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After Interview Follow Up Help
Strategic after interview follow up is an essential part of job interview success. Use this follow up help to follow up professionally and increase your chances of getting the job you want.
Following up effectively after your interview involves more than sending a thank you letter.
Once your job interview is over, find out how to successfully manage the next stage of the hiring process.
5 Steps for Successful After Interview Follow Up
1. Follow through
Take the actions you said you would in the interview as soon as you can. If you promised to send through your references do this as quickly as possible. If you don't follow through when you said you would you appear disinterested and disorganized.
2. Respond rapidly to contact made by the employer
Make
sure you pick up your messages and emails and respond to them
immediately. If you are going to be out of contact for some reason send
an email to let the employer know when you will be available again.
3. Send a follow up email
Write and send your interview follow up email or thank you note within 24 hours of the initial job interview.
4. Contact your references
Let your employment references
know that they are likely to be contacted in the next couple of days by
the company. A reference can make or break your chances of getting the
job offer, it is far better for you if your references are well
prepared.
Give
them some details about the job interview and the company so they have
an opportunity to think about how they can highlight your suitability for the position.
5. Keep it professional
You can bungle your chances of getting the job by posting something inappropriate on social media. Comments about the interview, the interviewer, the company or your current job should be avoided. You do not know how these will be interpreted.
Employers do use social media as part of their evaluation of job candidates so make sure you don't have anything posted that could ruin your chances. Use this social media checklist to send the right message to potential employers.
What not to do after your job interview
You can have a winning job interview but lose the job offer because of what you do after the interview. Proper follow up is key to securing the offer.
How to send references after the interview
If you are asked for references after the interview it is important to have a list of names to send through straight away. Prepare your references before you start your interview process by asking them to act as a reference for you. During your interview process it is advisable to contact and update your references about the employers they will hear from and the jobs you have interviewed for.
Use this sample job reference list to develop your own professional reference list to send to the employer as an email after the interview.
The interview follow up phone call
After an appropriate time make the follow-up call, usually within a week or so of the job interview.
- Be polite and professional.
- Assess the situation and avoid overdoing the follow up calls. This can just become annoying for the employer.
- Find the right balance between staying informed and been seen to be too aggressive.
How can I predict how my interview went?
It can be tough deciding how your job interview really went. These pages will help you.
What to say when calling to follow up after an interview
You want to display enthusiasm for the position but avoid sounding pushy or desperate.
"I would like to thank you gain for the opportunity to meet with you last week and also to restate my interest and enthusiasm for this job. I was hoping that you could give me an update on the status of my job application..."
Get help and advice on when and how to make this tough follow up call
In the meantime continue with your job search...
Even if you are confident this is the position for you, it is never wise to rely on one job opportunity, there are no guarantees that you will definitely get the job.
Knowing what other job opportunities are out there will help you when making the final decision about taking the job. You will be better able to evaluate the job offer in terms of the current job market.
What to do if you receive another job offer
Another job offer puts you in a position of strength when asking for feedback.
In
a non-threatening way, let the company or recruiter know that you have
received another offer and are considering it. You can restate your
interest in the initial job but ask for a definite date for the hiring
decision so that you can respond to the other offer.
Use this example of what to say to help you.
"Since our interview I have received another job offer. I am still very interested in your position but I would like to know when I can expect a final hiring decision. The other company have asked for my response by the end of the week."
How often should you follow up?
Be patient, hiring processes often take longer than initially anticipated. Just continue with your interview follow up at timely intervals. About once a week, you can alternate between politely phoning and emailing the company and asking them the status of their hiring decision.
Interview thank you letters to select the appropriate sample thank you from.
Phone interview thank you email
Interview thank you letters template
Sales Interview Follow Up Email
If you don't get the job, do not think of it as time wasted. You have made some important contacts at the company. You can send a short note to the hiring manager or human resources, thanking them for their time and asking them to keep you in mind for other suitable positions.
