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The job interview you’ve been preparing for is over and you can now relax – except now comes the hard part: waiting for feedback.
One way to increase the odds of landing your dream job is to follow up in a professional manner.
During and after the interview process, you want to come across as interested without appearing to be desperate or needy.
I realize it could be frustrating to wait a couple of weeks if you’re actively interviewing, but the interview process could easily take a couple of months.
The employer has to get through ALL the interviews and decide if they have enough good candidates to choose from. Even if they feel good about you, sometimes they might have to interview internal candidates who’ve applied at the last minute or another external candidate has applied and needs to be scheduled for an interview.
I remember one situation where a job seeker had a good interview and we have given her a timeline of 7-10 days of waiting for feedback as she was the first out of six candidates to be interviewed.
She was very keen on the job so every day she waited must have seemed like eternity. She’s decided to try to push for some feedback and emailed not just myself (twice!) but also the hiring manager.
The hiring manager responded explaining that the decision wouldn’t be made for another 10 days, as previously discussed. Now, the candidate was worried that she’s ruined her chances of getting the job by appearing too eager, and not listening when being informed of the process.
Not listening could be a turn off to a prospective employer. Is this what she’ll be like as an employee?
If you’re the employer’s top choice, this probably won’t lose you the job but you might want to think a bit more carefully about the style and frequency of your post interview follow up.
A great approach is to ask the interviewer about their timeline for making a decision before you leave the interview. This will help you to time your follow up attempts. A quick thank you email emphasizing your interest in the role is always a good touch.
If the company hasn’t given a timeline, it’s best to wait at least a week before following up. Don’t annoy the recruiter or the hiring manager with constant calls or emails.
If you’re following up multiple times after each interview, that’s likely not appreciated. However, if the company has given you a set time frame and exceeded it by longer than a week, a well-written follow up note is reasonable.
This note should be concise and use the time frame provided as the reason for your follow up. You might want to say something along the lines of:
“I know you mentioned you were hoping to make a final hiring decision by the end of April, and I wanted to follow up and see where you are in that process.”
In summary – do follow up to continue to show your enthusiasm for the position, but don’t make it seem as though you are desperate.
In your thank you letter, do show appreciation for the employer’s interest in you and do remind the employer about why you are the perfect person for the position.
Finally, don’t stop job hunting, even if you feel confident that you will get a job offer. Do continue to interview and attempt to find other opportunities until you get an offer.
If you want to find out about what other mistakes candidates make that prevent them from getting hired and about how to sell yourself as the best candidate for the job, sign up for my free 5-day ‘You’re HIRED!’ video course.
About the author
Margaret Buj is an interview coach who has been helping professionals get hired, promoted and paid more for over eight years. She is also a qualified Personal Performance & Corporate and Executive Coach and can help you with developing confidence and the attitude that will make it easier for you to get any job you want. Schedule a complimentary consultation with Margaret here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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