Email Templates Database

April 30, 2019

This is our repository of email templates. It’s important that the tone of your email messages matches that of your CV and cover letter – it’ll look very odd if you write emails one way, and your cover letter another way.

If you need help customising your email, or if you’re unsure of what to include, please reach out to us at hello@resumewriter.sg

In these templates, there are often areas that change depending on the context. We’ve marked these sections out – look out for content (in brackets). You’d need to change them to fit your situation. In some (more challenging) scenarios, we’ve also included examples of emails you can adapt.

Here’s a list of all the scenarios we’re covering thus far. If this list doesn’t have what you’re looking for, drop us an email and we’ll craft one for you!

Quick Links:

  1. Post Interview Thank You Note
  2. Post Meeting Thank You Note
  3. Application Follow-Up
  4. Asking Questions about Applications
  5. Asking for Feedback
  6. Asking for a Coffee Session (Related Contact)
  7. Asking for Coffee (Cold Email)
  8. Introduction Email to be sent with applications
  9. Introduction Email to be sent to Recruiters
  10. LinkedIn – Message to Recruiters
  11. LinkedIn – Connection Request Messages
  12. Linkedin – Asking For Recommendations / Endorsements
  13. Bespoke Messages – Request an Email Template

 

Post Interview Thank You

The Thank You note/email is sent after an interview in order to cement the impression a candidate has made during an interview. It’s the final pitch we make to the employer.

Be sure to send this out within 24 hours of your interview. Don’t leave it waiting too long!

Template

Dear Mr/Ms (Surname of Interviewer),

Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me this (morning/afternoon/evening) to discuss the (position). I greatly enjoyed our conversation, and am very excited about the possibility of joining your company.

After the interview, I have a better understanding of the responsibilities and opportunities that are available as a/an (position), and I was particularly interested to learn about (something interesting which came up in the interview). I believe that my experience and goals are well aligned with the needs you highlighted. Specifically, I (skillset which fits the role), and I hope that this will support you in (relevant area of business).

It was a pleasure meeting with you. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions I may address.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

(Client Name)

Example

Dear Mr Tan,

Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me this morning to discuss the Business Development Manager position. I greatly enjoyed our conversation, and am very excited about the possibility of joining your company.

After the interview, I have a better understanding of the responsibilities and opportunities that are available in this position, and I was particularly interested to learn how XYZ Company is looking to expand into the Chinese market. I believe that my experience and goals are well aligned with the needs you highlighted. Specifically, I have previously led the development and foray of my team at A company into various APAC regions, and have seen great success in penetrating greenfield markets. Combined with my extensive cultural knowledge, I am confident of supporting XYZ’s business development objectives.

It was a great pleasure meeting with you. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions I may address.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

John Lim

Thank You Email (After Meeting)

Senior leaders often have many meetings in a day. After a meeting over coffee with an important person, it’s important to cement the relationship and end a successful exchange with a Thank You email. Everyone likes being appreciated.

Template

Dear (Name),

Thank you for your time earlier today. It was great meeting with you, and learning more about (subjects you discussed). I find your team’s vision very admirable, and I’d like to wish you all the best in (relevant events you discussed).

Please let me know if there’s anything I may be of assistance with.

Have a great day ahead!

(Your name)

Example

Dear Sheldon,

Thank you for taking the time to meet me for coffee yesterday.

It was great meeting with you and learning more about the work that XYZ does. The projects you’re currently spearheading sound really intriguing – I’ve certainly never considered that approach myself before. I find your team’s vision very admirable, and I’d like to wish you all the best in your upcoming presentation at the Conference.

Please let me know if there’s anything I may be of assistance with.

Have a great day ahead!

Regards,

John Tan

Follow-Up on Application

Sometimes, employers don’t provide an update. You might want to send an email to follow up on the status of your application in such cases.

The email should be short and to the point.

Template

Dear Mr/Ms (Surname),

I hope everything is going well. I just wanted to check in to see if there are any updates on the status of my application for (position), which I interviewed for on (Date). I remain very interested in the position, and look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Client Name

Asking Questions

Sometimes, you may wish to seek clarifications about certain aspects of the role, or ask questions about the hiring process.

Template

Dear Mr/Ms (Surname),

I am (name), and I’ve recently applied to join (company) as a/an (position). I’d like to seek a few clarifications regarding the application process, as follows:

(questions)

Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,

(name)

Example

Dear Mr Stark,

I’m James, and I’ve recently applied to join ST. Ark Industries as a Development Engineer. I’d like to seek a few clarifications regarding the application process, as follows:

  1. I understand that there is a short technical test as part of the first-round interview. Is there anything I need to provide as part of this test?
  2. What languages will the test be conducted in?

Thank you very much, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,

James Rhodes

Asking for Feedback

Sometimes a position just didn’t work out, but you don’t know why. It’s useful to follow up with the hiring team to learn about their reasons, and to see how you might improve in your other applications. This is purely a feedback session – the decision has already been made, and you should not be trying to change their minds.

Example

Dear Mr/Ms (Surname),

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the (position) on (interview date) and for letting me know the outcome. I greatly appreciated the opportunity, and I hope to ask a brief favour from you. Would you be available for a short call to discuss how I could improve upon my candidacy, and some areas for improvement? Any feedback you could share would be very welcome.

Thank you again for your time and consideration, and I hope to keep in touch with you.

Regards,

Name

Asking for Coffee – Related Contact

The best way to learn more about a role or industry is often straight from the horse’s mouth. Yet, the people who are best placed to answer your questions are often really busy. You might not even know them personally! However, if you have some sort of relationship with the person (same university, attended a sharing session, etc.), it’s often worth trying to get in touch.

Because this particular email must be extensively customised based on your situation, there’s no hard and fast template. Take a look at the example, and try to adapt it to suit your circumstances. Otherwise, please drop us an email at hello@resumewriter.sg and we’ll be happy to help.

Example

Hi Tony,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m a recent graduate from NUS, and I attended your sharing session on the Finance industry last Friday. If possible, I’d love to get a few pieces of career advice.

I’m presently working in consulting, but many of my friends work in finance. Every time they tell me how much they love their jobs, my interest in finance grows.

Many of them have suggested talking to someone at Blackrock for more information. Could I pick your brain on what you do as a fund manager, and how you came to work at Blackrock? I’m also eager to learn how you made your career choices after graduating from NUS.

Would it be possible for us to meet for a short chat? I can meet you for coffee somewhere near your office, or anywhere convenient for you. I’m great with any arrangement.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Regards,

Pepper

Asking for Coffee – Cold Email

This is one of the hardest emails to pull off. There’s a great chance of being ignored – some people just won’t answer unsolicited emails, as they receive way too many in a day. If possible, try searching for insiders who you might share a connection with.

Be specific and direct. It’s best if you come prepared with two or three specific questions to discuss. It’s even better if you know why the recipient is in the best position to answer your questions.

Lastly, make it easy to respond. Proactively offer to work around the recipient’s schedule.

One technique you can consider using is what we call the small-ask-big-ask or the 1-2 punch strategy. We start off with a small request that’s easy to say yes to and doesn’t take much time to handle (e.g. a short question), before building up to our original request that requires a greater time investment (coffee session).

Because this particular email must be extensively customised based on your situation, there’s no hard and fast template. Take a look at the example, and try to adapt it to suit your circumstances. Otherwise, please drop us an email at hello@resumewriter.sg and we’ll be happy to help.

Example

Hi Minerva,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m currently a third-year NUS undergraduate majoring in Information Systems, and I recently chanced across your LinkedIn profile. I understand you’re a Project Manager at Google’s AI division – I’m highly interested in working there, and would love the opportunity to ask you 3 short questions about your experience there thus far.

In particular, I recently attended a campus outreach event on Google’s Waymo. I’d like to find out more about:

  1. Google AI’s involvement with Waymo
  2. Your background with AI research (I’ve read several of your publications and found them very enlightening)
  3. The general type of projects Google AI will be looking at in the near future

I know you’re very busy, so if you’d prefer a call or quick meetup (or a Hangouts meeting!), I’d be happy to oblige. I’ll work my schedule around you.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time.

Regards,

Harry

Example 2 – the Small-Ask-Big-Ask

Hi Harvey,

I’m currently working on an article for the Harvard Law Review and I wanted to see if I could get your feedback really quickly. Could I send you a short draft with a few specific questions I’m looking for your thoughts on?

Regards,

Mike

Introduction Email for Applications

Job ads often instruct you to send an email with your documents to the hiring manager. Yet, most of the time, you’re also sending in a cover letter. If the ad doesn’t ask for a cover letter, you can use your cover letter as an email message. If it does, don’t repeat the contents of that letter! There’s no point in making the hiring manager read the same thing twice. Instead, write a brief email message introducing yourself, and let your CL and CV speak for themselves.

Template

Dear Hiring Manager,

I’m (name), presently (your role). I was excited to learn of the opportunity to join (company) as a (role) through (the place you saw the ad).

(Briefly discuss why you’re suited to the position)

As requested, please find attached my cover letter and CV for consideration.

Please let me know if you require any further information or documentation. I can be reached at (contact details).

Thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,

(Your name)

Example

Dear Hiring Manager,

I’m John, presently a third year student at XYZ University majoring in Social Science. I was excited to learn of the opportunity to intern with the National Museum of Singapore through my University’s career office.

As a volunteer tour guide at the Singapore Art Museum, I have extensive docent experience. I am also an enthusiastic amateur historian and history buff, having studied History at A Levels.

As requested, please find attached my cover letter and CV for consideration.

Please let me know if you require any further information or documentation. I can be reached at (contact details).

Thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,

John Tan

Introduction Email for Recruiters

Using headhunters and recruitment agencies can be a great way to enhance your job search. When you sign on with a good recruiter they’ll do the heavy lifting for you, directly presenting and marketing your skillset and experience to a hiring manager or talent acquisition team, and maybe even getting you considered for roles that aren’t yet in the public domain!

When reaching out to a recruiter, the key objective is to keep it brief – These talent professionals look through hundreds of profiles a day, they value speed and the ability to scan and digest at a glance.

Main points to include are your role, industry, years of experience, skillset, and (briefly) any criteria that would be important to you in a new role or employer.

Template

Dear (Recruiter Name / Agency Team),

I’m a (your role), currently working for (your current company) in (your industry).

However, I feel ready for a change, and was wondering if you had any roles you thought I could be a good fit for?

I have (number of years’) experience, specialising in (main role 1), (main role 2), and (main role 3).

(Briefly discuss some key metrics that help establish the scale and scope of your role or experience).

(Briefly discuss any criteria you’d be looking for in a new role).

I’d be keen to discuss with you, and see what you have available.

Please find attached my CV for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you!

Yours sincerely,

(Your name)
(contact details)

Example

Dear Robert Half Team,

I’m a Sales Director currently working for IBM in the Hospitality Technology sector.

However, I feel ready for a change, and was wondering if you had any roles you thought I could be a good fit for?

I have 9 years’ sales experience, specialising in Business Development, Marketing Campaign Management, and New Market Penetration.

Over the course of my career, I’ve led sales teams of 20+, overseen annual sales pipelines of >$300M per annum, and managed marketing budgets of $100K per quarter.

Ideally, I’d be interested in a role with another MNC, though I’m flexible on industry and sector.

I’d be keen to discuss with you, and see what you have available.

Please find attached my CV for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you!
Yours sincerely,

Susan Chong
(contact details)

 

 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most important networking tools nowadays. Think about it as a ‘Facebook for professionals’ – use LinkedIn to keep in touch, to network, find contacts, etc. Be mindful of the image you are presenting, however.

 

Message to Recruiters

If you are adding someone as a contact, take the time to pen a short message to them in order to customise the invitation. As LinkedIn restricts the message to 300 characters, keep your message short and sweet.

Introduce your profile briefly, and explain why you’re getting in touch.

Template

Hi (Name),

I hope you’re doing well. I’m presently an IT project manager, and I’m looking for opportunities to move to a global MNC. I understand you’re presently covering IT, and I hope to connect with you to learn more about any potential roles you may have at the moment.

Message to Recruiters (Specific Role)

Tailor your introduction to the relevant skills and experiences needed for the job.

Template

Hi (Name),

Hope you’re doing well. I understand you’re currently recruiting for a (insert role title) role at (company name) in (location). I believe my profile fits your mandate – I have XX yrs’ experience in XX and this role greatly appeals to me. Could we set up a short call to discuss this?

Regards,
(Name)

Asking For Recommendations

More often than not, a recruiter or hiring manager may look you up on LinkedIn prior to selecting you for an interview. This is why it’s crucial to have an online profile that delivers a great first impression.

Having a complete LinkedIn profile is instrumental in building your professional brand, but LinkedIn recommendations and endorsements are an extra powerful tool that can give the recruiter or hiring manager that additional conviction they need to shortlist you as a candidate.

These recommendations will appear on your LinkedIn profile and are visible to everyone, so it’s best to approach the subject tactfully. We recommend sending an email instead of approaching through LinkedIn, so as to not be too direct and appear too eager, and also ensure your request doesn’t get lost in a LinkedIn inbox.

Better yet, not only is an email more personal, it also boosts your chances of getting the actual recommendation on LinkedIn. And you have the opportunity to potentially influence how your recommendation reads.

Template (Email)

Hello Lisa,

I hope all is well with you!

I wanted to reach out and see if you’d be willing to write me a recommendation on LinkedIn for the time I was on your team at XYZ Company.

Being able to work with you was a pivotal opportunity in my professional career, and a very valuable growth experience for me. It certainly led me to where I am today.

I truly appreciate your guidance and the projects you allowed me to handle.

That said, I know your time is precious. So if you’re open to my request I’d even be happy to send you a draft for the recommendation. Of course, you can edit it as you see fit. I’m also happy to post a LinkedIn recommendation for you in exchange, if you’d like.

And it goes without saying, you can ignore this email if you’re not comfortable with this request.

Thank you for your time, kind consideration, and support. You can find my LinkedIn profile here: linkedin.com/in/XXXXXXX


Warm regards
(Your Name)

How to request for a recommendation (on LinkedIn)

If you receive a “yes” to your request via email, you can help them along by sending a recommendation request through LinkedIn.

Here’s how to request a recommendation on LinkedIn:

  1. On your profile, click “Add profile section” and under the “Recommended” tab, click “Add recommendations”.
  2. Identify the person you want to recommend you (from your Connections).
  3. Define your relationship with said person and your position at the time. Then, customise your request with a message. You may also include your draft for them to edit, depending on their response to your email.
  4. Once you receive the recommendation, you can choose to accept it. It will then appear on your profile.

Email to thank someone for a recommendation

Having someone vouch for you professionally is a big ask, and you should let them know how much you appreciate it. We suggest doing this via email once you’ve received the recommendation.

If you like, you can also go beyond an email to say thank you. Maybe offer them a cup of coffee or send them a thank you card – These kinds of personal touches really help build your professional network, and a strong network can open up great future opportunities!

Template (Email)

Hello Lisa,

I hope you’re having a good week!

Thank you for taking the time to drop me a LinkedIn recommendation.

I greatly appreciate it and have left you a recommendation on LinkedIn in return.

If you have time in the coming week, I’d love to buy you a cup of coffee as thanks and catch-up in person.

Let me know if you’re free.

And once again, thank you for your support – it means a lot to me!

Connecting with Industry Professionals (Application)

After sending in your application, it’s always worth dropping a message to the hiring manager on LinkedIn to cement your application in his mind.

Template

Hi (Name)

Hope you’re doing well. I came across the opportunity to join (company) as (role) through (the place you saw the ad). I have dropped you an email expressing my interest, and I hope to connect with you to learn more about this.

Connecting with Industry Professionals (Non-Application)

It’s good practice to network and get in touch with other industry professionals. You never know when a connection on LinkedIn may be a valuable contact! As far as possible, when connecting with an individual, try to personalise your invitation message. Steer away from the boring default “I’d like to add you to my network”!

There are many potential scenarios – this could be a colleague you’ve recently met, someone you’ve gotten in touch with at an industry even, a mutual friend, etc.

Template 1 – Colleague

Hi (Name),

I’m (your name) from (department). Although I’ve never gotten the chance to work directly with you, I’ve heard amazing things about (some of your colleague’s best skills). Hope to see you in action one of these days!

Example 1

Hi Natasha,

I’m Bruce from Marketing. Although I’ve never gotten the chance to work directly with you, I’ve heard amazing things about your recent campaigns, and how they’ve generated the best ROI we’ve seen thus far. Hope to see you in action one of these days!

Template 2 – Industry Event

Hi (Name),

It was great speaking to you at (event name) last week. I was fascinated by the work you’re doing, particularly in (some of the work your contact does). Hope to keep in touch with you!

Example 2

Hi Howard,

It was great speaking to you at the NAFTA conference last Wednesday. I was fascinated by the work you’re doing, particularly in trade regulations (especially with the current issues with China). Hope to keep in touch with you!

Template 3 – Connecting with a Mutual Friend

Hi (Name),

I’m (your name), a friend of (mutual friend’s name). I’m glad he introduced us – I was really interested in the work you’re doing for (contact’s company). Shall we meet up for coffee one of these days?

Example 3

Hi Steve,

I’m Nick, a friend of Carol’s. I’m glad she introduced us – she mentioned that you’re an expert in online channel sales and that you’re now on the fast track promotion program at Microsoft. I’d really love to hear more about your successes and learn from them. I too harbour similar ambitions of working for Microsoft one day. Would it be possible to have a call or grab a coffee?

 

Bespoke Requests

Every situation is unique. While we’ve tried to cater to most major scenarios you might face as a jobseeker, there’ll always be one or two unique circumstances we couldn’t predict.

No worries! Your access to our template database comes with a bespoke email crafting service, for up to three unique emails.

Our consultants will put together an email tailored to your situation, based on your inputs. We’ll also upload a generalised version of that email to this page, to allow future clients to benefit as well.

This service never expires! Just drop us an email at hello@resumewriter.sg with the same email you used to sign up with us, letting us know about the type of email you need.

Harry Suresh