Follow these post-job interview tips to ensure you’re making the best impression and setting yourself up for success.
Table of contents
During the interview process
You may think you know all about how to interview, but did you know it’s important to collect business cards while you’re there? In order to do a comprehensive and effective follow-up to your job interview, you need to know who you to follow up with. Prior to talking to each person at your interview, ask for a business card from that person so that you have the contact information you need.If you are interviewing remotely or someone you interview with in person does not have a business card, then get their name, title, and at least one contact method, such as an email address.
Immediately after the interview is over
So now you know how to get in contact with the right person, but now you need to know how to follow up. You need to send out some sort of correspondence immediately after the interview to thank each person for their time. While emails are the easiest way to send a message, they are also the most impersonal. Your best method is to send something through standard mail and make a good impression. You have two choices when it comes to correspondence to send after an interview: a “thank you” card, or a handwritten letter.Either is appropriate, so long as the format and wording are professional. If your handwriting is not strong, then write your letters with a word processor, but be sure to personalize and sign each letter individually. In your correspondence, be sure to mention that you will be following up in one week to see what progress has been made in the interview process. This is critically important in setting up the next step in your interview follow-up.
Sample first follow-up note after interview
Dear [Interviewer’s Name],
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me [today/yesterday] about the position of [the position you’re applying for] with [Company Name]. I enjoyed hearing about [interesting things you learned from the interviewer].
The job role information that you discussed with me reinforced that this is a position I would enjoy and a role where I could make a valuable contribution with my skills and experience [refer to your specific area of expertise and how it can benefit your employer].
Based on what we discussed about [specific issue discussed during the interview], in my recent position as [your current position], I experienced that [explain how you would handle the specific issue].
Please feel free to contact me for any additional information. I look forward to hopefully working together in the future.
Thank you again, [Hiring Manager’s Name].
Sincerely,
[Your sign-off]
Sample Second Follow-Up Note after Interview
Dear [Interviewer’s Name],
I thought I’d follow up today, as during my last interview, you mentioned that you’d be making the final recruitment decision for the [the name of your position] by [the established deadline].
Please, let me know if you have an update and if there are any additional details I could provide you with to facilitate the hiring process.
Sincerely,
[Your sign-off]
One week after the interview
Wait one full week (seven days) and then make your follow-up phone calls to your interview contacts. When you call to follow up on your interview, identify yourself to each contact you talk to and remind them of the day and time that your interview was conducted. After you have identified yourself, your next step is to ask where the company is in the interview process and how your credentials are stacking up. At this point, you should also ask if the company needs you to send in any references or other materials. If you get voicemail, then leave a concise message with your phone number. It’s a good idea to write out a script for your voicemails.Sample phone script 1 for call made 1 week after interview
Hi, [Interviewer’s Name],! This is [Your name] calling. I interviewed one week ago on [date of interview] for the [the position you’re applying for] position, and wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me. You mentioned that you’d be making the final recruitment decision within a few weeks so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if there’s additional information I can provide. You can reach me at 123-456-7890. Thank you, again.
Two weeks after the interview
If you left voicemails instead of talking to people in your one-week follow-up, then wait an extra week and then try again. Your objective is to show persistence and continued interest in the job, but you do not want to be a pest. Waiting one week in between calls is not only professional, but it is appreciated by the interviewers.Sample phone script 2 for call made more than 2 weeks after interview
Hi, [Interviewer’s Name]! This is [Your name] calling. I interviewed on [date of interview] for the [the position you’re applying for] position. I wanted to follow up to see if there are any additional details I could provide to you to help with the hiring process. You can reach me at 123-456-7890. I hope to hear from you soon.
After the follow-up calls
After your initial follow-up phone calls, you should attempt to contact the interviewers at least two more times by phone. As with your initial follow-up calls, you should wait one week between each call. If there is no movement after the third follow-up call, then you can allow the process to play out without making any further contact.Finally, in all of the steps above, ensure that you’re polite, professional and present yourself in the best light possible. The tips above will equip you with the knowledge of how to follow up on a job interview to ensure that you’re presenting yourself professionally and giving yourself the best chance at landing the job.
