What to Do After A Job Interview

What to Do After A Job Interview

Often after a job interview we find ourselves at a bit of a loss, we are unsure of what to do exactly – should we sit by the phone and wait? Or should we be immediately sending out more job applications? Simply sitting back and waiting for the job to land in your lap is a little unrealistic. There are some common practices which can be put to use in this situation.

Know the Process Before you Leave

Before the job interview is over you should make sure you know what sort of time frame the response will come to you in – if the interviewer explains the process takes a few weeks then there is no need to sit waiting by the phone! This will save you time and worry!

Following Up the Interview

In the interview you should collect the correct titles and names of those interviewing you – ideally you will have everyone’s business card. This will allow you to make contact with them again within two business days of the interview. There should either be a phone call, an email or a letter to follow up any interview. This should be a way of saying thanks for the opportunity – a sincere note following important interviews should show you to be interested and shows appreciation for the employer’s interest in you.

If you think you have a good chance of getting the job then it might be time to approach your references and inform them that their services might be required sooner rather than later. This allows them to provide reference as soon as is possible.

Don’t Stop Looking

Even if you think that you are likely to get a certain job there is little point in halting your search – waiting is not the best way to spend your time. You, however confident you are, may not get the job and the time of missed job-hunting will seem very much wasted. As the recruitment process takes much longer than anyone ever expects it is a good idea to keep hunting.

A secondary job offer also gives you a little bit of leverage in a job interview – this is not to say you should offer ultimatums to potential employers (because you will be shown the door immediately) but that casually mentioning it as part of small-talk is suggested. This will, hopefully, let the employer know they need to make a decision.

If you do not get the job you should be as courteous as possible – any contacts are useful so sending a thank you note and keeping as many contact details as possible is a good idea. They may be able to offer you future jobs.

With this in mind you should be able to avoid making any mistakes after your interview.