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

The time in between sending your post-interview thank you note and receiving a response can be stressful and scary. Following up the right way is extremely important, but most candidates aren’t sure what the best practices are. Our interview coaches have been on the receiving end of thousands of post-interview follow up emails, and have compiled a list of the most impactful do’s and don’ts.

Don’ts: Second Follow Up Email After Interview

1. Take it personally if you haven’t heard back in a while. Companies have different hiring policies that they are required to follow. Not all hiring managers are at liberty to share hiring process-related information. Give your hiring contact the benefit of the doubt and remain positive. Follow up emails should always be polite in tone.
2. Make assumptions. Not hearing back from an interviewer could mean a variety of things. Take this into account before sending a second follow up email. While a long wait for a hiring decision could mean that the company has moved on to other candidates, it could also mean that you remain in the running for the role and they are still in the process of making their decision. Both scenarios are equally plausible.
3. Also leave a voicemail. If you want to follow up a second time after an interview, sending an email, and only sending an email, is the best way to do so. An email, as opposed to a voicemail, gives the hiring manager more control, as well as the opportunity to respond thoughtfully and carefully to your questions. A voicemail would most likely lead to a phone call, which can put hiring managers on the spot when discussing sensitive hiring information. Additionally, both leaving a voicemail and sending an email might be perceived as over the top.

Do’s: Second Follow Up Email After Interview

1. Highlight your interest in the role. If a hiring manager has narrowed his or her list down to two final candidates who are equally qualified for the job, passion and excitement about the company and opportunity can always set one candidate apart. At the end of the day, hiring managers don’t want to waste time and resources on somebody who probably won’t accept an offer, especially if there is another equally qualified candidate who has indicated strong interest. If you want to send a second follow up email after an interview, be sure to mention that you are reaching out because of how excited you are about the role. This can only help you.
2. Ask about a timeline. Asking about an estimated timeline is a polite and unassuming way to get some more information from a hiring manager. Directly asking for a decision, or asking about where a company is in the hiring process is a bit too presumptuous and can be off-putting. Companies are not obligated to share information about their hiring processes with candidates, and while specifics and feedback are always nice, they are never guaranteed. Keep this in mind if you decide to send a second follow up email after an interview. A vague and polite question about a timeline that is included after a reiteration of interest in the role is your safest bet.
3. Wait. If you start feeling the urge to send a second follow up email after your interview, wait three business days before doing so. The hiring process can take a long time, and there are a lot of moving parts involved. It almost always ends up taking companies longer than expected to make a hiring decision. Employees are only human, and life happens. Give your interviewer some breathing room if you start feeling impatient. Remember that those involved in the hiring process are also busy with their general work load. Factor in time for sick days, travel delays, meetings, and family emergencies. When your instincts tell you to send a second follow up email, it is okay to follow your gut, but hold-off for a few days before doing so.

If you’re interested in learning more about our interview coaching services, email lewis@impactinterview.com.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Now that the ink has dried, I’m happy to announce that two of our corporate clients were successfully acquired by the two biggest titans in the tech industry. See what our acqui-hire interview clients have to say about our services:

You may have heard from others, but we all made it through our interviews successfully! We’re now all official Google employees. 🙂 I wanted to reach out and thank you again for your help! It was invaluable to spend time on mock interviews with you, get constructive feedback on my responses, and ultimately feel more confident going into the process. I also really appreciated that you were able to make availability for me on such short notice. Thank you thank you!

For both startups, we provided full stack coaching including:

• Software engineering interview coaching
• Product manager interview coaching
• Designer interview coaching including UI, UX, graphic, and visual
• Marketing interview coaching, including content and product marketing roles
• Sales and operations interview coaching

If you’re a start-up who’s going through an acqui-hire process or interview, email lewis@impactinterview.com. We can discuss how we can:

• Help close the transaction
• Help secure offers for your employees

Photo credit: Google, Amazon

If you’re working with headhunters for your job search, the interview questions might start sounding the same. You’re not alone. All headhunters do ask very similar questions! Read our list below, and prepare your interview responses in advance. Do that, and you’ll impress the headhunter. First impressions count, and you’ll be on your way toward a job offer.

Most Popular Interview Questions Asked by Headhunters

1. Tell me a bit about yourself.
2. Why are you leaving?
3. What is your current salary?
4. What is your expected salary?
5. What kind of companies would you like to work at? Large, medium, or small? If it’s a startup, are you looking for series A, B, C (aka early, mid, or late-stage startup)?
6. Tell me about your roles and responsibilities at your current and previous jobs.
7. The company is looking for skills A, B, and C. Can you tell me more about your experience with each?

Photo credit: Unsplash

You finished the interview a couple days ago. Now comes the most nerve-racking part: the wait. After waiting a couple of days, you can’t stand it anymore. You deserve to know what’s going on. Did you get the job or not? You can only wait so long. If they’re not going to choose you, you’ll want to move on with your life.

Here are our tips, along with two of our favorite sample emails on how to ask.

How to Ask Interview Status: Structuring the Email

You can try over phone or email. Phone might get you an immediate response. Whereas email might work well, especially if your recruiting contact is traveling is difficult to get a hold of over the phone.

The structure of your interview responses should include:

1. Formal greeting and salutation (e.g. Dear Mr. / Ms.).
2. Thank the recruiter or hiring manager for their time to interview you.
3. Ask for interview status.
4. Offer to answer any open questions or concerns they might have.

How to Ask Interview Status: 2 Sample Emails

Sample 1

Dear Mr./Ms. [Recruiter or Hiring Manager],

I enjoyed meeting you last week and wanted to share how excited I am about this opportunity. Is there anything else I can forward along to make your hiring decision easier?

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Inspired By: Richard Moy, The Daily Muse

Sample 2

Dear Mr./Ms. [Recruiter or Hiring Manager],

Following up for the position of [position name], I’d like to inquire about the progress of your hiring decision and the status of my job application. I am very eager to work with your company.

Thanks for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

How to Ask Interview Status: More Tips and Advice

• Keep it short, specific, and to the point.
• Be professional. Avoid unnecessary details.
• Don’t come across as desperate. A common way to come across as desperate is a natural desire to sell yourself, again, in the email.
• Don’t accuse or attack the contact for making you wait.
• Give HR at least 3 days to reply.
• Waiting to hear an interview result is tough. Stay strong!

Photo credit: Chris Favero

I recently received an interesting question from from a reader:

Question about Video Interview Software

What is your opinion of startups which utilize one-way video interviewing platforms?

I personally found it impersonal, and I wasn’t comfortable talking to a screen. I would rather prefer interacting with someone over a phone call or in-person. What do you think?

My Answer

I agree. I’d prefer phone calls and in-person meetings.

However, one-way video interviewing allows recruiters, interviewers and hiring managers tremendous advantages including video evidence and more importantly to candidates, an extra opportunity to make their case, especially if the interviewing team does not have the bandwidth to offer phone screens to everyone.

Rather than have a company reject me based on my resume, I’d glad take my chances with a video interview and give employers the opportunity to evaluate me beyond an over-polished piece of paper.

Photo credit: Sparkhire

Are you an MBA getting ready for a marketing interview? It doesn’t matter if it’s a tech or consumer packaged goods company. The interviewers will ask you hypothetical questions about common marketing scenarios. We’ve included some examples below.

The reason interviewers are asking case interview questions at the marketing interview: they need confidence and trust that you can handle the job. If you’ve never answered marketing case interview questions before, be prepared! After all, all of the case questions are modeled after real-world, on-the-job scenarios.

You can find all the sample answers in my book, The Marketing Interview.

Marketing Strategy Interview Questions

• What promotional strategies would you use for a Honey Nut Cheerios campaign? Sample answer on page 50.
• Develop a social good campaign for Teavana. Sample answer on page 57.
• How would you market Google AdWords? Sample answer on page 63.

Pricing Interview Questions

• Should Hidden Valley increase the price of its ranch dressing? Sample answer on page 77.
• Delta just announced a 10 percent across-the-board price cut. As United Airlines, do you stay or follow? Sample on page 82.
• Should Best Buy change its return policy from 15 to 90 days? Sample on page 86.

New Product Launch Case Interview

• Should Nike start a dress shoe business? Sample on page 115.
• Should General Mills use Yoplait or Pillsbury for their new frozen yogurt brand? Sample on page 122.

PR Crisis Interview Questions

• Customers claim that your drinks, which have been identified with E. coli as the reason for two infant deaths. Walk me through your PR plan for this issue. Sample answer on page 168.

Advertising Critique and Review Interview Questions

• Give me an example of an effective ad.
• Give me an example of an ineffective ad.
• Give me an example of an effective brand post on Pinterest.

ROI Interview Questions

• What’s the ROI of our email marketing campaign?
• What’s the ROI of our pay-per-click campaign?
• You have an opportunity to advertise inside a New York cab. How much should you pay?

Strategy Interview Questions

• Should Starbucks have an express line?

Photo credit: Rawpixel

SEE ALSO: How to Ace the Software Engineering Interview

Trying to get a developer job without a degree? Here are some of the best tips on how to do so from experts in the industry:

• You need sufficient proof for the fact that you are great at coding. A few projects on GitHub, contributions to other’s projects and some apps on Google Play which have been downloaded a respectable number of times. — Peter Andrews
• Devote a lot of hours to learning from online resources, tutorials, free courses, etc. — Michael Shaw
• Try to get some freelance gigs. — Vanessa Williams
• Make sure your foundational understanding of algorithms, programming concepts and data structures is solid. — Aamir Latif
• Make a connection. It’s possible to get an interview just by sending in an application online, but it’s hard, and I figure it’s harder for those of us whose qualifications aren’t as obvious on paper. Tell people about your coding projects and they might end up referring you to someone. — Presley Pizzo
• I strongly suggest you do a few killer GitHub projects and perhaps do some voluntary work somewhere… — Frank Mitchell
• Have a portfolio with your projects. — Sebastian Gorobievschi
• Have a solid record of open source work, which says that I know how to collaborate with other programmers. — Owen Williams

Photo credit: Sebastiaan ter Burg

Attention Startups: Here’s How To Get Acqui-Hired By Google, Yahoo Or Twitter
This how-to article discusses how to easily get acqui-hired by coveted Silicon Valley firms.

SO YOU’RE BEING ACQUI-HIRED…
Written by the venerable law firm, Cooley defines the acqui hire process and issues to go over with your board

How are acqui-hire valuations calculated?
Startup pundits provide insight on how to determine valuation, including a perspective from venture capitalist Jason M. Lemkin.

The End Of The Acquihire – Silicon Valley’s Startup Severance Package Falls Out of Favor
This article showcases data on recent trends in the acquihire process.

Is your company getting ready for the acqui-hire interview process?

Acqui-Hire Interview Help

If so, Impact Interview can help you pass those acqui-hire interviews. We provide interview coaching for all job functions including:

• Software engineers
• Product managers
• Designers
• Marketers
• Customer success managers
• Sales

We can also help functions not listed above with standard interview questions such as traditional and behavioral interview questions.

If you’re looking to pass your acqui hire interviews, email lewis@impactinterview.com, and we can discuss how we can help.
Photo credit: CB Insights