4 Ways to Follow Up After a Job Interview

After the job interview, whether you are still interested in the position or not, you’ll want to make it part of your interview strategy to follow up with the interviewer. Following up can give you the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position. But many job seekers are unsure of how and when it is appropriate to follow up. Here are a few tips:

1. Ask about next steps before leaving the interview
   Find out when the final hiring decision will be made, and what the next steps are. This will give you an idea of the timeline, and when it will be appropriate to follow up again if you haven’t heard back. When following up, use it as an opportunity to highlight a couple of key reasons why you are the best candidate for the job.
2. Send out a quick thank you note within 24 hours of the interview
   During the interview, make sure to ask for the names and contact information of everyone you interviewed with. Sending a hand written thank you note will make you stand out among other candidates. But if a decision is expected to be made quickly, then sending a thank you email is perfectly acceptable as well. Do write individual thank you notes to everyone who interviewed you.
3. Ask if you can connect via LinkedIn
   Since this is a potential long-term professional relationship in the making, it’s perfectly appropriate to connect on LinkedIn. Make sure to request permission during the interview, if it is going well. Don’t make the interviewer guess what your motives are, and don’t send a generic connection request. Have a logical reason for connecting, and then ask for permission while you are at the interview.
4. The decision deadline has come and gone
   If the employer told you during the interview that a decision would be made by a certain date, and that date has come and gone without a notification, wait another day or two and follow up. Chances are that the lack of follow up from the employer has more to do with them and less to do with you as a candidate. They may still be interviewing or someone is out of the office etc. This is a great opportunity to reach out to let the employer know you are still very interested in the opportunity, and again remind them of a few of the reasons why you are a good fit for the role.

The post interview process is critical, and having a solid strategy before going into the interview will help you gather all the critical information you need to be able to plan your post interview follow ups. Don’t miss our free webinar on June 22^nd on how to successfully prepare for a job interview.