Flawless Follow-up – How To Handle Things Post Interview

Well, that went well. You have just exited an interview that you feel went pretty good. Now what? First, celebrate. Next, follow-up!

It’s important to take a few moments to breathe a sigh of relief for a job well done. Being selected for an interview means that they saw something in you of interest and they took the time to meet with you. You now need to thank them both for their time and also for the opportunity they are offering.

As soon as you can, get them a thank you note. While an email message and a handwritten note are acceptable, try and determine which the person conducting the interview would most appreciate. Either way, thank them for their time and mention how excited you were to learn more about the position and feel it would be a great fit for you.

Then you wait. Hopefully you asked when they planned on making a decision so you know when to contact them again. If you haven’t heard anything by that date or in the next two weeks a follow-up email or phone call might be in order. Keep it simple. Here’s an example of a quick email message:

Mr. or Ms. X,
I am contacting you regarding the _________ position that I interviewed for at your company. You had mentioned that you wanted to make a decision by (DATE.) Can you tell me if any offers have been extended to candidates? I am still very interested in this role and would appreciate any updates you can provide.
Thank you,

Unless they request some additional information beyond this, you are done. Do not stalk the interviewer. If you left an impression of any kind, they will remember you and there is no need to keep reminding them you exist. In many cases, you will hear nothing. While this is unprofessional, it is more the norm. In best cases, they ask you to come back or ask when you can start.

When job searching, it is easy to get too focused on one role and feel like you need to stop looking until you hear the results. Keep moving, keep looking. Pausing can get you a week or two behind in your search. The recipe for success is simple: Interview. Follow-up. Repeat.

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included. ©2011 Catherine Lang-Cline, Portfolio Creative, LLC.

Catherine Lang-Cline is co-founder and owner of Portfolio Creative, a workforce innovation firm that was named a fastest growing company in by Inc. magazine in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Portfolio Creative helps connect client with creative talent in all areas of design, marketing, communications and advertising. www.portfolioiscreative.com.