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Accomplish January 10, 2019
Slide into those Inboxes.
Writing a job follow up email can be terrifying. Do people even still do those? Why do we need them at all?
I know I’m guilty of not writing a follow up to avoid uncomfortable confrontation, but I regret that now. Follow up emails are the easiest way to get answers, develop as a professional and progress one’s communication skills. If I had asked for feedback in the past, I might have landed the internships I wanted in a more efficient and stress-free fashion.
So if you’re thinking about sending a note to some recruiters, here are ENTITY’s tips for writing and sending a job follow up email.
Don’t waste a recruiter’s time. They don’t want to read through an essay of small talk. They want to know who is writing to them and why.
So introduce yourself, explain when or how you applied to their position and get right into it. At some point in your email, thank them for their time. If you’re following up to a rejection letter, don’t go over one or two short paragraphs. If you’re following up after a successful interview, don’t go over three paragraphs.
A large part of being brief is also being upfront. If younger professionals are afraid to ask for something, they tend to ramble, use excessive flattery and beat around the bush. People in positions of higher seniority do not want this. They’re too busy to listen to your rant or piece together what you’re trying to say.
So get straight to the point. Determine your intentions behind the letter, limit your gratitude to a few sentences and don’t let fear of overstepping keep you from communicating with others.
If you’re writing a job follow up email to a rejection letter, make sure you come across eager to learn. It’s easy to respond to applicants who seem understanding and genuinely interested in how to get better. It’s not easy to respond to applicants who seem bitter and passive about not receiving the job.
It also helps if you ask a few questions. This can let the recruiter reply without poring over a paragraph of feedback. It also helps you narrow down what you really want to know. Ask one or two of the following:
What were the main reasons for my rejection?
Was I not qualified for the job?
Did something in my cover letter or resume need proofreading?
If you were in my shoes, how would you make an application to a similar position better?
Did you feel as though I wasn’t a good fit for the company?
Is something missing from my professional documents?
If you’re stuck between questions, go with “What were the main reasons for my rejection?” This will let the interviewer tell you the issues with your application without feeling uncomfortable about the negative criticism.
Lastly, even if you don’t always receive a response, keep sending job follow up emails after interviews and rejections. The more persistent you are, the better your chances at receiving feedback or landing the job.
And way down the line, as you’re working your dream job and receiving follow up emails of your own, you’ll laugh at the time you were afraid of sending one.
