What to Do After the Interview?

Common things to do after an interview.

While there's a lot of opportunity during this time, some candidates may also encounter challenges. For instance, some may express concern about when is the right time to contact a potential employer, how should it be done and how often. The following tips will help you feel confident, professional, and justified in your post-interview follow up and might put you at the top of the candidate shortlist:

1. Ask for next steps and contact information

When finishing an interview, it's critical to get the contact information of the hiring manager and ask for next steps. This may result in learning the window of time for decision making. Rather than asking, “What are the next steps, Try questions that will give you more information like, How many days do you think you need to make a decision? Or will there be a second interview, and if so, when will you be notifying candidates moving forward?

2. Assess your interview performance

To assess your own performance, write the questions you recall answering and how you answered them. Importantly, also include the things you didn't say that you wish you had. You may work some things into follow up. The goal is to identify issues and why they occurred. It can help you in future interviews.

3. Write down anything you want to remember

If there is anything you want to remember, outside of how you answered the questions and what you did and didn't say, record that too. Perhaps you met with more than one person: jot down their names. Write down insights about the office environment that you have further questions about, should you get a second interview, or things you want to remember about the interviewers.

4. Send a thank you note to the hiring manager

A thank you note within 24 hours of the interview is an important task to complete in the post-interview window. In some industries, a more formal note like a handwritten thank you card might be in order. Look to your cohorts to determine the best way to say thank you but issue a note of gratitude to the employer who took the time to interview you.

5. Reference a current industry event in the news or literature

If you chose to write a note via email, this allows you to impress by including a link to something current and relevant to your interview and industry. For example, if you discussed management styles, perhaps include a link to a book that talks more about the management approach you take. If you're interviewing in a technical industry that is always changing, maybe provide a link to the community that you use to stay current on technical IT issues.

6. Connect on social media business networking sites

If you're on any business networking social sites, see if you can connect with your interviewer after the interview. If they accept your request, it could be an indicator they are interested in learning more about you. This is an essential part of growing your personal network. Even if you end up in a different position with a different company, growing your network is beneficial and helps you stay poised for future opportunities.

7. Send any supporting documents

If there are any supporting documents required, send that post-interview. This could be a page of references, a written assessment or maybe even consent forms to run various checks as part of the pre-screening process. Getting these back in a timely fashion should be a top priority.

8. Contact your references

If you submitted references to your potential employer, after your first interview you should let them know, someone might contact them. It's customary to only submit references if the person knows you are using them as a reference. However, at this point, if you think they will be called, you should notify references, so they know to expect it.

9. Get comfortable with waiting

Fill the post-interview waiting time reviewing your interview assessment, picking up new skills and immediately preparing for your next interviews. If you have people with connections to the company in your existing network, you can connect with them to see if they can offer more insight or speak to the hiring manager on your behalf. Remain calm and only call or email to the hiring manager's preferences. For example, if they specified email follow up within a week, then email them rather than call, and only do it when they asked you to.