There is a lot of advice out there about preparing for your interviews, what questions to ask and what research you need to do beforehand, but what about after your interview?
Saying Thank You
Most people sit back and wait it out, hoping for the call that offers them the job but what can you do differently to make sure you stay in the mind of your interviewers?
It is important to follow up after every interview you have. If you are working with a recruitment agency they should get in touch with you after the interview to get your feedback and pass it back to the employer. However, writing a thank you email can and will make you stand out from the crowd.
Get your email written and sent within a day or at most two of your interview. Always be professional, concise (a couple of paragraphs is enough) and use the opportunity to reiterate how you think you can add value to their business. Don’t be too pushy about wanting to hear back from them. Once sent you need to be patient. If you don’t receive a reply don’t chase them, you need to leave them to make their decision.
Keep Job Searching
Don’t stop with your job search once you’ve been for interview. Even if you are feeling positive about the outcome it is good to have other options just in case you don’t end up with the result you are hoping for. It can take time for companies to make final recruitment and hiring decisions so don’t be downhearted if you don’t hear back as quickly as you would like to. If you have a number of other job opportunities to consider you’ll feel much more positive while you wait and take some of the stress out of the situation.
Learning For Next Time
Even if you don’t get the job at the end of the process, interviews can teach you so much ready for next time. If you aren’t successful always ask for feedback. You may not always get it but knowing what you didn’t get quite right this time will help you prepare for the next one and hopefully land you the job that is the right one for you.
