TAO Self-help

Writing an effective thank you email after your second interview can give you some extra points when hiring managers are making their final decision. But unfortunately, many job-seekers struggle with this!

This guide will teach you how to write a great follow-up email after the second interview and provides samples to get you started.

Tips for Writing a Thank You Email After the Second Interview

If you're lucky enough to get to the second round of interviews, it likely means that you're at the top of the hiring list! But before you celebrate and rest on your laurels, the hiring process isn't over yet. There's still an opportunity to leave a lasting impression, and one way you can do that is with a thank you email after the second interview.

A well-written email continues to prove your professional communication and keeps the line of communication open. It could be the thing that sways the hiring manager's decision your way.

However, you'll want to approach this a bit differently than a thank you email after your first interview. Here are a few need-to-know tips on how you can write an impactful second interview thank you email.

Address and Thank the Right People

When starting your follow-up email after the second interview, remember to address the correct people. More importantly, address each person individually.

There's a chance that you might speak to multiple people during the interview process. The hiring manager may request that you talk with other decision-makers. Each person you meet during the second interview matters, and it's a good idea to provide separate emails.

It's tempting to simply "CC" everyone involved and stick to one email. However, that can come off as cold or disrespectful. Write separate emails for each person, addressing them individually. Ideally, you should send these thank you emails on the same day or no more than 24 hours after the second interview.

As always, follow best practices for business emails and keep your wording professional. If you spoke with the same person you did during your first interview, there's more flexibility with decorum. You can be slightly less formal if you have a good rapport. However, always maintain professionalism regardless of who receives the email.

The best way to start your email is by expressing your gratitude for the interview opportunity. Second interviews can take a significant amount of time, so it's always good to show thanks to the interviewers for taking time out of their day. You can also show appreciation for getting this far into the hiring process.

Taking the time to say "Thank You" is a professional courtesy and can leave a positive impression on hiring managers. But don't stop with "thank you."

Reaffirm Your Interest in the Role

A thank you email after the second interview offers a fantastic chance to show your enthusiasm for the job. Reiterate your interest and let the interviewer know why you believe your experience and skills would be a good match based on what you've learned during the second interview.

Ultimately, hiring managers want people who are both excited about their job and have the right set of skills. They tend to lean toward applicants who seem like they're in it for more than just the money. While you likely expressed your interest in many ways throughout the hiring process, driving that point home in your email goes a long way.

After the second interview, the company narrows down applicants even further before making a decision on who will move to the next round of interviews. Showing your interest once again could create that final push in your direction.

If you want to stand out further, consider bringing up a small detail about the interview in your letter. For example, you could mention something you talked about that is unique to you. Bringing up that small part of your discussion could jog the interviewer's memory and keep you fresh in their mind.

You can even talk about any recent news about the company. Before writing the follow-up email after your second interview, do a quick search to find any new tidbits of information while reiterating your interest. That shows that you're on top of things and eager to start working.

Mention Anything Important That Was Missed in the Interview

Did you forget to say anything important during your second interview? Your follow-up email is the perfect time to briefly mention it.

Ideally, it would be best if you answered all questions in person during the interview. However, small details get lost in the shuffle. It's easy to leave out crucial bits of information. Or you may just have the feeling that you didn't emphasize something enough during the interview.

If that's the case, use your thank you email after the second interview to mention something you missed. Before you do, make sure it's absolutely relevant to the hiring decision. Providing random information now will seem strange and irrelevant.

An excellent example of something you want to mention is a relevant achievement you had in a previous job or specific experience that could sway the decision in your favor. Alternatively, you can provide an answer that you weren't able to recall in person, such as previous sales figures or performance statistics you didn't have on hand.

Whatever the case might be, keep it relevant and brief. There's no need to dive too deep into the details. Mention what you need to and move on.

That brings us to our next tip...

Offer to Answer Questions and Provide Clarifications

When sending over your second interview thank you email, always offer to answer any more questions or provide clarification. If the hiring manager wants to expand on the new information you provided, they'll let you know!

This tip is about showing your transparency and openness to keep the lines of communication going.

Hiring a new employee isn't easy, and decision-makers often split hairs when they have multiple qualified applicants. A hiring manager might want more information. Express your willingness to do that in your email so that they feel comfortable reaching out should they need to.

Ask When a Decision Will Be Made

If you didn't already discuss when the company would make a decision, you should ask about it in your second interview thank you email. Knowing when to expect a call will help you gauge your next follow-up.

It's better to talk about the hiring timeline during the interview. However, things change, and some companies have even more steps after the second round of interviews. Plus, they could have multiple days of interviewing potential applicants.

Getting some clarification will let you know what to expect. Furthermore, it gives you a better idea of when to reach out for a status update later on.

Keep It Brief

It's important to keep things short when writing your follow-up email after the second interview.

Your message shows thanks, reiterates your interest, and provides additional information if necessary. It doesn't need to be drawn out. The in-depth conversation is for the interview!

Three simple paragraphs should do the trick. Anything more than that might come off as long-winded or simply a waste of time.

Proofread Before Sending

Our final tip is a critical one: Proofread everything!

Proofreading should be an integral part of any professional business correspondence. But you'd be surprised how people forget to proofread their thank you emails after the second interview. Just because the hard part is over doesn't mean you can slip up!

Sending a letter riddled with errors can have the opposite effect you want it to. Instead of creating a positive impression, it'll be seen as careless or unprofessional.

Run your follow-up email through grammar and spelling checks. There's no shortage of software out there to spot any potential issues. If possible, have someone close to you proofread it. This email is important to your job search, and you can never do enough proofreading!

Sample Emails

A simple thank you email after your second interview might not seem like a huge deal. But it's often the final piece of correspondence you have with hiring managers before they make a decision. A well-crafted email goes a long way and could potentially help you land the job.

Check out the following examples for some inspiration on how to write a thank you email after doing a second interview.

Sample 1

This email is brief, but it checks off all the boxes. It expresses gratitude for the opportunity while reinforcing your continued interest in getting the job.

The message is also kind and professional. While it's not over the top, it's certainly enough to leave a positive impression.

Sample 2

Here's another impactful example. Once again, it's professional and shows great appreciation for the second interview.

It also asks for clarification about a follow-up. However, it's not pushy or rude. It gets the point across and encourages continued communication.

Conclusion

Thank you emails after your second interview should be viewed as an opportunity to stand out and make a great impression on the individuals that interviewed you.

While it can seem a bit daunting at first, it's actually quite easy once you know how to approach the process.

Now get writing!

Hannah Morgan is one of this year's LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careersand a nationally recognized author and speaker on job search strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to combine her career expertise with her love of writing, speaking and social media. Her mission is to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today's job search process. Hannah is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, Aol Jobs, LifeHacker, The Muse, Business Insider, SmartBrief, Payscale as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.