Job search and interviewing is honestly like dating. You are trying to figure out if a company matches you and your values, and your potential employer is looking to see if you will fit in at the company as well. Interviewing can be the worst part of job search for a lot of people. Today’s post is part of my first series on the blog, “Interviewing with Intention”. In this 3 part series, you will learn how to (1) prepare for an interview, (2) present your best self during an interview, and (3) complete proper post interview etiquette. Check out Part 1: 3 Things You Absolutely Must Do Before a Job Interview and Part 2: 5 Things You Shouldn’t Forget to Do During Your Job Interview!
Welcome to the last installment of my “Interviewing with Intention” series! In this post, we’ll discuss the proper post-interview etiquette so that you can earn your dream job.
1. Send a thank you note
The art of a hand written thank you note is definitely falling behind. If you are able to mail a thank you note or hand-deliver it immediately after your interview, you will definitely stand out in a positive way!
If delivering a hand written note to your interviewer is too difficult, you definitely want to send a personalized thank you email to them at the very least. If you connected with your interviewer over something during the interview, mention that or anything else that will help them remember who you are.
Its best to send your follow up thank you message within a day or 2 of the interview, so don’t delay on sending it. You don’t want to risk your interviewer forgetting who you are.
2. Follow up
Following up with your interviewer is a crucial step to getting the job. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and your interviewer will reach out to you after the interview, but chances are that you’ll have to follow up with them to hear any response back.
Since you remembered to ask questions at the end of your interview, you most likely asked your interviewer what the next steps in the interview process will be, and you got their contact information too. Keep your interviewer accountable for their response. If they told you that they will get back to you in a week, and you still haven’t heard from them 8 days later, send a follow up message! You never know what is going on in their job or life as to why you haven’t heard from them. Don’t assume no response is a rejection.
Regardless of how long of a time period that your interviewer told you that it would take for them to get back to you, you will want to connect with them on LinkedIn within a day or so after your interview. Again, this will help your interviewer remember who you are. Make sure you send them a message with your connection request though, mentioning something like “It was nice getting to meet you today during our interview for the XYZ position at your company.” Again, this will help you stand out from the other “cold connects” that your interviewer may be receiving while they are interviewing other candidates as well.
3. Play the waiting game
While it’s important to follow up on your job interview in a timely manner and keep your interviewer accountable, you also don’t want to seem like you are pestering or badgering them. While following up shows that you take initiative and that you’re interested in the position, over doing it can make you seem overbearing or annoying.
A good rule of thumb is to follow up if you haven’t heard from them by when they said they would get back to you. If they don’t respond to your initial follow up message, consider sending one or 2 more messages spaced out a week apart. If you still don’t hear anything, then I would start looking somewhere else.
There is no shame in searching for and interviewing for multiple jobs at the same time. Nothing in the job market is personal, and you don’t want to put all your faith in one position just for it to turn into a rejection. Keep searching and interviewing until you have an offer (or multiple offers!) so that you can get the best job opportunity and benefits package as possible.
4. It’s not you – it’s me
Even after the most perfect job interview, there is still a chance you might not get the job. And just because you didn’t get the job doesn’t mean you weren’t qualified. The company may have lost funding for the position, or your interviewer may not have thought you were a good fit for the role. There are a million reasons why you may not get a job, but don’t let that discourage you from your job search.
Even if you don’t get the job, remember to still thank your interviewer for their time and consideration. One of the best things you can do if you get a rejection is to end on good terms. You can also request that they let you know of any other openings or opportunities that are available at their company.
You can also inquire either why you didn’t get the job or if they have any feedback on your interview or your qualifications. This will help you be better prepared for the next time you interview for a similar position.
Remember, the job market isn’t personal. Most likely, the reason you didn’t get the job is not because they don’t like you, so don’t take it personally or be offended.
Following these post interview etiquette steps will help you stand out in your job search and earn you that dream job you’re searching for.
Thank you for joining me for my first series, “Interviewing with Intention”! Make sure to check out Part 1: 3 Things You Absolutely Must Do Before a Job Interview and Part 2: 5 Things You Shouldn’t Forget to Do During Your Job Interview for more tips and tricks on job interviews.
What post-interview etiquette tips do you have?