How to Type a Job Interview Follow-Up Letter

Type up the letter as soon as possible after the interview.

After interviewing for a job, you should always send a follow-up letter. The letter allows you to stand out from other job applicants and tells your potential employer that you value the position and are taking the interview process seriously. Just as it is appropriate to send a thank-you note for a gift, it is appropriate to thank the interviewer for his or her time and the opportunity to be considered for the position. The follow-up letter is also an opportunity to reiterate why you are the best person for the position.

Instructions

1. Select a professional font that is used in most business situations such as Cambria or Times New Roman. Ornate fonts or those with cursive-style writing can be difficult for some people to read. Choose a font size that is easy for the interviewer to read but isn't overly large. A good size font is typically a 12 point.

2. Format the letter. The follow up letter can be typed in any word processing program, such as Microsoft Word. To start, format the interviewer's full name so that the text is aligned to the left. On the next line type the interviewer's title. On the next line type the company name. The next two lines should have the full company address as you normally would address an envelope. Then have three or four spaces between the start of your letter and this information. All the other text should also always be aligned left. After the body of the letter, leave enough space for your typed name and a spot for your handwritten signature above it.

3. Type a short letter. The letter should be simple and only two or three paragraphs long. These paragraphs should be free of any grammatical errors as they will be a good indicator of your proficiency in writing. In the first paragraph, you should thank the interviewer for the opportunity to be considered for the position. In the second paragraph, reiterate in a sentence or two why you are right for the position. This is also where you can explain any factors that would make you right for the position but weren't mentioned in the interview. You might have a third paragraph where you include the contact information for a reference if you haven't given your references to the interviewer yet.

Tips & Warnings

• The envelope that you put the follow-up letter in should be professionally presented. The envelope should be typed.

• Once you've sent the follow up letter, wait a few days to hear back before you call the interviewer to check in on the status of the job. You wouldn't want to call before your letter got there or on the same day or else the employer might consider you to be too pushy.

References

• The New York Times: "Review and Revise Your Job Hunt for a New Year"

Resources

• The New York Times: "How Not to Say Thank You After an Interview"