What should be included in good email to send 2 weeks after final interview?

Question

I have been applying for a high level job within a medium sized business. I was told there would be 2 interviews, of which I have completed both.

It has been 2 weeks since the final interview with the CEO. He is a busy guy and since the interview process has begun to rely on him, it has slowed down - this is completely understandable.

It's probably time for me to send a follow up email:

• What should an effective follow up email say in a situation like this?

• What points should be highlighted.

• Should it be a sales email - trying to sell myself, or should it just be inquiring about the application process?

Answer 1

What should an effective follow up email say in a situation like this?

1. Make sure you are addressing the right person. That's almost always the hiring manager: they make the final decision AND it's their job to hire, so you are just asking them to do their work. If the hiring manager is also the CEO, than it's perfectly ok to ping the CEO.
2. Be nice, friendly and co-operative. Don't complain or nag. Offer to help.
3. Make is short and to the point
4. Make it easy to reply to. The recipient should feel good about replying "sorry, got busy. Still working on it".

What points should be highlighted.

You are interested in the job. If offered you are likely to accept it (but don't lie). You are willing to do extra leg work if that helps in any way.

Should it be a sales email - trying to sell myself, or should it just be inquiring about the application process?

You don't know what's happening so you can't really generate a targeted sales message. I would only add some sales element to it if you have new data or insights that have not been discussed in the interview. Otherwise you are better off keeping it as short as possible.

Example:

Hi Alice-Bob. I understand that you are very busy but I just wanted to quickly follow up on my interview from x/x/2021. I had a really good time and I'm very interested in the position. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help and advance the process. Thanks

Answer 2

There is a lot of "depends".

For example, should you follow up at all seriously depends on size of the company. It is rather unusual to follow up with the CEO of Google. You would rather follow up with HR, if at all.

What should be included is also dependent on how the interview went and what has been said.

But I will try to answer this quite broad question.

My personal experience regarding follow-ups:

With smaller companies I usually just called and asked. This was generally welcomed by the recruiters.

If it is a medium or big company and you have a deadline, I would follow up on that. Otherwise, I personally have never gotten an answer per mail. And people in bigger companies are usually too busy for a call.

I did encounter some CEOs/direct bosses and recruiters that told me that I can call/write whenever I wanted or have any further questions. That is of course an invitation for a follow-up and sometimes even expected. To show that you are invested in that company.

What should you include?

Be thankful for the great interview, and maybe include what you enjoyed about the interview or company. If possible, have some follow-up questions, so you can show that you thought about what was said and that you listened.

Don’t try to sell yourself. That is what the interview was for. It seems kind of desperate in my opinion.

Again depending on what was said, you could ask when the next interview will be or if there is a deadline when they will get back to you with a final answer or if you can do anything to prepare for the test or whatever the CEO said will be the next step.

Always be polite, not too pressing, honest and thankful. The CEO is taking time out of his/her day, effectively costing the company money. So keep it short.

Answer 3

FWIW, one set of opinions:

It's probably time for me to send a follow up email:

I would say it's too long. "Busy CEO/founder" types want brief (as in "2 maybe 3 words") prompt follow-ups. (Again, this can only be an opinion, that's my opinion.)

What should an effective follow up email say in a situation like this?

Unfortunately, absolutely nothing.

There's not a chance you can "language" a CEO/founder type. It would be like trying to - you know - give a presentation in your turtleneck to Steve Jobs" you know?!

What points should be highlighted.

Very likely, they won't be read

Should it be a sales email - trying to sell myself,

No hope there, the CEO/founder type will just gloss over such bumpf.

or should it just be inquiring about the application process?

IMO it should be a straight-up, blunt - yet of course absolutely polite - reminder.

In some sense you can indeed adopt an almost familiar, "I'm already working for you" form of address. After all, this aggressive entrepreneur type WANTS folks working for her/him who know how to get things done and know how to work with her/him.

It is very hard to pull off. (And again, unfortunately, IMO waiting two whole weeks with a "Busy CEO/founder" type is too long.)

Some example texts:

Steve, Fattie here, regarding the amazing Ion Cannon project, any news? Cheers

Steve how are you, chasing you regarding the incredible plasma bluetooth job, kindly Fattie

Steve. Thanks for the amazing interview 13th, just following up, kindly Fatster

Do note that they KNOW why you're writing, so bear that in mind and don't pointlessly explain.

In rare cases you can bring new factual information, if so do it (promptly)

Steve, Fattie here, regarding the amazing plasma bluetooth lead you interviewed me for I did in fact release V2 of my plasma library, I'll let Jane know as well. Hoping to hear on the job soon! Very excited on this end, kindly Fattie