Three Sample Follow-up Letters
It’s far too common for candidates to go through the grueling process of taking the time to write a professional resume, develop a LinkedIn profile, create a tailored cover letter for the job at hand, get called in for an interview, meet with the decision maker for what seemed like a good interview, only to receive an email or letter two-weeks later stating that they’ve been passed for another candidate.
Of course, the employer could have genuinely interviewed a more qualified candidate but more often than not, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If a hiring manager must decide between two equally qualified and potential candidates, the one that has all their ducks in order will be the clear choice.
Failing to include an effective follow-up (thank you) letter can easily make the difference between getting extended a job offer or receiving a letter of denial. These three sample follow-up letters provides great examples that can help with your job search.
The Importance of a Follow-up Letter
UpToWork gathered recent hiring/recruiting statistics and demonstrated that recruiters mentioned 37% of resumes will get rejected if there is no follow-up with the employer after an interview. Recruiters are constantly bombarded with resumes/job applications and determining which candidates to consider hiring often revolves around eliminating the candidates who is missing crucial information.
For example, two resumes that both pull up in a company’s applicant tracking systems and appear equally qualified can be distinguished by who includes their public LinkedIn profile and who doesn’t. After an interview of two equally qualified candidates, the one who fails to include an appropriate follow-up letter will be the clear choice to dismiss.
Follow-up Letter Samples:
Similarities
One thing all three follow-up letters have in common is that they are all very concise and to the point. A follow-up letter should be able to be reviewed in a few seconds. Next, all three follow-up letters open by thanking the hiring manager for their time.
Then, all three letters specifically mention something that was talked about in the interview, which shows the hiring manager that you were engaged. Finally, all three follow-up letters reiterate your appreciation for being considered for the job.
Differences
The main differences among all three follow-up letters is the layout of the contact information, which should be identical to the resume and cover letter. Also, follow-up letter #3 includes two attached articles for the hiring manager. Including information like this can be helpful if the interview was very engaging and the hiring manager was passionate about a topic. Finally, follow-up letters #1 and #3 include a “call to action” statement to entice the hiring manager to call you back by including something of value to whet their appetite.
Including a follow-up (thank you) letter is a necessity and can make the difference between being extended an offer or receiving a denial letter. Keep the follow-up letter very concise and remember to thank the hiring manager for their time, include the reasons why you are the best candidate for the position, and mention something specific that was spoken during the interview to help keep you fresh in the hiring managers minds.
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Maria Gold is a Content Manager/Writer for Empire Resume. She is dedicated to helping educate and motivate people with the latest career articles and job search advice. Her interests range from writing to programming and design. She is also passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.
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