After the Interview -
7 essential steps to take

Original article "After the Interview" by the authors of best-job-interview.com

Summary:

Your job interview follow up will be a key factor in setting yourself above the competition. In today's job market the candidate who creates and leaves behind the best impression will most likely be the successful candidate.

Follow up after your job interview in a professional and enthusiastic manner and give the company further proof that you are the right person for the job.

What To Do After The Interview

Use these seven key steps to follow up successfully and get the job you want.

1. Find out what happens next

When closing the interview ask for information about the next stage in the hiring process. Ask when you can contact the company to find out the status of your application.

By asking when you can make the call rather than when you can expect to hear from them gives you an element of control over the follow up process.

It also demonstrates a proactive, professional approach. You now have a time frame in which to plan your job interview follow up strategy.

2. Get all the necessary contact information

Make sure you have the full name and title of the interviewer plus his/her contact details. Ask for a business card or get it from reception. Find out from Human Resources after the interview if you forget!

You need this information for your interview thank you letter and to make the follow up call. Know who you should contact to find out about your application after the interview - it isn't always the interviewer.

3. Revisit the interview

Assess what happened in the job interview and jot down notes. What were positive areas that you can reinforce and what areas need to be addressed further?

Use these details to write a thank you letter that is well considered and relevant to the specific job interview.

4. Write and send a thank you letter

The reality is that a large percentage of job interview candidates neglect this vital step in the interview follow up process.

Send a professionally written and relevant thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. Use your notes to reinforce you suitability in the interview thank you letter and to address any concerns that may have come up during the interview.

Express your enthusiasm for the job and company. Make sure you have addressed the recipient correctly and find out the best way to send the interview thank you note - email, post or by hand. Use the sample interview thank you to help you.

If you prefer to send a follow up email use these sample email thank you letters

After the interview thank you email

5. Contact your job references

The company will probably contact one of your job references to do a telephonic reference check.

Alert your references and give them some details about the job and the company so they are well prepared to provide the best references possible for you. Follow up with an email to find out how the reference check went and thank them for providing the reference.

6. Time to make the call

It is advisable to follow up  with a call or email after a couple of days. If you have been given a specific time frame work within that. Do not wait for the company to contact you.

There is nothing desperate about making a professional follow up call after the interview to ask about the status of your application - rather it demonstrates enthusiasm and tenacity.a

You can use the phone call or email to thank them again for the opportunity to interview and then ask when a hiring decision is likely to be made.

This sample email to send when you have not heard back from the company will help you draft your own interview follow up. Go to the job interview follow up email

7. Keep looking

Continue with your job search.

Determined but professional and polite follow up after the interview puts you in a strong position for job interview success.

What Not To Do After A Job Interview

These are critical mistakes candidates can make after their job interview. Avoid them and increase your chances of job offer success.

How to recover from a bad interview

So you think your interview went badly. Don't panic, you can do some damage control and bounce back. Find out about recovering from a bad interview.

10 Signs of a bad interview

Follow up after the interview pages

Sample interview thank you letters

How to write the follow up letter - what the employer wants to know.

What steps is the employer likely to take after the interview?

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