Interview Follow up

Consider these key rules and strategies for following-up your job interviews:

 

• Do ask at the end of the interview when the employer expects to make the hiring decision.
• Do be proactive and consider follow-up a strategic part of your job search process. Follow-up can give you just the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position.
• Do use these follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiasm and desire for the position, but don't make it seem as though you are desperate.
• Do obtain the correct titles and names of all the people who interviewed you.
• Do write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you -- even if you are sure the job is not for you. And do write thank you notes after every interview.
• Don't worry so much about hand-written versus typed thank you letters, but don't make a mistake by sending it through the wrong medium; make sure you know the best method of reaching the employer, whether by regular mail, email, or fax.
  
  
• In your thank you letter, do show appreciation for the employer's interest in you and do remind the employer about why you are the perfect person for the position..
• Don't ever have any errors (misspellings or typos) in your thank you letters.
• Do alert your references -- if you have not done so already -- that they may be getting a phone call from the employer.
• Don't stop job-hunting, even if you feel confident that you will get a job offer. Do continue to interview and attempt to find other opportunities.
• Do follow-up with a telephone call to the employer within a week to ten days (or sooner, if the employer had a shorter timetable) to ask about the position. And do continue to build rapport and sell your strengths during the phone call.
• Do be patient. The hiring process often takes longer than the employer expects.
• Do continue following-up, especially if the employer asks you to. Remember the adage about the squeaky wheel getting the oil. Just don't go overboard and annoy or bother the employer.
• Don't place too much importance on one job or one interview; there will be other opportunities for you.
• Do use other job offers as leverage in your follow-up -- to get the offer you really want.
• Don't burn any bridges if you do not get a job offer. And do try and turn the situation into a positive by bringing the interviewer(s) into your network, possibly even asking them for referrals to other contacts.