You rocked that graduate job interview and came across as a superstar candidate. Nice work! But your journey isn't over yet - one of the most important steps is still ahead of you. Following up effectively after your graduate job interview can truly make or break your chances of landing that awesome position.
Why is the follow up so crucial?
It shows you're truly enthusiastic about the role, helps you stay top of mind with the hiring managers, and allows you to reiterate your fit for the company. A thoughtful follow up helps seal the deal and could be the factor that separates you from other qualified candidates.
As a fresh grad just entering the working world, you'll want to master the art of the post-interview follow up. Don't stress - this guide has got you covered! We'll walk through exactly how, when and what to follow up with to maximize your chances of getting that dream job offer. Let's dive in!
The Basics of the Graduate Job Interview Follow Up
When it comes to timing, you'll want to follow up with the hiring manager(s) within 24 hours after your graduate job interview. Any later than that and you risk being forgotten or seen as disinterested. But don't follow up immediately after either – you don't want to seem desperate or overeager.
The ideal way to follow up as a recent graduate is via personalized email to each interviewer you spoke with. This allows you to connect one-on-one and make your follow up messages more tailored. If they only provided one group email during the interview, that's okay too - just follow up with everyone on the same thread.
For format, keep your graduate job interview follow up short, simple, and skimmable with clear paragraph breaks. You want to make it clean and easy for busy hiring managers to quickly read through.
What to Include in Your Graduate Job Interview Follow Up
Your follow up email after the graduate job interview should essentially have three core components:
- A proper greeting and thanks
After a quick greeting, be sure to sincerely thank the interviewer for their time. You can mention being grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the role and company. This is just common courtesy. - A brief recap of your fit
In 2-3 sentences, concisely recap why you're the ideal candidate for this graduate job opportunity. Emphasize how your skills, experience, and passion align with the core requirements they mentioned. You can even reference a specific moment or question from the interview that allowed you to clearly demonstrate your qualifications. - A reiteration of your enthusiasm
Close out your follow up email by reiterating your strong interest and enthusiasm for the role and company. Mention getting excited any time you think about joining the team and being ready to provide any other information needed to move forward with you as the top candidate.
*Bonus: Answering a question you wish you expanded on
If there was a specific interview question you wish you elaborated more on or were unsatisfied with your response for, you can take this opportunity in your graduate job interview follow up to provide that extra context or details. Sometimes having some time to reflect after an interview allows you to enhance an answer.
Two Sample Graduate Job Interview Follow Up Emails
Not sure exactly how to word your follow up emails as a recent grad? Here are two sample templates you can model yours after:
Sample #1: A short and sweet follow up
Subject Line: Thank you for the interview - [Job Title]
Hi [Interviewer's Name],
Thank you again for taking the time to interview me yesterday for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this exciting position.
With my leadership experience from my roles at [Uni/College Name] and my proven skills in [2-3 Core Skills], I know that I could thrive and make strong contributions very quickly in this [Job Title] position. I have a true passion for [Core Part of the Role] and would love to join a company with such a stellar reputation like [Company Name].
Please let me know if you need any other information from me as you move forward with next steps. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Sample #2: A follow up expanding on an answer
Subject Line: More thoughts on [Specific Topic] - [Job Title]
Hi [Interviewer's Name],
Thank you again for the insightful conversation yesterday regarding the [Job Title] opportunity at [Company Name]. I left the interview energized about this potential role.
After reflecting on our discussion around [Specific Interview Topic], I wanted to elaborate a bit more on my thoughts and experience in that area, which I don't feel I fully conveyed during our chat.
[2-3 Sentences Expanding or Clarifying Your Relevant Experience/Skill]
With my enthusiasm for [Relevant Role Responsibility] coupled with this hands-on experience, I'm highly confident that I could be an immediate asset to your team at [Company Name]. This role truly aligns with my goals and passions.
Please let me know if any other questions come to mind as you continue evaluating candidates. I'm available at any time to discuss further. I look forward to hopefully joining your team soon!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
By striking the right follow up tone, reinforcing your fit, and showing authentic enthusiasm, a great post-interview follow up email can seal the deal and land you that coveted entry-level role. Implement these graduate job interview follow up tips and you'll be well on your way to kicking off your dream career!