So you just interviewed for a great position at a physical therapy clinic — congratulations! Now what do you do while you wait for a decision?
Within 24 hours, you should thank your interviewer. It’s considered good etiquette for job candidates, and yet a lot of people don’t take this critical step right away. Accepting a job offer is a big commitment, and sending a personal thank-you shows you’re ready to become the newest physical therapist on their team.
You’ve done great work to get to this point in the hiring process. This article will outline how you can keep it up by sending a stellar thank-you.
What’s the best way to follow up after a PT job interview?
The best way to follow up after a physical therapy job interview, as in many other occupations, is to send a thank-you note to each person you’ve interviewed with. You can send a thank-you email for preliminary phone screenings. But for final interviews, sending a handwritten note whenever possible or making a phone call is likely to set you apart from other applicants. When in doubt, sending both an email and a written thank-you note is acceptable. It’s important to send your thank-you within 24 hours so interviewers will see it before they make a decision.
How to write a follow-up email after a PT job interview
Sending a thank-you note within 24 hours of a physical therapy job interview benefits you in a few different ways. First of all, it’s the polite thing to do and it shows a level of professionalism. Not everyone will take this step, so you’ll double down on any good impression you’ve made. Your thank-you note will help you stay top of mind in a genuine and friendly way, and if you’re careful, you can direct their attention to the strongest points of your conversation without “selling” yourself. (See point number 4 below.)
Hold off on following up again until a week or two later. If they mentioned when you can expect a response, wait at least until that date and time. This can be hard, but hiring processes are notoriously slow. If they haven’t finished interviewing all applicants, they’ll likely hold off on responding until then. Your thank-you should ultimately show respect for their hiring process.
Follow these steps to craft a kind and thoughtful thank-you after a physical therapy job interview:
- Greet your interviewer
By the end of the interview process, there’s a good chance you’ll speak with a human resources representative in addition to the supervisor who’s responsible for filling the position and potentially a department head or an executive. Address individual notes to each interviewer as they’ve introduced themselves in written communication or in person when you met. (Take good notes so you’ll remember their preferred names.) You can start your notes with “Dear [Name],” to establish familiarity.
If you need help with spellings, try looking at the company website or any emails you’ve received. This is not the time to make a guess! If all else fails, you can ask the person at the front desk or call the main office number.
- Express thanks
Thank your interviewers for their time and the job opportunity in a genuine way. Keep your message short and sweet. Hiring a new employee is a complex process with a lot of steps, so your interviewers will expect you to make the most of your time with them on a call or in person. Don’t try to squeeze a lot of detail into your thank-you note. Let your interview performance speak for itself, and show continued respect for their time by keeping your correspondence brief.
- List the interview time and place
When writing your thank-you note, be sure to mention the position you interviewed for along with the time and place of your meeting. You may not know how many other candidates they’re considering, so this is the simplest way to identify yourself and jog their memory. It’s also a way you can show attention to detail without getting bogged down in the specifics.
- Mention a detail from your interview
To make your note thoughtful and show that you were paying attention, choose a detail to touch on quickly in your note. Try to focus on something that evoked some excitement or interest from the interviewer. If they mentioned anything about upcoming projects, you can try to keep a sense of momentum from your interview by commenting on your excitement to get started. If you want to reiterate any relevant skills, this would be the place to do it. But try to resist being overly persuasive since that’s not the point of this communication. Being attentive and courteous should come first.
- Preview how you’ll follow up
If they’ve shared when they anticipate having a decision, let them know you’ll wait until that time to ping them again — but be specific about how you’ll get in touch. It’s good to repeat any instructions you were given here, for instance, if they told you to call or send an email if you haven’t heard from them. This shows you understand and respect their hiring process.
There is a bit of a strategic element to interview follow-ups as well. Gently asserting how you plan to follow up shows them your time is valuable, too. It’s a subtle reminder that you’re actively seeking opportunities and you’ll make an effort to connect before moving on. But it also creates some urgency to respond in the agreed-upon time frame.
- Hand-deliver your thank-you within 24 hours
If you’re able to stop in the next day, hand-deliver your note and ask the person at the front desk to pass it along to your interviewer. Making this extra effort gets you into the building once again, showing that you’re serious about building this relationship and comfortable in their space. It’s a reasonable way for a potential employee to “go the extra mile.”
All that’s left to do is look out for a response and reply with grace and gratitude. Set a reminder to follow up after a week goes by or the decision date they mentioned has passed. Do exactly what you said you would do and keep moving forward with your job search. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more common to get “ghosted” by hiring managers after job interviews. But avoid making any negative comments. You never know how this missed opportunity could turn into another chance down the road.
When to follow up after sending your thank-you
If you don’t know when to expect news about a hiring decision, it’s best to wait at least one week after a job interview before following up. (That’s five business days.) You can reach out again with a phone call or another email if you don’t hear back after an additional week. If you don’t hear anything after a second week, it’s better to stay silent. You’ve made every reasonable effort to reconnect, so at this point, it’s safe to assume they’re not interested. It’s definitely possible that they might reach out again if another candidate rejects their offer. And now that you’ve met with them once, you may have an advantage next time they post an open position.
Ready for a new and exciting career opportunity? You’ll find it at Alliance PTP
Ready to flex your interviewing and communication skills? Alliance Physical Therapy Partners firmly believes that partnership means creating something that is greater than the sum of its parts. We’re proud to bring together physical therapy clinics around the nation to help people get the kind of treatment they’re looking for and then exceed their expectations.
But we realize that our partners can’t serve the people in their communities with exceptional PT without amazing PT team members and admin staff. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for hardworking individuals who want:
- A less hectic daily schedule than most PT providers require.
- Exceptional health, retirement and wellness benefits.
- Readily available mentorship and professional development opportunities.
- To be part of a team that’s committed to caring for its patients and the local community.
Want to learn more about the current career opportunities available at Alliance PTP’s partnership in care? Check out our Careers page.
