When you are in the market for a new and exciting career in education, it can be intimidating to realize that there is so much competition for your dream teaching or school administrator job. Creating a fantastic resume and personalized cover letter is the first step in a successful job search.
Why not increase the odds of landing a teaching job offer by standing out from the crowd? Get attention by sending a follow-up email thanking the interviewers for their time and reiterating why your qualifications are perfect for the position.
Don’t hesitate to call the hiring manager to remind them you are interested in the education job and are willing to answer any questions they may have to solidify your prospects.
Examples of Appropriate Follow-Up Techniques
Sample conversations or correspondence on approaching an appropriate follow-up through email or phone after a job interview.
Email Follow-Up
An email follow-up after an interview is the quickest way to contact the hiring manager and should be sent within 24 hours after your job interview. It is also a good form to use as you can review your email and ensure you are saying what needs to be said.
In your email follow-up, highlight how your talents and capabilities as a teacher or principal align with the role and the school district. Refer to your interview notes and the job posting when choosing your wording to resonate with how your conversation progressed.
Communicate your continued excitement and enthusiasm for the teaching role by reinstating your interest in the job and how you fit the school district or organization.
Phone Follow-Up
If the job you are applying for requires a lot of phone time, you may consider calling the hiring manager to follow up and say thank you. This shows you are taking the initiative and have the strong communication skills required for the position.
A phone call is a quick and easy way to follow up, but most importantly, it is more personal. However, it may make some people nervous about being put on the spot so soon after an interview. Have a copy of your teaching resume in front of you for guidance and a list of references if you haven’t provided them already.
Practice the conversation with a friend so you are not stuttering your way through the call, and always begin the conversation with your full name, the position you applied for, and when you met if you need to leave a message to keep it brief and reinstate why you are the best teaching candidate for the job.
The Layout of a Follow-Up Email
When creating a thank you email, you want to ensure you are concise and to the point while still relaying your interest in the position. The basic layout will consist of 3-4 short paragraphs only. If you include bullet points in the middle, an opening and closing paragraph will round out the specific points you made.
Be as specific as possible while getting to the point and keeping it short. There is no need to restate the details in your resume. Connect your relevant experiences as a teacher or school administrator with conversation points from the interview and reiterate to the hiring manager or interviewer what you bring to the table to benefit the school or organization.
First Paragraph:
Reinstate your interest in the position and the date you met.
When beginning your thank you email after an interview, thank your interviewer for speaking with you. Mention the date you said and the title of the position you interviewed for.
This shows that you have tailored the email to the specific school district. The opening paragraph should only be a few sentences long. You want to leave many details on how well you will fit in with the school district in the middle section. Take a look at the examples below:
“Thank you for meeting and speaking with me yesterday. I found the conversation to be very enjoyable. I am extremely interested in the grade six teaching position with ABC School District and believe I would be the right fit for your school district. Let me reiterate some of the skills and attributes as a teacher I can bring to your outstanding team of educators…”
“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me on March 3. It was a pleasure speaking to you about the educational leadership role. I found our conversation very enlightening, and it has reassured me that I am the ideal candidate for the school principal job with DEF School District.”
Second/Third Paragraph:
Bullet Points vs. a Paragraph of Qualifications
There are two ways to continue with a thank you email. The middle section of your correspondence should connect your qualifications to the interview and the school district’s expectations for the role. Pick a specific point of conversation from your interview and expand on it. Accomplish this in two ways: using bullets or paragraph form.
Bullet points are great to remain concise and make your skills and attributes stand out. Use separate points to relay your applicable educational background, relevant work experience, and 3-5 facts about your experience that connect your expertise to the position and how you will contribute to the organization.
Here is an example:
- Master of Business Administration specializing in Finance and a Bachelor of Management in Accounting.
- 15 years of corporate experience in accounting, marketing, and sales.
- Designed and prepared marketing strategies by assessing current trends and the competitive landscape.
- Prepared and analyzed data reports, budgeting strategies, and business projections to improve organizational success.
- Demonstrated capability to manage various stakeholder interests by creating meaningful corporate relationships, maintaining open communication, and identifying top business priorities.
If you choose to continue in a formal letter format instead of bullets, use one or two brief paragraphs to describe your achievements and relate them to the job description, company mission, and conversation points from the interview.
“I found our conversation very enjoyable and especially liked discussing your need for someone who can create value and insight during clientele conversations. Over the last few years with Color Co., I have encountered similar barriers to what we discussed, such as solidifying budgets and streamlining the decision making process. My priority would be making quality conversations with our clients a focal point as it has been proven successful in my previous positions.”
Closing Paragraph:
Reiterate fit for the position and ask if there are any other questions
In your final paragraph, let them know that you can take any questions they may have regarding your fit for the position. Reiterate how you are the right candidate for the job and appreciate them speaking with you.
“I look forward to speaking with you further to explore this position, as I am convinced that my skills, passion, and experiences are a perfect match for this exciting opportunity. I hope to become an involved member of your district and a contributing individual in the school community. Please feel free to contact me if any further information is needed. Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me.”
Tailor Your Email to the Specific Job Interview
As with your resume and cover letter, it is best not to send a generic, one-size-fits-all follow-up email. Take points from your interviews, such as focusing on the future or business progress opportunities. Relate those points to your experiences and how your attributes and skills will fulfill the role. Jot down notes after your interview to remind yourself of the topics discussed and what points you may want to mention in your follow-up email.
Highlight Qualifications
Reiterate your teaching or educational leadership qualifications and characteristics that make you the perfect candidate. Briefly reestablish why you are a strong candidate for the job and how your previous experiences and expertise will lead the company into a successful future. Briefly mention, in bullet or paragraph form, the qualifications you have and tie them into what the potential employer is looking for.
Show Enthusiasm for the Education Role
After your interview, whether you complete it via email or phone, a well-thought-out follow-up will show the potential employer that you are extremely interested in the position and honestly believe you are an excellent match for the role. By following up, you remind the interviewers that you are a strong candidate and are reinforcing that you are well-qualified and should be considered. Using strong wording in the follow-up will show the interviewers that you are serious about fulfilling the teaching or school administration position.
Mention Outstanding Details
A follow-up email or phone call is your opportunity to mention any outstanding details you missed during the interview. It has been said that we always think of better things to say once we have had time to reflect. This can be said about the interview process. If you believe there is a better answer to a specific question or want to address a missed point, do so in your thank you note.
Proofread
It would help if you continued proofreading your work. You submitted an application that allowed you to interview for a position you are the perfect fit for. Why squander that chance with a grammatical or spelling error in your thank you email? A typo can knock you out of the running, so carefully proofread your work before you hit send. As with everything else you have sent, the thank you email should not be missed, and it deserves a final edit before you send it.
The Sooner, the Better
Hopefully, you took the time to learn how to close the job interview properly to get the best results.
Send your follow-up email or phone call within 24 hours of the interview. This will reinstate your interest in the position and allow you to stand out against the other interviewees.
Leave a brief message if you call your interviewer directly and get their voicemail. Include your full name and phone number, the name of the position, when you interviewed, a thank you, and a request for the person to contact you if you can provide any additional information. Try calling early or late in the day, as your contact will most likely be in the office and not in meetings. Here is an example:
“Hello, Mr. Smith. This is Janet Right calling. I just wanted to say thank you for meeting with me yesterday to discuss the Principal position with the Samson School District. If you could please call me back at your earliest convenience with any questions you may have, I would appreciate it. My number is 555-555-5555. Thank you again for your time.”
Double Check Names
As part of your proofreading process, make sure that you double-check the spelling of the interviewer’s name and title. Also, ensure you have the correct email address. If you are unsure of the spelling or email address, you can always check the company website or LinkedIn or collect business cards at the end of your interview.
Things to Avoid
The main thing to focus on when preparing to send a thank-you email, phone call, or follow-up message is to remain positive. It does not bode well for someone who sounds upset by how long the process is taking or demands a timeline for when a candidate will be hired. No matter how qualified you are, this will deter any hiring manager from selecting you for the position.
Do not bombard the interviewer’s inbox or voicemail with messages. A single follow-up thank you email or phone call usually does the trick. If you have not heard from the company after much time, send a quick email stating that you appreciated the opportunity to speak with them and are still interested in the job.
Wrapping it up!
Remember that the best follow-up conversations, whether through email or over the phone, must be concise and polite. This is your opportunity to express your strong interest in the education position and ask if there is anything else you can provide them to help make their decision in your favor. By getting in touch after an interview, you are not only showing your appreciation for the opportunity, but it also serves as a subtle reminder that you are the right fit for the organization.
Do you want assistance with drafting a winning thank you email or letter? Contact Candace today at candoco@telus.net or toll-free at 1-877-738-8052.
