Immediately after your interview, you should write down the questions you were asked as well as your answers to them. That way, you will have a record of your responses for future reference if you have more interviews with the company. It will also help you recall the details of the interview when you follow up, and remind you if you need to follow up with the employer about something specific. You will want to follow up with the employer after each job interview you have.
Following up is a great way to increase your chances of getting the job or a second job interview. You will want to thank the employer for the opportunity and remind him or her why you are the best person for the job. At the same time, you don’t want to go overboard and bother the employer. So, the question is, how exactly should you follow up with the employer after your interview?
Here are the four parts you will want to remember about following-up after the interview:
- Send thank you notes
- Be careful not to bother the employer
- Follow instructions
- Choose your words carefully
Send thank you notes
The first step in following up after the interview is to send a thank you note to each person who was in the interview with you. You should send this note via email within 24 hours of the interview. If you do not have the email addresses of all the people in the interview, you may look up their contact information online (try the company website) or call to get their information. After sending the emails, you should also follow up with a handwritten card and send it within two business days. This is not a requirement, but it will help you to further stand out from other applicants.
In your thank you notes, you should first thank each person for his or her time and for the opportunity to interview for the job. You should then remind each person why you are the very best person for the job. However you choose to say this, make sure that you repeat why you are the best person for the job. It may be because of your background, past experience or education. Remember that the purpose of the note is to convince the employer of your future success in the position.
Be careful not to bother the employer
After you send your thank you notes, it may take some time before you hear back from the employer. The amount of time depends on the company and how quickly it needs to fill the position. Be polite and try not to bother the employer by calling, emailing or writing too often.
Often times, at the interview, the employer will tell you when you should expect a reply from the company. If you do not hear back from the employer by this date, you may wait until the next day to call or email and ask about the status of your application. When you call or email, re-introduce yourself as an applicant for the job, reference the deadline and politely ask for any news on the position. You will come across as prompt and professional rather than as a bother to the company.
Follow instructions
When following up with the employer or company, it is important that you make sure to follow the instructions given to you. For example, make sure that if you are asked to call back in a certain number of days that you call rather than email. If you are asked to email, on the other hand, make sure that you use the correct email address.
You will want to be absolutely sure that you contact the right person. It is best to contact the main interviewer directly, if possible. At the interview, you should have received his or her contact information. If you did not, you can call the company and ask for the phone number or email address for the person. This will help you make sure that the right person sees that you are following up and taking initiative.
Choose your words carefully
After you make sure that you have the correct email address or phone number for the interviewer, it is a good idea to practice what you are going to say to him or her when you call to follow-up. What you say may be different for a phone call than an email, but you will want to do three things in either form of communication:
- Remind the interviewer who you are
- Reference the deadline that was given to you
- Ask for any news on the position
These three things will help you appear polite and courteous. You will come across as prompt and professional rather than as annoying to the company. You may also let the company know that you thought the interview went really well and that you look forward to their response.
Following these tips will increase your chances of the job (or a second interview). If you would like to learn more about teaching workplace readiness skills, click the free trial link below.
