How to follow up after a job interview

 

A prospective employee may consider that they have performed really well in a job interview but they should still carry out additional actions to improve the chances of it ending with an offer of employment or at least an invitation to the next stage of the process. Young people who are at the early stages of their career can often miss out on the follow up after an interview mainly through inexperience and this may cost them when comparisons are made against a more experienced person. The process should begin immediately after the interview has finished. Asking for a business card before leaving is key to the follow up, ensuring that all the contact information that the candidate will need is present. It can prove useful for the candidate to take notes of the key interview points as soon as they can.
These can prove useful if asked to attend a second interview. The information can also be useful for further research. The prospect needs the Interviewer to keep them in their mind and thoughts above the other candidates. Sending a thank you e-mail that arrives with the Interviewer on the following morning can really assist this and is of course very courteous which again is a good trait to display. Contact with the Interviewer can also be made a couple of days after the interview, taking into account weekends when it can be expected that the process will be on hold. The candidate should consider the environment and time of day that the contact is made. Avoiding very early morning or the very end of the day is good advice. The prospective employee can confirm their interest in the position and may also ask the Interviewer if there is any other information that they need.
If the candidate is further contacted by the Interviewer or the Company the response is crucial. Prompt and professional are the key words. Candidates should not just wait for the company to make the first contact after the interview. In fact some companies make it a deliberate ploy not to do this in order to see which of the potential employees are prepared to follow up in a professional manner. It shows enthusiasm and hunger for the job. Lastly, if the process has proved not to be successful, the candidate should still send a letter to the company thanking them for the consideration given. Opportunities may arise in the future and actions like this can be remembered and may at a later date be rewarded