How to Ask if You Got the Job After an Interview (With Examples)

Congratulations! You’ve managed to make it this far in the interview process. Now, all that’s left to do is to wait. But then again, one of the most nerve-wracking aspects of an interview process is the waiting game.

So, here’s how to ask whether or not you got the job after an interview, as advised by career experts.

Out of all of the many phases of the job search process, the interview is by far the most nerve-wracking as it enacts the waiting game. You replay in your mind if you said the right things, if you asked the right questions, and as you wait for your phone to ring and check your email in anticipation.

You ask yourself, “Is it ok to ask if I got the job and if it is, how do I do it?” The answer is yes.

Following up with an employer you have interviewed in a professional & proficient manner shows you’re staying connected with employers and interested in the role.

Here are three courteous ways to ask if you were selected for the role.

Send a post-interview thank you email and show your excitement about adding value to the company

Send a post-interview thank you email and communicate your excitement about adding value to the company. Whether or not the interviewers provide you with a specific timeline on when to expect to hear a decision regarding the role, you always send them a thank you email within 24 hours after the interview.

This is to let them know your appreciation of their time, and how enthused & genuinely thankful you are about the opportunity to become part of the company and to work with the team.

If you interviewed with multiple people, you would want to send an individual thank you email to each person. Your post-interview thank you email should be personalized and reflect on something you learned during the interview and how your expertise fits the role.

When drafting your post-interview thank you email, you want to make sure you have a clear, concise & bold email subject line. Here’s why that’s important — the email subject line determines whether your email gets opened and how quickly.

Here are some examples of concise & clear email subject lines:

• {Interviewer’s First Name}, it was great meeting with you
• Thank you for meeting with me!
• Thank you for the interview yesterday

Below is an example of a post-interview thank you letter that includes thanking the interviewer for their time, conveys excitement & interest in the job opportunity, and how you would add value to the company.

Dear Lee,

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today about the {Name of Position}. I enjoyed speaking with you and learning more about {Company Name.}

The interview strengthened my enthusiasm for the {Name of Position} and interest in working for {Name of Company}. I was particularly pleased with the prospect of being able to partner with the head of HR to develop the new HRIS to drive & deliver global consistency.

I found the questions asked during the interview to be very engaging and thought-provoking. It was exciting to meet the team during our office tour- a very knowledgeable, fun, and friendly group of people to whom I felt connected.

Again, I appreciate the time you and the team took to talk with me at length, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regards,
{Your Name}

Communicate a specific point you and the employer spoke about & share an idea or solution

During the interview, you should have an opportunity to showcase some of your problem-solving competencies by discussing some of the challenges of the company and how they would benefit from your competencies.

After the interview, go back to your notes and find one of the challenges or issues that the interviewer mentioned to you and share an idea or solution to it.

In your shared idea or solution, be sure to highlight one of your strengths. Personalize it and reference the specific challenge or issue that the interviewer mentioned, and then explain how one of your strengths would be a great fit for the position. Provide further detail on how you would use that strength to contribute and achieve success in the position.

This demonstrates to the employer that you paid attention during the interview and that you’re fully engaged and motivated in being a part of the company.

Here is an example:

Dear Lee,

I wanted to again thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I was recently reflecting on the long-term goals you communicated during the interview and wanted to share solutions regarding the challenges {Company Name} is having with the software development.

(Provide your specific idea and/or solution and how you would leverage strength and skillset to solve the problem.)

I would like the opportunity to work with you and the team to drive value-added solutions such as this for the success of {Company Name}. I’m excited to see what the future holds for the software development team.

If there is any other information I can provide to help expedite your decision-making process, please let me know. I look forward to hearing back from you on the next steps.

Best Regards,
{Your Name}

Follow-up to ask for an update and feedback

Most of the time, either HR or the interviewers will provide you with a specific timeframe on when you can expect to hear back from them regarding the status of the role. If the employer provides you with that timeframe, it’s important to wait until after that time expires before following up.

Related: How Long Does It Take to Hear Back From a Job Application

Remember, you are still being evaluated, and the employer is looking at how well you follow directions & instructions.

For example, if an employer says that they will get back to you by Tuesday next week, do not follow-up on or before Tuesday. If you do not receive a follow-up from them by Tuesday, give them 1-2 business days before you follow-up.

If you were not provided with a specific timeframe from the employer, it is acceptable to send a follow-up email within 7 days from your interview day.

Now let’s get to the game-changer on what sets you apart from other candidates. Whether or not you are selected for the position, always ask the employer for feedback. Even if the employer selects another candidate, ask them for feedback on your strengths as well constructive feedback on your areas of development.

Here’s how that’s a game-changer, even if the employer selects another candidate, you just showed the employer how open you are to receiving constructive feedback and rejection. More candidates focus on receiving the yes or no answer on whether or not they got the job.

Related: How to Ask for Feedback After a Job Rejection (With Examples)

When you communicate to an employer that whether or not you get the role, you welcome any feedback they may have, especially constructive feedback, and still want to be considered for future opportunities. Not only will you be remembered by the employer, but you will also have established relationship creditability with that employer for future opportunities.

Here is an example of how to follow-up on an update & also ask for feedback:

Good Morning Lee,

I hope you’re having a great morning. I wanted to touch base and follow-up with you to see if you have finalized a hiring decision on the (Name of the Position} role. I am very excited about the opportunity with {Company Name}, and I am eager to hear when you have an update.

Whether the company selects me as the candidate or not, I would greatly appreciate any feedback you may have on my strengths and areas of development. I would be grateful to learn how I can improve for future opportunities.

Thank you again for your consideration, and I am eagerly looking forward to hearing your hiring decision, along with any feedback you may have.

Best Regards,
{Your Name}

Related: How to Ask for Feedback After Interview (With Examples)

Two important things you need to remember about the job search process:

• The interview is a two-way street, the employer is interviewing you, but you are also interviewing the employer.
• The interview phase is still ongoing.

What I mean by that is, even after you have had your 1st, 2nd, 3rd & final interviews with the hiring manager and HR, the employer is still evaluating you.

Your follow-up, follow-through, how you are waiting & even your disposition to their decision on whether or not you were selected for the job — all of those things matter. I hope these tips help you navigate through your interview journey.

Have a game plan throughout the process

Once you land a job interview, you might think it’s best to focus entirely on getting ready for the meeting. Researching the company, or even practicing for the interview by answering a few commonly asked questions.

But it’s just as important to focus on the steps you will take after the interview.

Following an interview, several days or weeks may pass before you hear any news about the job. Quite naturally, you start to wonder if you are still in the running or if the company intends to hire someone else. Therefore, it’s good to have a plan that helps you ask if you got the job after an interview.

Before the interview

Before the day of the interview, it’s important to have a plan, which outlines your strategy for getting the job, the messages you want to share during the interview, and how you will follow up after the interview.

Here are three components to include in your plan:

Create a checklist

Outline the steps you will take before, during, and after the interview. Specifically, you’ll want to include steps that make it easy for your to follow up after the interview. Therefore, your checklist should highlight what you will do before the interview ends.

For example:

• Ask for the hiring manager’s business card or contact details.
• Find out when the hiring manager plans to make a decision.
• Ask the hiring manager how they would like to stay in touch.
• Ask if they prefer to keep in touch through email or if they prefer a telephone call.

Create a list of key messages

Before you sit down to talk to the hiring manager, you should create a list of key messages. What are key messages? Key messages contain the important points you want to share during and after the meeting.

For the interview, it’s good to know how you plan to answer questions like:

• Tell us about yourself.
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want this job?

As part of your key messages, you should plan to let the hiring manager know you want the job and ask how the selection process will work. Below are two examples.

Key message related to asking for the job:

“Thank you for meeting with me today. I am excited about the job, and if you hire me, I know I can bring value to your team and the company.”

Key message in asking about the selection process:

“I’m sure you have other candidates you probably need to talk to about the job. Once you speak to all the candidates, what will be your next steps in the selection process?

How will I find out if I have been selected for the job? If I have not heard anything by [insert a timeframe based on the hiring manager’s response on how long it will take to make a decision], can I contact you to find out where you are in the process?”

Be ready to say thank you

Before the interview, decide how you will say thank you to everyone you meet during the interview. If you want to go old school, buy a box of thank you cards. If you’re going new school, and want to save a few trees, write a thank you email.

Below is an example of the text you can include in either a card or an email message.

Sample text for thank you message:

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I enjoyed talking to you and the team about the [insert title of the job] role.

After everything I heard today, I am confident I can do the job and bring value to the team. Please let me know if you need additional information about my experience.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

After the interview

Once the interview is over, here are the steps you can take to stay in touch with the hiring manager.

Step 1: Send your thank you message

Within one to 24 hours after the interview, send your thank you message. Don’t ask if you got the job or for an update. Use your thank you message as a way to show gratitude and interest in being considered for the position.

Step 2: Send email #1

If you haven’t heard from the hiring manager within the timeframe they told you a decision would be made, send a message through email or by telephone.

Here’s an example:

“Hello [insert name]

Per our last discussion, I am following up on the [insert title of the job] to determine if you’re any closer to making a decision. As I mentioned previously, I am confident I can do an excellent job for you and the team if chosen.

Please let me know where you are in the selection process or if I can answer any additional questions you have. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

Step 3: Send email #2

If you don’t haven’t heard from the hiring manager a week after your last message, you can send a second email.

Also, If you receive another job offer but you haven’t heard any news about the job, you can send an email that reads something like this:

“Hello [insert name]

I am following up on the [insert title of the job] to determine when you plan to make a decision. Since my last email, I received another job offer, but I’m still interested in the [insert title of the job].

Can you tell me if I’m still being considered for the role? I appreciate any information you can provide. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for considering me for the job.”

Related: How to Tell a Potential Employer You Have Another Job Offer

Final takeaways on how to ask if you got the job after an interview

A hiring manager who has to interview multiple candidates probably won’t be ready to make a selection immediately. Therefore, if you ask if you got the job before they finish conducting interviews, they may not be prepared to share their decision with you. Be patient.

If weeks or even months pass, and the company still hasn’t decided, don’t get frustrated. However, if you can’t wait any longer or you receive another job offer, be prepared to move on.

The most important thing you can do is have a game plan before the interview that helps you ask the right questions and stay in touch with the hiring manager throughout the process.

During the interview, set the expectation of a follow up

Building rapport during the application and interview process will make it easier to reach out. While most HR professionals are forthcoming about their hiring timeline (usually 10-14 days), others may not mention it at all.

Here are three phrases to add to your interview closing that will set the expectation of a follow-up and take the edge off:

• “I understand you have other applicants to speak with, so I’ll follow up with you in a couple of weeks if I haven’t heard back.”
• “I would like to follow up with you in a couple of weeks if I haven’t heard back. Would you prefer a call or an email?”
• “Thank you again for meeting with me. I’ll follow up with you again on [date] if I haven’t heard back by then.”

The key to setting the expectation of a follow-up is to eliminate closed-ended yes/no questions so that it’s no longer a question of if you will follow-up, but when and how.

Related: How to Follow up on a Job Application

Immediately after the interview, send a quick thank you note

Keep it short, succinct, and professional—and reiterate the expectation of a follow-up.

Example:

Hi, [Name]!

Thank you again for meeting with me for the [job title] position. I enjoyed speaking with you and learning more about the position and the company.

Please let me know if you have any questions or news to share about the position. Otherwise, I’ll follow up with you around [date].

Have a great day!

The follow up email

When it’s time to follow up, remind the interviewer who you are, what you offer, and your enthusiasm for the position.

Example:

Hi, [Name]!

Thank you again for meeting with me on [date]. I enjoyed speaking with you and learning more about the position and company.

As we discussed during the interview, I offer [qualities] which I believe will fit well with the culture and benefit the company in [ways].

Please let me know if you have any questions or news to share about the position.

What are some other situations that would warrant a follow-up?

You’ve received a job offer from another company.

Unless the offer is from a dream job (with dream pay and benefits), you’ll want to notify companies with outstanding applications before outright accepting.

Example:

Hi, [Name]!

I met with you on [date] to discuss my candidacy for the [job title] position. I have since been offered a position with another company. I would like to get back with them with an answer by [date].

As we discussed during the interview, I offer [qualities] which I believe will fit well with the culture and benefit the company in [ways].

Thank you again for meeting with me. Please let me know as soon as possible if you have any questions or would like to discuss the position further.

Note: It’s completely up to you to include information about the offered position. You may also want to provide a hear-by date that’s 2-3 days shy of the actual deadline to give yourself time to make a decision.

You have added a new achievement to your resume that greatly affects your viability and/or worth as a candidate.

These would be noteworthy accomplishments: a book deal, a profile or interview in a large national media outlet, a prestigious award or grant, to name a few. Use these opportunities to jettison your resume to the top of the list and to prime the way for potential salary and benefit negotiations.

Example:

Hi, [Name]!

Thank you for meeting with me to discuss the [job title] position on [date].

I’m writing to let you know that since then, I have [description of (and link to) accomplishment].

As we discussed during the interview, I offer [qualities] which I believe will benefit the company in [ways].

I’m still very enthusiastic about this position. Please let me know if you have further questions or have any news to share.

Ultimately, in communicating with potential employers, be professional and polite, but be yourself. After all, hiring managers and HR professionals are people, and they’re probably just as nervous as you are.

One thing that many job seekers are cautious about is following up after an interview and enquiring about the status of their application. They fear they’ll come across as pushy or annoying – but the thing is: they have every right to know where they stand.

You should always follow up after an interview, but there are some key considerations to keep in mind when doing so.

Get the timing right

Towards the end of your interview, you should hopefully have asked about the next steps and, particularly, when you’re likely to hear back from the company.

They’ll typically be able to give you an estimate of when they’ll be making their final decision, and it’s important to follow up after the date they give you if you don’t hear back from them by then.

For example, if they tell you that they’ll be making a decision by next Wednesday, wait to Thursday to contact them – never enquire earlier than the date they gave you, as that is when you’ll come across as pushy, not to mention a little desperate, which can put them off your application altogether.

If they didn’t give you an exact date meanwhile, it’s a good rule of thumb to wait about two weeks after the interview before following up.

Enquire via email

The key to following up after an interview is to be as little intrusive as possible. In other words, don’t just randomly show up to the company and ask for an update!

A brief email is the way to go. Hiring managers are busy people, after all, and an unexpected phone call won’t only catch them off guard but can also put them in an uncomfortable position.

Start your email by reminding the hiring manager who you are before actually asking for an update on their decision, and make sure to reiterate your interest in the job, like so:

Hi John,

Emma Roberts here. I interviewed for the web developer position at Company ABC last Monday. You mentioned that you’d be making a final decision by Wednesday, and I just wanted to check in with you and see if you have an update.

I’m very much still interested in the position and working at Company ABC, and I feel confident that I could be a great asset to the team.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Emma Roberts

If you don’t get a response after a couple of days, try one more time – be sure to adapt your email accordingly! If you still don’t hear back from them, then it’s perfectly acceptable to pick up the phone and call them.

It is common to become anxious after a series of great job interviews for a position. Be careful, though; too much follow-up can make you look desperate.

You can’t force the process to find out if you got the job. But, there is a proven protocol that will either produce a job or a no. It’s important to understand, though, that if you are having a great series of interviews for one job, go out and find another three.

To find out if you got the job, follow this protocol:

• After every interview (1, 2, 3, and sometimes 4), always send a thank you note to everyone you interviewed with.
• Each thank you note should reinforce:
  • How you are the answer to the employer’s needs
  • Gratitude for the opportunity
  • A request for next steps, and ending with: “You will hear from me shortly.” (That gives you permission to make a follow-up call).
• It’s okay to send a short “thank you email” after the interviews, but attached to it should be a formal thank you Word document with contents as listed above.
• Wait three days. Print Word documents. Sign and mail to each person you interviewed with. It will make a huge impression.
• Understand that hiring decisions are an uneven process and (even with the emergence from the pandemic) still may take a long time in between interviews. That’s why it is so important to keep your job search moving forward, networking aggressive, and exploration of new opportunities, a daily activity.
• If there is a long gap between interviews, let them know that “you are still out there” by sending them an article that you think would be of interest in a brown, manila envelope with a handwritten note saying: “Saw this and thought of you.”

One of the most quoted “truths” of sales is “Always Be Closing – ABC.” Interviews are your opportunity to sell yourself to hiring managers and employers. As a result, a lot of the advice around how to follow-up or ask if you got the job is extremely salesy.

One of the great examples of this is telling people to ask, “What reservations do you have about offering me this position?” in the interview. For most people, this is terrible advice for a few reasons:

• It’s aggressively confrontational. Putting your interviewer on the spot or making them feel uncomfortable is a poor way to end an interview.
• It may be against policy for them to respond. Many organizations have rules prohibiting interviewers from providing feedback to candidates throughout the hiring process. Answering this question would force them to violate that.
• Very few personalities can pull this one off. Let’s be clear – this is a super pushy and salesy thing to ask. If your personality doesn’t naturally lend itself that way, it is unlikely that you will come across as anything more than aggressive.

In truth, the right ways to approach this are as varied as the individuals applying for jobs in the first place. Across the board, though, they need to come outside of the interview setting and be directed to the appropriate person. The first point of contact should always be whoever the job seeker has worked with to set up the interviews. This is usually HR or a recruiter.

The most important things to remember about the content is that the candidate must be:

1. clear in their interest and intent
2. authentic in their approach.

Using canned responses or techniques is the best way to come across as awkward and off-putting.

Great general examples include the following:

• “I’ve done some additional research into the role and having learned XXXX am even more excited at the prospect of joining. I wanted to check in and see if there was any additional information I can provide and get an update on when a decision might be made.”
• “I’d love to be able to start before the end of the month. Do you think you’d be ready with an offer by Friday?”
• “During my conversation with XXXX the other day, we discussed YYYY. I found an article that I think she would find interesting and hoped you might send it along. I really enjoyed meeting with her, and I’m hoping we can discuss further when I start.”

After an interview, many job-seekers wonder whether it is impolite to ask about the outcome of the interview. But, it’s both professional and proactive to discuss the results. For example, you can ask this question after the interview:

“What can I expect next in the process?”

If the interviewer says he or she will contact you within a specific timeframe, wait for the time to pass before following up. For example, if he or she responds, “We will be in touch with you by next Monday,“ do not reach out to them before Tuesday.

If you haven’t received a response, send the interviewer an e-mail reintroducing yourself. Then, express your interest in the job and ask if they have made a decision. Also, offer contact information if there are further questions. Keep the e-mail short and simple.

If the interviewer doesn’t offer a timeframe, wait approximately two weeks to send the follow-up e-mail.

If you don’t get a reply within a couple of days, send another e-mail. After that, if you haven’t received a response, you can give him or her a call. However, make sure you do your homework. You need to know what you’ll say and how you’ll respond before you make the call.

Positive indicators of a successful job interview:

• The tone of the talk shifts from casual to semi-formal.
• The interviewer displays positive body language.
• They talk about pay and benefits, as well as follow-up procedures.
• They ask for references and take you on a tour of the office.

If you notice any of the above signs, you can ask your interviewer these questions to show interest in the organization:

• “What do you enjoy most about working for this company?”
• “What are the job role’s day-to-day responsibilities?”

You can ask these questions even if you do not see these signs in your interview. They are a great way to express interest in the role.

The interview process is stressful enough, but waiting for confirmation if you got the job or not can be even more stressful. However, rather than waiting tirelessly for a response, you may tactfully ask for feedback.

The secret is in doing so with the perfect timing and correct language. Being overly eager and pounding them with follow-up emails may actually hurt your chances of getting hired.

Here are a few tips on how to ask if you got the job after an interview:

• Right after the interview, ask the interviewer how long the process usually takes before they can get back to you. Also, politely ask if you can hear from them the soonest if in case you don’t make the cut. Do not ask right away if you got the job or not. You can say something like:
  • “Thank you very much for your time. I really appreciate it. May I know how long it usually takes before you reach a decision?”
  • “Will you still reach out to me if I am not selected?”
• Send a thank-you note via email. Mention who you are and what position you applied for, and thank the hiring manager for taking the time to interview you. Do not ask for feedback yet. For example, you can say:
  • “Hi, Alex. I would like to thank you for taking the time to interview me for the position of Marketing Specialist for (name of company). I am happy to learn how good your products are, and I am excited about your plans to grow your market reach.”
• If the interviewer gave you an actual date when you could expect a call, wait a few more days, then send a follow-up email. Remind the hiring manager who you are, when you had the interview, and what position you are applying for.

Pro tip: An applicant should remain politely eager and inquisitive, yet humble, guarded, and not assuming or over-confident when following up on a job prospect.

Manners do make or break your chances of landing your dream job! Happy job hunting!

Follow up with a short message to the recruiter you spoke with during the interview

Everyone who, even for once, has participated in a recruitment process remembers frustration and anxiety when the waiting game starts after the last interview. Even though most candidates feel stressed while waiting for a callback, only a few of them proactively follow up to ask how they went over during the interview.

Most of all, you shouldn’t be scared about asking for feedback – if you do it right, with good manners, it won’t hurt your chances to get the job.

Apart from the obvious tips like being professional and avoiding being too pushy or sounding desperate, I strongly recommend waiting around a few business days after the deadline given by the recruiter. A couple of days of delay sometimes happen, and you need to stay strong and patient.

Related: How to Follow up with a Recruiter

After 3 or 5 days, there’s no harm in following up with a short message to the recruiter you spoke with during the interview. Here is an example:

Dear [Recruiter’s Name],

I would like to follow up about the status of my job application for the position of [position name].
I’m still very interested and excited about the opportunity to work with your company.
I appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to hearing from you soon!

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Best,
[Name]

On the flip side, If you’ve received an interesting offer from another company but still prefer the other position, I would recommend not waiting long. You can explain to the recruiter that you got a different offer but would still want to know their decision about your application.

It will show that you want to join their company and speed up the decision-making process. But remember – it only works when it’s true! Otherwise, it can act against your interests.

Send thank you notes to all the people with whom you’ve interviewed within 24 hours

After you’ve completed your interviews, you might be very curious about the results of your efforts.

In the same way that you’re most likely interviewing with a few companies, it is understandable that organizations have several finalists for the role as well. Therefore, do not act desperate and ask if you’ve got the job right after the interview.

It’s pushy and comes off desperate.

Firstly, remember to send thank you notes to all the people with whom you’ve interviewed within 24 hours. This may seem optional but rest assured it can make a difference between being selected and passed upon.

Once you send these, the ball is in the HR department’s court. So give them at least a couple of days to respond to you. If you do not hear back from them within 3-4 days, feel free to follow up and say:

Hi (first name of the HR rep),

I hope that all is well on your end.

It has been a few days since the final round of interviews, so I’m writing to check in with you about the current status of the hiring process.

As you probably recall, I’m very excited about the role and feel very confident about the capabilities I bring to the table.

Have you heard back from the team yet? What might be the timeline for the final decision?

Any update is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you or the team has any other questions for me.

Sincerely,

Your First Name

Related: How to Follow up After an Interview If You Haven’t Heard Back

At this point, someone from the organization should definitely reach out to you. If not, you know it wasn’t meant to be, and clearly, you wouldn’t want to associate yourself with people who are this rude either.

Do it through email and provide all the necessary information during the follow-up

The most awkward part of a job application for aspirants is asking whether they got the job or not. As a CEO, dealing with this situation is no longer new to me. I know how difficult it is for some applicants to ask this question, but unfortunately, some don’t know how to properly do it, making them sound arrogant.

To help you with this, here are some tips:

• Do it through email. In this way, you will not put both the recruiter and yourself in an awkward situation if you did not pass. In your email, thank the company for the opportunity they have given you.
• Provide all the necessary information during the follow-up. You are not the only applicant they have. Make sure that when you ask, you provide the following:
  • The position you are applying for
  • The date of your interview
  • If possible, the interviewer
  • Your name (of course)

In this way, it will be easier for them to provide you an answer because they have all the information they need.

Wait at least 4-5 business days before you decide to send out an email or give them a call

During the job application process, employers are often stuck dealing with hundreds if not thousands of applications. So before you even think about sending them a follow-up email, you have to consider how irritating it can be if everyone kept on calling for updates on their applications.

In this regard, you should first make sure that you have waited a sufficient amount of time before sending them a message. If you were interviewed but made the mistake of not asking about the hiring timeline, you should at least give it four or five business days before you decide to send out an email or give them a call.

And while the wait after an interview can often feel never-ending, you have to remember that the recruiter possibly has to deal with so many things that it’s possible that they just forgot to keep you updated.

So, once the appropriate amount of time has passed, the first thing you should remember is to not come right out and ask them whether or not you got the job. You need to first ask them where they are in the decision process and enquire on how soon they expect to come to a final decision.

My best suggestion would be a format similar to this:

Dear XX,

I hope all is well. I am just reaching out to check in on whether there is an update on the status of the [job title] position that I interviewed for on [date of interview].

I am very much still interested in the position and am eagerly awaiting a positive response from you.

All the best,

[Your Name]

Alternatively, you can try to be a bit more expressive and emphasize your general eagerness to work for them. This will help you better stand out amongst other applicants, as it will show that you are very committed to getting this posting.

However, you need to make sure that you avoid droning on and on and just remain expressive yet straight to the point.

A good case example would be:

Dear XX,

I would very much like to thank you again for taking the time to meet with me in regards to the [job title] position that is currently open at your company. I’m not sure how far you have come along the decision process, but I remain very excited about the prospect of coming to work at [Name of Company].

I have a lot to offer the company, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Please feel free to contact me if you require any additional information or samples of my work.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

It is best to do two follow-ups

It is extremely important to follow up on a job position after an interview because it shows how interested you are in the company and working for them. It is best to do two follow-ups:

• The first would be immediately after the interview as a thank you
• The second would be approximately a week after the initial interview to check in on the job position.

In the end, you deserve to know an update on the job position. Below are great examples of ways to ask if you got the job or a status update.

Immediate thank you follow up:

Hey [Name of interviewer],

I wanted to reach out and say thank you for taking the time out of your day to interview me. I truly enjoyed my time speaking with you and learning more about the company. I appreciate the fact that we got to discuss [enter something personal from the interview that you enjoyed]. I look forward to hearing from you soon about the job position and I hope you have a great rest of your day.

Thank you so much!

Best,
[Your name]

Job update follow up:

Hey [Name of interviewer],

My name is [enter name], and I interviewed with you on [enter date and time] on the open position of [enter job title] and I wanted to check in and see if there has been a decision made on the position.

I would deeply appreciate the opportunity as I can implement my [insert key qualities of yourself] skills into this company and role. It would be so great to learn and grow alongside such an amazing staff.

Nevertheless, any applicant would be lucky to work for you and [name of company]. Please let me know if there are any updates on this job position. Thanks so much.

Best,
[Your name]

We all know the suspense after an interview and the nerves that come with knowing if you have the job or if you have been unsuccessful. But what is the best way to go about finding out if you have got the job or not?

First of all, it is good practice when you are in the interview to ask when it is likely to know when you will hear back from them. This will show that you are keen and give you a timeframe of when it is acceptable to ask them about the outcome of the interview.

This is important as those interviewing may be seeing other candidates, and they need a reasonable amount of time to do this and make a decision.

Reach out through phone call

The first way you can ask if you have the job or not is to simply phone the company. They should have provided you with a suitable work contact number prior to the interview. If you can, ask for the person who interviewed you by name or, if relevant, the HR department.

When conducting this call, give your details and when your interview was held, then express your interest and ask for an update.

If they have not decided yet, always act with dignity, politely acknowledge this, and call back at a later date. If they have decided you are not the right person for the role, thank them and ask them to keep your CV on file for any future jobs and any recommendations to aid you in your job search.

Reach out through email

The second way you can ask if you have been successful is by sending them an email. Start your email with the interviewer’s name and title and state your details and when your interview was held, and what you have applied for.

Keep the email brief but still, express your interest in the role asking for an update. If you have not received a response within seven days, it may be worth following this up with another email or a phone call.

Important points to remember

With both these methods, it is important to keep the conversation brief. Try not to oversell yourself with an overbearing dialog at this stage, as this can put potential employees off.

Also, stick to the timeline – if you asked in the interview stage when you will hear off them or when it is appropriate to contact them stick to this. If you were not given a timeline, wait a week and then contact them.

Instead of asking for the job outright, express interest in the job at the end of the interview

You don’t ask if you got the job after an interview. This is a rookie mistake. First, don’t assume you’re the best candidate or the only candidate. The employer will take the time they need to consider your qualifications and measure them against other candidates.

But the employer isn’t the only one who should take a pause.

Candidates who listened and asked insightful questions most likely learned things about the job, the employer, or the industry that they didn’t know before. Smart candidates will take their own time to factor in and process that new information when determining how much they want this job.

Instead of asking for the job outright, express interest in the job at the end of the interview. That can look like this:

“I appreciate your time and everything you shared with me today. I believe I’m even more enthusiastic about the position now!

I certainly hope to move forward in your process. Do you know when I might hear something?”

Asking for the job makes a candidate look over-eager and naïve. Expressing interest makes the candidate look professional and appreciative.

Don’t ask if you got the job; ask when they’ll be making a decision

It’s always a good idea for candidates to follow up after their interviews. Here’s my advice on how to do that: Don’t ask if you got the job; ask when they’ll be making a decision.

They may not have made a decision yet, so if you simply ask them if you got the job, you might not receive a response. By asking when they’ll be making the decision, you’ll be more likely to get an answer, plus you’ll have some context on when to reach out again if need be.

Keep the follow-up message short and sweet, so the hiring manager reads all of it. There are three components to a good follow-up message:

1. Thank the hiring manager for their time. Always begin with a ‘thank you.’ Express your gratitude for the opportunity to interview.
2. Highlight why you’re interested in the role. This helps to remind the hiring manager why you’re the right candidate for the job.
3. Express eagerness to begin working. Finish out the message by asking when they expect to make a decision and that you’d be ready to go ASAP.

Be bold and go all in

Instead of waiting forever for the hiring manager or recruiter to give you feedback based on your interview, be proactive upfront.

“I’m excited to get started. When is my first day?”

While the hiring manager is recovering from their shock about such a direct approach, smile and say: “I am looking forward to getting started, and I want you to know that I think I’m a great fit.”

Warning, do not use this approach if you don’t want the job! While more bold and very obvious, it also sends the message that you are serious about this role.

More than just a “thank you”

Savvy job seekers always send a “Thank You” note immediately after the interview. Instead of the usual banter, include a short message to encourage timely feedback about your job candidacy.

“I enjoyed our conversation, and I’m very excited about this role. When can I notify my network that I have made a great move to your organization?”

This approach may give you feedback sooner rather than later and send the message that you are proud to make the shift to their organization.

Send email follow-ups drafting why you are a qualified choice for hire to establish a rapport

Persistence is a fundamental part of success. However, it takes nuance to know when to pull back and when to push forward. In the situation of trying to procure a job position, it’s crucial not to overstep boundaries.

In law, we wouldn’t be keen on someone showing up every day at our office asking to be hired.

It would seem obtrusive and could certainly dissuade us from considering them in a pool of other candidates. However, in taking a more methodical approach, sending email follow-ups, drafting why you are a qualified choice for hire, you can establish a rapport that may lead to success.

If all else fails, try to build relationships within the industry. If it’s a field of work you want to be in, just because you don’t get hired by your dream company initially doesn’t mean you won’t end up an employee for them in the end.

It’s best to not follow up for at least a week after the final interview

It can be extremely tempting to send an email immediately following an interview to see whether or not you got the job. Don’t.

In reality, businesses typically have a host of candidates they’re interviewing for a position and many factors to consider before deciding on who they’re going to hire.

On top of that, the decision to hire someone typically has to be okayed by multiple people within a company. For instance, on my end, I deal with the financial impact of hiring a new employee. I have to take their salary request into consideration to see whether or not it’ll work for us.

Then, the people they’ll be working closely with get a chance to weigh in and so on.

For these reasons, it’s best to not follow up for at least a week after the ‘final interview.’ At that point, it’s definitely appropriate to send an email stating that you’re still very intrigued by the position and that you’d love to hear what the hiring status looks like.

You might not get the answer you want to hear, but either way, you’ll get clarity.

Ask them about any doubts that prevent from hiring you

I like to sum up the interviews with something like:

• “Is there anything in your mind, any doubts or queries, that would prohibit you from hiring me?”
• “Before we finish up the interview, I’d like to make sure I’ve addressed all of your concerns.”

This allows the interviewer to gather her thoughts regarding the interview and you, as well as to address any issues they may have. You’ll also have the opportunity to give your final pitch if necessary, and you’ll usually have a decent idea if you’re a top candidate for the job.

It works effectively and helps in balancing the uneven power setup of the interviews.

Ask about the job’s challenges

At the end of the interview, ask the interviewer this question:

“Based on what you have learned about me in this interview process so far, what would be the biggest challenges I would face in performing this job?”

This question forces the interviewer to really think if there is a reason they wouldn’t hire you. If not, it reinforces that you are a great fit. Also, if the company is one that values those with a growth mindset, you will be seen as someone who wants to grow.

If there is a concern, you will also have the opportunity to address it proactively before you leave the interview.

Frequently Asked Questions