Interviews 101: 5 Do’s and Don’ts to Follow After an Interview

Pre–interview preparation and the job interview itself are extremely important, but don’t sleep on the importance of what you do after a job interview. 

Your actions after an interview can make or break your candidacy. With this in mind, please consider the following five tips on how to follow up after an interview. 

1) Ask About Next Steps and Following Up 

Technically, you should ask about next steps in the interview process and following up before you leave the interview. Find out a rough timeline for the next interview or hiring decision. Ask who you should contact regarding a follow–up email or phone call. 

Before walking out the door, try to gather business cards or written contact information of the people you’ve met. 

2) Think On It 

After the interview, walk away from the site for a bit to get some physical and emotional distance from the interview. After you’ve that essential distance, try to mentally review everything about the interview. Consider what you said, the reactions you got and any answers you might need to clarify. 

Also, think about anything that rubbed you the wrong way. Before potentially considering an offer, you need to determine if this opportunity is the proper fit for you. While you always want to make a good impression, you’ll also want to accept a job offer that aligns with your career goals and personal needs. 

3) Write A Thank You Email 

A prompt thank–you email is what most hiring personnel expect from candidates after an interview. Odds are you won’t win the position based on a thank you note, or lack of, but you can certainly lose out on one. Email a thank you note on the same day if you interviewed in the morning and by the next day if you interviewed after noon. In the email, recap your best moments and address any awkward ones or any questions didn’t answer completely at the time. 

It is critical to deliver a separate, personalized thank you email to each interviewer. Since hiring managers usually compare notes, identical thank you emails can look lazy. 

4) Keep Searching 

Regardless of how well you think you did, don’t stop looking for a new job. Unless you accepted an offer on the spot, nothing is guaranteed in the world of recruitment. If you have one or two applications out there, move forward with those sincerely. Don’t stop networking, checking job boards or anything else that’s a part of your process. 

5) Follow Up Tastefully 

If a prospective employer never gave you specific details on how and when to follow up, a strong strategy is to follow up around one week after your day-of (or day-after) thank-you note. If you were given the go-ahead to follow up with someone, reach out every 7 to 10 business days, giving up after about five weeks of hearing nothing. 

Be sure to follow any directions you were given and err on the side of discretion. 

We Can Help with Every Part of the Interview Process 

At Career Concepts, we help our job seekers with every part of the interview process, from prep to follow-up. Please contact us today to find out how we can help you.