their effort.
Example:
Thanks so much for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I truly appreciate being able to connect with you face-to-face, even though we can’t meet in person these days.
5. Make It Relevant
This is a top tip for any job interview thank you, not just a remote one. Make your message relevant! Mention something you spoke about with the hiring manager and show you’re paying attention – being engaged, thoughtful, and forward-looking goes far when you’re aiming for a new job.
This is also your chance to demonstrate yet again how you’re going to contribute to the company, excel in the specific role, and integrate into the team.
Example:
I appreciated getting to learn more about the role and, specifically, what you’re looking for your new hire to accomplish in their first 30 days on the job. I’m really looking forward to getting to dig into your nighttime vigilante campaign and help right the wrongs inflicted on you by that pack of wild pheasants all those years ago. I already have a few ideas about how we might be able to use PPC advertising to help raise awareness of your brand, and I’m eager to see how we can make this come together.
6. Prepare for the Next Steps
Get ready for what’s coming next by asking what to expect. This is a good way to ensure that you get a response and stay at the top of the interviewer’s mind, too, instead of just falling into that deadly silence that so often follows sending out applications or doing interviews.
Acknowledge that things are a little weird right now, and so the hiring process might not look like it normally does, but ask what that means for this specific company and role. You’re showing empathy and problem-solving skills at the same time. Woo!
Example:
I know that hiring probably looks different right now than in ordinary times, but I’m looking forward to the next steps with this role. Let me know if you have any more questions for me and if I can help in any way as you move through the hiring process.
If you can fit in an actual question that they can respond actively to, even better!
Example:
I’m looking forward to discussing next steps with you. How can I help during the hiring process, and is there anything else I can provide for you? When would be best for me to follow up?
7. Sign Off with Gratitude
We’ve gone over good email signatures for during the coronavirus pandemic before, but now’s a good time to review solid basic sign-offs for emails.
Basically, just keep it simple. Express your gratitude again and get out of their inbox.
Examples:
- Thank you again,
- Looking forward to our next steps,
- Thank you for your time,
- Thanks again, and best wishes,
Go plug-and-play these little modules together and you’ve got yourself a nice thank-you email to send after your remote job interview!
Action Steps
- Write an interview thank you email template that feels like you.
- Take some of the above examples, tweak them to be your voice, and create 2 versions: one formal and one informal.
- Save those templates to deploy in the appropriate interview situations, customized to each specific interview with details from that conversation.
- Pat yourself on the back for saving time and energy while still having a super-great, tailored interview follow-up ready to go.
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