By Lewis C. Lin & Denali Bollens

You’ve written the thank you email immediately after the interview. You’ve also written the follow-up email about a week after.

But you still haven’t heard back. And it’s your dream job. Or you’re being pressured to accept another job. Or you just need to know.

What’s the best way to write a follow-up email that will actually get them to respond? Here are our five tips on how to write a killer 2nd follow-up email, along with three example templates that you can use.

How to Structure the 2nd Follow-up Email

1. Wait about one week. Sending the 2nd follow-up email too quickly can come across as being desperate. Valuable employees are highly sought after, not begging recruiters to respond.
2. Demonstrate passion. Companies want to hire candidates that will give 110% and remain committed to the company. They’re trying to avoid candidates that want the job just because they need to pay the bills. Use the 2nd follow-up email as another opportunity to demonstrate your passion.
3. Don’t overcomplicate the email. Sometimes straightforward is the best way to go. A simple clarifying question such as “Has the position been filled?” or “How is the hiring process advancing?” could be effective, primarily because it’s quick to read and easy for the company contact to reply.
4. Be professional. A million emotions can be coursing through your body as you wait. Despite your anxiety, maintain your poise. You’re writing to your potential future boss or colleagues, so don’t burn any bridges with catty remarks such as “A more professional company would never make a candidate wait so long.”

Second Follow up Email: 3 Templates

Example 1

Dear Mr. / Ms. Sánchez,

I recently applied for the ________ position. I enjoyed meeting you and your colleagues. Since I have not yet heard back from your company, I wanted to ask as to whether I’m still being considered for the position or if it has been filled. If the________ position, I would like to express my strong interest in working for your company.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Brittany Smith

Example 2

Dear Mr. / Ms. Sánchez,

I am emailing to let you know that I am still greatly interested in the ________ position that I interview for on ________. After we spoke, (insert one or more of the sentences below)

• I did some research and found out that (positive facts or statistics about the company that you didn’t know during the interview)
• I made a point to teach myself (some qualification that you didn’t bring up during the interview that would be a great addition to the job)
• I met with (expert or someone working in the same field as the company you interviewed at ex. If it was a tech company, maybe meet with a tech expert in the specific field you would work in)

(continue on with) After doing this I am now even more excited about the thought of working with (specific company).

I hope the hiring process is going well. Please let me know if there is any additional information that I could send as you consider my candidacy.

Best,

Brittany Smith

Example 3 (Adapted from Hubspot)

Dear Mr. / Ms. Sánchez,

It has been ________ weeks since we last spoke about________ position. At the time, you mentioned that you were looking for a ________ position and the ________ qualities required in role. I’m still very interested in working with your team at [Company Name], and I would love to prove to you that I not only meet those qualifications, but also exceed them.

I understand if the position has already been filled, but I wanted to reiterate my enthusiasm about working with such an incredible group of people at [Company Name].  If the role is no longer available, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re ever looking for help with the ________ position.

Thank you,

Brittany Smith

Source: Stokpic