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by Janel Muyesseroglu
This section will give you tips and samples on how to write your follow-up letter.
Guidelines for writing follow-up letters:
Mention your
reason for writing the letter. Use phrases like, "I haven't heard from
you, so I thought I would contact you again to see." or, "I wanted
to confirm our meeting time of 2:00 pm on Tuesday, November 16th."
If you are confirming
an appointment, make sure you refer to the date, time, location and subject
of the meeting.
After a job interview,
it is a good idea to send a follow-up letter, as this may sway the interviewer's
opinion in your favor. This letter should state how much you enjoyed the interview
and how much you would like the job. Indicate that you are willing to provide
additional information or references. This is also a good time to clarify anything
you may have not fully discussed in the interview.
If a meeting
has been scheduled several months or weeks in advance, it is a good idea to
send a follow-up letter closer to the appointment date. Repeat all the necessary
information, including date, time, location, and any items he or she should
bring. Most importantly, indicate that you look forward to seeing the person.
Indicate if you
need a response and how the person can respond to you: via phone, E-mail, in
person, or by mail.
If this is a
second follow-up letter, and you have not yet received a response from your
original letter, include a copy of it with your new letter, or repeat the message.
Emphasize the importance of his/her response.
When writing
your letter, avoid negative remarks. Do not imply that the reader is thoughtless,
forgetful, or negligent. If you make the reader feel defensive, they will not
be likely to respond in a positive manner. Showing your frustration only makes
the situation worse.
If you have sent
a gift and have not received an acknowledgement, send a follow-up letter a few
weeks later. Make sure you describe the item you sent. It is possible that the
person did not get it, it may have been misidentified, or opened by someone
else, especially if it was sent to a business.
When writing
an email, the letter will be a little less formal. Keep the email as short as
possible and stay on the one subject.
Helpful verbs you can use: Click on each word to get definitions and examples from WordNet 1.6 Vocabulary Helper.
| Acknowledge | Confirm | Inform | Mention |
| Notify | Remember | Remind | Reply |
| Respond |
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To: Dr. Tom Jones Subject: Follow-up meeting CC: Self (Stu Gally) I am looking forward to our meeting on Friday at 10:00am at your office to discuss my status as graduate student in your program. I will see you then. Thank you, Stu Gally |
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To Miss Marie Hichock, I would like to thank you for meeting me for the salesperson job. I enjoyed the interview and I hope you found it enjoyable as well. I really am interested in this sales position, and I feel that I can be a great benefit to your company. If you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me at (202) 123-4567. Again, thank you for your time. Sincerely, Alfred Norman |
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Dear Jennifer, How are you? How's married life going? I am doing fine. I just wanted to be sure that you received the crystal vase I sent you last June. I know how busy life can be for newly-weds, so I thought that I would check to be sure that the mail got through to you. I wish I could've been there for your wedding, but it was just too much with Michael being sick. He is out of the hospital now and doing well. I hope that your wedding was a beautiful and wonderful day for you. Take care and keep in touch! Love always, Your Aunt Hilda |