It’s possible your whole life currently revolves around your job search. You’ve polished your resume, updated your online professional networking profiles, and lined up references. You’ve applied to countless positions, tweaking your resume each time to suit the job description and requirements. You’ve drafted dozens of cover letters and even fielded a few screening interviews.
You’ve done everything all the experts recommend. And it’s paid off because you’ve just had a very promising interview with a very promising organization.
What Should You Do After a Job Interview?
Now What?
You’ve taken your best swing at the job application and interview; don’t neglect to follow through. There are a few steps you can take after your interview that will reinforce your interest in the position and prepare you for this phase in the hiring process.
Immediately After the Interview
- As your interview concludes, confirm contact information for anyone who interviewed you and inquire about the next steps in the company’s hiring process. Generalities may not be enough to ease your jitters as you wait to hear back from the company. Ask for specifics about their hiring timeline, recommends Indeed. For instance, will there be a second interview? When will they notify candidates moving forward? How many days will they need to make a decision?
- As soon as possible after the interview, write down anything you want to remember. This includes
pertinent information about the job, company, and office environment and any questions that occur to you after you leave.
- Within 24 hours, write and thank your interviewer. Use your post-interview notes to craft a personalized thank you that mentions something specific discussed during the interview.
Within the First Week
- If the interview went well, you may now be anxiously awaiting a callback from the company, so this advice is going to be hard to take. Try to be patient. They probably have other interviews scheduled. Additionally, interviewing may be an extra task on top of their already hectic job. Give them at least a week to work through the process.
Even if they specifically said, “You should hear back from us within the week,” circumstances beyond their control may change that timeline.
And if the timeframe they gave you was even longer, say two weeks, resist the temptation to contact them sooner.
“The truth is that there is very little you can do right now that will help your cause,” says Harvard Business Review. “Being overly eager or pushy is (at best) going to seem annoying and (at worst) might actually hurt your chances of getting the job.”
Once your thank you is sent, put thoughts of the interview on the back burner and focus on the things you can control.
- For instance, take time to assess your interview performance. What questions did they ask and how did you answer them? Do you think you answered well? Is there something you would have said or explained differently? Is there anything else you wish you had mentioned – or wish you had not said? Use this assessment to help you improve your interviewing skills.
- An interview assessment is helpful because while you’re waiting, you should continue your job search.
“Resist the urge to stop all other efforts, no matter how much you want that particular job offer,” says Career Sidekick. “Going on more interviews will only improve your perspective and decision-making ability when it comes time to evaluate job offers. Having multiple offers also provides you with leverage to negotiate with.”
Long-Term
- When it’s time to follow up on your interview, do so briefly and respectfully.
“Whatever you do, don’t pester. Sending multiple emails with no response can send the wrong message,” advises BetterUp. You should appear interested, not annoying.
- If you didn’t get the job, try sending another brief note asking for interview feedback or career advice. You won’t always get a response but take what you can learn from their critique. By hearing what they consider your strong and weak interview and skill strengths, you can be better prepared to tackle future job discussions.
While the interview is an important part of the hiring process, it isn’t over when you walk out the door. Make the best impression possible with your follow-through for the best chance of success.
Ready For Your Job Interview?
If you need help with your job search, contact the placement professionals at Pro Resources Staffing Services.