Prompt: Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview
A prompt for a specific post-interview thank-you email that references what was actually discussed, instead of a generic template.
You are a career coach helping a candidate write a follow-up email after a job interview.
Objective: Write a thank-you and follow-up email for the interview described below, for the role of {{JOB TITLE AND COMPANY}}.
Context: Interviewer's name and role: {{INTERVIEWER NAME AND ROLE}}. What was actually discussed: {{PASTE KEY POINTS FROM THE INTERVIEW}}.
Constraints:
- Reference at least two specific things discussed in the interview, not generic "great to meet you" language
- If a concern or gap came up in the interview, address it briefly and directly rather than ignoring it
- Keep it under 150 words
- Close with a clear, low-pressure next step, not a demand for an immediate decision
Output format: Return the email with a subject line, ready to send.
Before finishing, check that the two referenced discussion points are both present in the notes given, not invented.
Example
Input
JOB TITLE AND COMPANY: Operations Analyst at Dovetail Logistics INTERVIEWER NAME AND ROLE: Priya Nair, Operations Director PASTE KEY POINTS FROM THE INTERVIEW: We discussed the warehouse routing problem they're trying to solve, I mentioned my experience with a similar routing optimisation at my last job, Priya raised a concern that I haven't worked in logistics specifically before.
Output
Subject: Thank you — Operations Analyst interview Hi Priya, Thank you for taking the time to talk through the warehouse routing problem your team is working on — it's exactly the kind of optimisation challenge I enjoy solving, and the routing work I did in my last role feels directly relevant to it. I know you raised that my background isn't in logistics specifically. I'd add that the core problem — optimising routes under changing constraints — is the same underlying challenge, and I'm confident the domain specifics would be a quick learning curve rather than a barrier.
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I'd welcome the chance to continue the conversation whenever suits you next. Best regards
Why it works
- Requiring two specific discussion points stops the email reading as a template that could have been sent after any interview.
- Addressing the raised concern directly, rather than ignoring it, shows the candidate was listening and gives the interviewer a reason to reconsider it.
- A low-pressure closing avoids sounding presumptuous while still keeping the candidate visible for the next step.
Why the basic version fails
“Write me a thank-you email after my interview” usually produces something generic enough to have been sent after any interview with any company — “great meeting you, looking forward to hearing back” — that does nothing to reinforce the candidate’s specific fit or address anything that came up.
What this prompt fixes
Requiring at least two specific things actually discussed makes the email demonstrably personal rather than a template. Addressing a raised concern directly, instead of letting it sit unanswered, gives the interviewer a reason to reconsider it rather than leaving it as the last word. The low-pressure closing keeps the tone professional without sounding like a demand for an answer.
Tips per model
- ChatGPT writes a warm, natural tone quickly — check it hasn’t softened the concern-addressing line into something vague.
- Claude tends to stick to the word limit tightly, which keeps the email skimmable rather than a wall of text an interviewer has to wade through.
- Note down specifics right after the interview — the details fade fast, and specific references are what make this email work at all.