Job Interview Follow Up: what to do after the interview

Good job interview follow up does two things:

• It Helps you appraise your performance and decide if the job is right for you

• It boosts your chances of getting a job offer by showing your enthusiasm to the employer

Don’t ignore the first point. Job interview follow up starts with you. Before you start sending thank you notes, stop and think about the most important question. Now you have seen what they have to offer, do you want the job?

Weighing it all up

Complete the questions below as soon as possible after leaving the interview. They will help assess how well you performed at interview, and your thoughts about the employer and the role.

The stress of the interview can make it difficult to remember exactly what happened even if you leave it just a few hours. I’ve spoken to candidates as little as fifteen minutes after the interview and the memory has been fading!

The most important advice? Be honest with yourself. You should only go after the role if you really want it. Likewise you’ll only become a better interviewee if you recognize where you can improve.

Interview follow up questions

• How did it go? Give yourself a rating out of ten for your overall performance?

• What went well? What areas did you perform strongly in?

• What didn’t go so well? There is no such thing as a perfect interview, what areas were difficult? Where would you perform better if you were to answer the questions again?

• How did you get on with the interviewer? Could you see yourself working with this person?

• What do you like about the role? You have had a chance to learn more and ask questions. How closely does it compare to what you want?

• What do you like about the company?

• What reservations do you have? How can they be resolved?

• What money did you discuss? This can help you anticipate the offer you might receive

• How does the opportunity compare with your current job?

• How does the opportunity compare with other opportunities you have?

Job interview follow up guidelines

• Before leaving, ask the interviewer when you can expect to hear from them. For more on ending the interview - click here. • Make sure you have name and contact details of the interviewer(s)for your follow up letter

• Send a thank you letter to the person(s) who interviewed you thanking them for the interview and letting them know you are interested in the role

• Let your references know they can expect a call

• Don’t panic – the process can take longer than even the employer expects sometimes

• Don’t sit around waiting for the call. Keep on job hunting until you have a firm offer on the table.

Follow the links below for help and advice you need.

Find out what interview feedback will do for you.

How do you cope if you don’t get a job offer? Handling interview rejection is an important part of interview success Learn why its not the end of the road.

When you are successful you will still have some challenges. Find out all about job references, job offers and of course, salary negotiation.

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