It’s common knowledge that it’s on you, the jobseeker, to follow up after an interview. And this matters! When and how you follow up can either advance you to the next round of hiring or sabotage your prospects. It’s not easy to sit around and wait, so here are some quick guidelines to help you gauge your next interactions.
Before you leave the interview
Ask about the employer’s timeline for hiring at the end of your interview. This will help you figure out at what points you should be checking in and how your check-ins will be perceived. You never want to contact them too soon or too often—not only does this seem desperate, but it’s annoying.
Write a thank-you note
Your thank-you note should be sent immediately after the interview. Send an email or handwritten note to each person who met with you. Keep it simple and polite—just a few sentences to briefly reiterate your enthusiasm and skills that qualify you for the job. By being prompt and concise, you’re showing the hiring managers you’re efficient and you respect their time.
The first check-in
If you haven’t heard back a few days after the date they gave you, it’s safe to call your contact or send an email to find out when they expect to make a decision. If they didn’t give you a specific timeframe, you can probably send an inquiry email in a week or so. Be polite and low pressure.
If they give you a new date to check in, abide by the same rules. Wait for a few days after the deadline; then call or email. If you don’t hear anything more, move on. It’s possible they have yet to make a decision or this might be an indication of how they operate—slow and cumbersome.
Still no word?
If you still haven’t heard a final decision after several weeks, only send a follow-up if they seemed really interested in you. There’s a fine line between being enthusiastic and overly aggressive, so if they don’t seem interested, don’t pester them.
If the job is still open after several months, it might not hurt to check in again. You’ll show you’re still interested in the company after all this time. Even if that particular position wasn’t right for you, they might be able to find you something else.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Be patient and continue pursuing other job prospects while you wait. You might never hear back at all or you might hear back much later than expected because they’re really extremely diligent in this process. Either way, you don’t want to put your job search on hold! You never know, you might find something better!
For more tips on how to develop great sales skills or advance your career, contact us today.
Ty Culver is the Client Development Director of CulverCareers focusing on talent acquisition and workforce solutions with a wide variety of local, national and global clients.
Ty has been working in various aspects of the industry for over 10 years and developed deep expertise in Executive Search, Executive Benefit and Talent Acquisition Programs along the way. He has a range of experience from SMB to Enterprise clients and hyper specific executive searches to high volume recruiting with companies in a dynamic state of flux.
Today, Ty leads a talented team of Talent Acquisition Specialists, Executive Recruiters and Client Success Managers at one of the most respected Recruiting Firms in the Nation, CulverCareers. While leadership is a key aspect of his role, Ty still enjoys working with clients on recruiting strategies, executive benefit solutions and workforce solutions to help clients build a holistic approach to talent acquisition and talent retention.
