Ground rules for any template
A template saves you from the blank page and nothing more. The lines you fill in are the ones that get read.
- Replace every bracketed placeholder, then search the draft for "[" before you send it.
- Mention only projects, results and shared history that really happened.
- Change enough words that it sounds like you.
- The timings below are common rules of thumb. If the recruiter or company gives you its own timeline, follow that one.
Email 1: the thank-you note after an interview
Subject: Thank you for the [JOB TITLE] conversation Hi [INTERVIEWER NAME], Thank you for making time today to talk about the [JOB TITLE] role. The part about [SPECIFIC TOPIC FROM THE CONVERSATION] stayed with me. It is close to work I have done: [ONE SENTENCE, ONE REAL EXAMPLE]. [OPTIONAL: one sentence that adds or corrects something from the interview.] I would be glad to help the team with [TEAM GOAL, IN THE INTERVIEWER'S WORDS]. If anything else would be useful from my side, please tell me. Best regards, [YOUR NAME]
When to send it. Within 24 hours of the interview. If you met several people, each one gets a separate note.
What carries the weight.
- The specific topic. Name one detail from that conversation: a system they described, or a problem the team is stuck on. Three interviewers means three different notes.
- The link to your experience. One sentence and one real example, the closest thing you have done to what they talked about.
- The optional line. Use it only if you have something to add or correct. If not, delete it, brackets and all.
- The team goal. Repeat the words the interviewer used, not the wording on the careers page.
Notice that the note says nothing about the layoff. By the interview stage they already know why you are looking, so the follow-up can stay on the role.
Email 2: the referral request to a former colleague
Subject: A favor to ask: [JOB TITLE] at [COMPANY] Hi [FIRST NAME], I hope all is well at [COMPANY]. You may have heard that I was part of the layoff at [PREVIOUS COMPANY], so I am looking for my next role. [COMPANY] has an opening for a [JOB TITLE]: [JOB LINK]. After our work together on [SHARED PROJECT], I think I would fit it well. Would you be comfortable referring me? My resume is attached, and below are three lines you can paste into a referral form. If this does not feel right for any reason, that is completely fine, and thank you either way. [THREE-LINE SUMMARY: TITLE, MOST RELEVANT RESULT, WHY THIS ROLE FITS] Thanks, [YOUR NAME]
When to send it. Before you apply, if you can, since some companies only credit a referral that arrives first. Send it on a weekday.
What carries the weight.
- The shared project. Name the work you did together. It reminds your contact what they can honestly say about you.
- The job link. Point to one specific opening. Asking about "anything at your company" hands your search to them.
- The three-line summary. Put it in the body of the email: your title, your most relevant result, and why this role fits. It saves your contact the writing.
- The layoff sentence. One plain line is enough. If they already know, cut it down to "I am looking for my next role."
Keep the sentence that lets them say no. A referral puts their name next to yours, and a contact who can decline without awkwardness is one you can still write to later.
Three mistakes that are easy to make
- Sending the same note to everyone on a panel. The specific topic is the whole point of the note.
- Explaining the layoff at length. One line in the referral request, none in the thank-you note. A layoff is a business decision, and a long explanation can read as an apology.
- Leaving a bracket behind. Search for "[" one last time, and read the email aloud once before sending.
Keep a simple log
Write down who you emailed, on what date, and what you asked for. With several applications open at once, it stops you from following up twice with one person and forgetting another.
Going further
These two emails are adapted from a set of 12 templates in the Tech Layoff Job-Search Kit, our own paid product, sold on Gumroad as 4 Markdown files. The kit page describes each file, the delivery method and the refund policy.