Took time, did your research, landed an interview for the position you were dreaming about, now it’s time to sit back and wait for them to offer you the job. Wrong!
How to Follow-Up After an Interview
What you do after the interview is just as important as the interview itself. A strong follow-up strategy creates a long lasting impression of your communication skills, as well as your professional presence. Here are five tips on what to do after the interview.
Share Feedback With The Recruiter
If you are working with a recruiter, it is important to follow up with them after your interview. Take the time to put some space between you and your interview, fully think through how you answered all the questions and how you felt about the company. After those considerations, share the feedback with your recruiter. If you felt like you didn’t answer a question fully or even that great, be honest with them and share that feedback. They may be able to give you some pointers on how to double back on the topic in future contact with the hiring manager.
Also, share your experience with the hiring manager and the company. You are being interviewed for a role, but you are also interviewing the company as an everyday fit for your skill set. Make sure you feel your career objectives match up with the organization needs and share these thoughts with the recruiter as well.
Write a Thank You Note
A simple “thank you” e-mail for the hiring manager’s time goes a long way. It does not have to be extremely formal or hand-written, an email is just as impactful. Just be sure to take the time to personalize each note for each recipient. In the thank you note, highlight some key points as to why you are a good fit for the role, and bring up any action items the hiring manager may have given you during the interview.
The thank you note will also act as a small writing sample for the hiring manager. Verify before sending that there are no spelling or grammatical errors! The thank you note should be sent the same day for a morning interview, or the next business day for an afternoon interview.
Contact Your References
If you have not done so already, it is important to let your references know that you had an interview and used them as a reference. Let them know a little information about the position and company you are interviewing for. This will help your references highlight relevant skills that would benefit the new role and company.
Follow Up, Professionally
Make sure you follow up with either your recruiter or the hiring manager. Ask what the timelines are for hiring for the role and who to contact with questions. If the follow up is in ten days, give them the full ten days, then follow up with a reminder of your interest and the skills you can bring to the position.
It is also important to respond quickly to tasks given by the company. For example, if the recruiter or hiring manager asks for a copy of your references, be sure to follow up with them within the same business day.
Make your Candidacy Stand Out
The final piece of advice to remember is to keep researching. This includes new technology in the role you have interviewed for, staying relevant with company news and industry updates. This will create more confidence when called for the next interview (or job offer)!
-Alana Orzechowski, Corporate Recruiter