It is the most nerve-racking experience – the preparation, the process and the seemingly eternal wait thereafter. It is called an interview – the license to employment. Job interviews can be a source of great anxiety for any individual who is made to sit on tenterhooks for extended periods of time. A great amount of hard work goes into interview preparations if one intends to avoid the possibilities of the slightest faux-pas and leave nothing to chance. The very fact that you have been invited for an interview indicates that the interviewer is impressed with your credentials and qualifications. The interview may go smoothly and you may be extremely relieved and optimistic – thinking that getting selected is fait accompli. However, at times, there may not be any response from the interviewer with regard to your selection. As days pass, the long wait takes a toll on your spirits, puts a dampener on your happiness and interest, making you wonder if you did well or not. Finally, you may even give up on the company. This is where you tend to falter by neglecting the formality of a follow-up call. In today’s competitive rat race, do not think that a post-interview follow up seems pushy on your part. It is important that you follow up after an interview as even employers view it positively. To know how exactly you can do that, read further.
How To Follow Up After A Job Interview
Call
Calling the interviewer to know about your status may seem easy. However, you need to keep a few things in mind before you decide to give a call. Call one day after the interview to thank them. Ask them if there is anything else that they need to know about you; if there is then provide them the answer or the details they ask for. In case you need to leave a message in the voice mail system, you must detail your name, reason for calling and mention the number on which they can revert to you.
Email
Email, considered by many as an impersonal technique to follow-up, is actually a very effective way to assess your status. You can wait for the next day before you decide to contact your interviewer through email. The subject line must include your name so that it can quickly catch the receiver’s attention. Brevity is the soul of wit, so be as brief as you can in your email and use professional language. The mail ought to include a professional signature under your name with your contact number and address.
Send A Letter
To follow up with the interviewer(s), you can also mail him/her a formal business letter that includes a thank-you note for having given you the opportunity to be interviewed in the company. You can also mention your email address and phone number in the letter.
Tips For Following Up
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Before you leave the interview, ask the interviewers when you could expect to hear from them or when they plan to make the hiring decision.
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If you have not alerted your references, alert them soon after your interview, informing them that they may get a phone call from the employer.
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While following up with the employer, ask interesting questions that make the interviewer remember and take note of you
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Be wary of calling on Mondays. Mondays are not considered ideal to market anything in general.
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You must obtain the correct names and titles of all the interviewers. Better still is to get their business cards so that you do not forget their names.
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In case you send them a thank-you letter, show appreciation for the employer for the interest he/she took in you and also restate your strengths and sell yourself by reminding him/her about why you can be the most suitable candidate for the position.
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If you have any thoughts or concerns regarding the position that you interviewed for, send a follow-up note that starts with gratitude and ends with your question. Furthermore, treat it as another opportunity for them to take notice of you.
Hope you find the information, given above, useful. Being proactive in following up with your employers, after the interview, gives you the upper hand over so many other candidates who do not believe or follow the proactive concept of follow-ups.
