Though many people would agree that calling the company you interviewed for within a week or so is some pretty good advice, we recommend you take your follow-up a bit further with these 7 interview follow-up tips. You never want to seem standard during the interview process, whether it’s your application, the interview itself, or the time period after the interview. You need to take certain steps so the interviewer not only remembers you, but also has continuous comfort that you’re more than capable to perform the job description’s various duties when they do think of you.
So next time you have an interview, start practicing these job-seeking tips the moment you walk out the door.
Get a Timeline
Before leaving the interview, make sure to ask what kind of timeline they have in mind for the hiring process. When do they plan on hiring someone? When will they let that person know? Obviously don’t drill them with clingy questions, just try to get a good feel as to when they may be planning on making some moves. This way you’ll have a good idea of when to follow up and when to just be patient.
Write Down Post-Interview Notes
The second you get home, or better yet, when you get into your car, jot down some thoughts you had throughout the interview. Think about how the interviewers body language, the pace of the dialogue, whether or not subjects had a smooth transition. Simply reflect your personal opinion about how the interview went.
Think of Questions
Even if you had some questions during the interview, there’s a pretty big chance that the hours following the interview, you’ll think of some more questions or concerns that you had regarding the position at hand, the management team, the company itself, etc. Write down the questions as they come to you and still fresh in your mind. Keep these questions with you so you have them ready on the next follow-up.
Send a Thank You Letter
Whether you want to write a thank you letter by hand or e-mail one to them is completely up to you. These things tend to be what you’re most comfortable with and which note you think the interviewer would be more impressed by. The easy way will most likely to shoot them over an e-mail, however 95% of the interviewees will take the easy way. To set yourself apart, show off your traditional side, however odd it may feel. Since this is just a short, sweet and simple note thanking them for their time, the sooner the better to send off the thank you letter.
Keep in Touch
Regardless if you got the job or not, if it’s a company you want to work for or a temporary recruiting agency that has a ton of other jobs for you, you’ll definitely want to stay in touch with them. For example, the interviewer mentioned how excited they were to see how quickly temporary labor jobs are growing in South Florida; you could follow up and send them an article you read and say something like, “Good Morning Beth, I thought you would enjoy this article that showcases how temp labor jobs are on the rise in South Florida since you emphasized your interest on the matter at my interview for a carpenter position last month. I hope all is well!”
And it’s really as simple as that. Don’t over think too much, just stay in communication with them so you’re the person they think of for the next temporary labor job opening.