The interview you have been fretting about for a week is finally over – and you nailed it! Now you’re wondering what the next step is? The “interview process” is not complete unless you’ve heard that you’re moving on to the next stage of the hiring process or not. The best next step is to follow up with the interviewers. Here are some tips for doing it in the most strategic way possible.
1. Ask about next steps.
The best tip for following up is to be clear about next steps at the end of the interview. The interviewer might say: “I have interviews scheduled the rest of the week. If you do not hear from me by Friday, please feel free to call on Monday.” If it is not specified, ask: “Can I reach out next Monday to follow up?” Take what it said seriously – and do it.
What might make it annoying: If he or she is not answering you directly about when to follow up, take your usual approach. Do not keep pushing the issue. Also, don’t ask if an email or phone call is preferred – do what you think best fits the situation.
2. Send a thank you email – fast.
The quickest way to say thank you for the interview is to send an email. Moreover, it is perfectly acceptable in this digital age, but make sure to do it the same day or the next day at the latest. If you met three people during the interview process, send three separate notes and customize them. You can even reference something that was discussed during each interview, so that way, it gives you a chance to restate significant information or clean up a blunder that happened during the interview.
What might make it annoying: Show your interest in the position, but do not sound desperate. Avoid repeating everything you discussed during the interview too. Keep it short. A couple paragraphs will do the trick.
3. Get the requested documents over, quick!
Maybe you wanted to share a link to your expanded portfolio, or you said you would send over alternative contact information for one of your references. Whatever the requested follow-up materials were, get them over quickly. You can even attach them to the thank-you email. Do not expect the hiring manager to wait for any additional information he or she needs to make a well-informed decision.
What might make it annoying: Send everything that was requested all at once, not in separate emails. Put it all together in a neat package to make it easier for the hiring manager to find and reference.
4. Snail-mail a handwritten note or make a phone call.
Even if you drop a handwritten note in the mail the same day, it will take a couple of days before the interviewer gets it. This will be a reminder of your interest in the position. Handwritten notes are more common in industries, such as in the publishing workplace. A phone call may be more accepted in sectors that require phone skills, such as sales. These higher-touch methods for outreach are more conducive to communication-heavy roles.
What might make it annoying: Do not send a thank you email, then a handwritten note, then a phone call. Use the high-touch methods sparingly.
5. Connect via LinkedIn.
Connecting with your interviewers through professional social media channels is commonplace. It also gives you another platform on which to reach out. However, that does not mean you should bombard them. Instead of using it as a different way to ask for a job, try sharing interesting information that both of you are passionate about. Maybe during the interview, you discussed the importance of inbound marketing. If you come across an interesting article about it, do not be afraid to share it with your contact. It will keep you top of mind with hiring managers while also demonstrating your intellectual curiosity and knowledge of topics or trends in your space.
What might make it annoying: Personalize your connection request, and only send it once. If it is not accepted, do not keep sending them.
Use these follow-up best practices to stay on the good side of your interviewers. Even if you do not land this position, you will be top of mind for the one that opens next.
