After countless applications, you finally scored an interview. Your resume stood out from the infinity pool of resumes HR had to choose from, and you went in and aced it. Or maybe you didn’t ace it. Either way, you want that job, and you aren’t going to just let it slip away. Waiting by the phone to get the call that you were hired – or weren’t – is useless. More often than not, the call will never come. It’s your job to make sure it does, and you do that by following up after your interview. Here are some tips on how to follow up successfully and get the job.
Ask at the Interview
One of the questions you ask at the end of your interview (you have more than one, right?) should be, “I’m very interested in the position; how can I follow up with you?” Hopefully your interviewer’s answer will give you an idea of the timeline you can expect, such as, “I’ll be making my decision by the end of the week,” and he will tell you his preferred method of contact. Your best bet is to follow up in the manner he requests – blatantly ignoring his answer won’t score you any points.
Get a Business Card
Before you leave the interview, get a business card from each of your interviewers. This will give you their personal contact information, which is crucial if you had only previously been in touch with HR. If you’ve been given explicit follow up instructions, follow them, but if you weren’t, the business card will give you your best shot at a successful follow up.
Send an Email
The next day, email your interviewer and thank him. Your email should be short and to the point, but your goal should be to reinforce your interest and your qualifications. In just a couple sentences, say something to let him know you were paying attention at the interview, you’re a good candidate, and you’re interested. It could be as simple as, “I think my experience as a sales leader makes me the perfect candidate to accomplish your company’s goals and increase your profits in the Asian market. I look forward to the opportunity.”
Make a Phone Call
Approximately five days to one week is a good timeline for making a follow up phone call, but again this decision will be first dictated by your interviewer’s instructions. Make a personal phone call, and say essentially the same types of things you said in your follow up email. Tell him that you hope you’re still under consideration for the position, and let him know he can contact you if he needs any more information.
Don’ts
There are some very important don’ts when it comes to job interview follow ups. Do not sound desperate. Do not say you have other job offers on the table. Do not pester an interviewer with regular calls or emails. Do not send a handwritten thank you note because it is too old fashioned. And finally, do not be anything but polite and professional.
Photo Credit: Susanne13
