Imagine ... you just finished your job interview. You are wondering if there is anything productive you can do until they will let you know about further steps or their hiring decision.
There are indeed some more things you can do in order to make yourself more memorable to the company. Make sure that before the interview comes to an end, you know when you can expect to hear from the company again or how they would like you to follow up. Let them know one more time before leaving that you are seriously interested in the position and that you really want to make a great contribution to the company’s success. These are the things you should do after having attended your interview.
* Did I turn up on time for the interview?
* Was I respectful and kind to everyone throughout the interview?
* How did I present myself (was my business attire appropriate for the company)?
* Would I be a good fit for this company?
* Would I really enjoy doing this job?
* Would I get along with the people working there?
* Would I feel happy working in this company?
* How confident was I when answering the interviewer’s questions?
* How did I feel during the interview?
* How did the Hiring Manager perceive my questions?
* What is my overall impression about the company?
* Did I make any mistakes? If so, which ones and why?
* What did I learn from this experience?
* What would I do differently next time?
2) Take notes of your interview experience. Write down who you talked to, what you talked about, what you learnt, the impressions you got from that workplace etc.
3) If the interviewer asks you to send some references by tomorrow or to make a follow up call next week, make sure you stick to your promise. If you don’t, they will instantly get an impression about your reliability.
4) Send a thank-you note within the next 24–48 hours. Here you have several choices: writing an email, a handwritten letter or send them a video. A thank you video is something that would show your creativity and would make you stand out instantly. You might be the very first candidate ever who took such an approach! So, if you want to make sure they remember you (also visually) send them a video. But don’t just thank the interviewer for his time, try to emphasise one more time your real interest in the job, mention few points that you discussed during the interview and show your gratitude for the opportunity. If during the interview you learnt more about the company’s problem and needs, try to promote yourself as a consultant rather than a job applicant. Make a proposal in which you clearly explain how you would solve the company’s issue. This would proof your passion and knowledge in order to make a real contribution.
5) In case you met more interview panel members, try to write each of them a personalised follow-up letter. Having collected their individual business cards would have been a good idea to address them by their name! This could be a further opportunity to mention important achievements or other relevant points which have not been discussed during the interview. Make sure you customize your text accordingly and don’t write the same text to everyone.
6) Follow them on Twitter (if you have not already done so before going to the interview) and show them again that you are interested in their company.
7) In case you will be invited for a further interview, don’t stop doing your research about that particular company. Think back at what your conversation was about and try to find out more detailed information about the topics you discussed. Come up with further interesting questions that you can ask in the next interview stage. This will proof to the recruiter that you are really keen on working in their company.
8) If in your network you have any contacts who are working in that company or who are associated with the company, use it to your advantage. Ask them to recommend you and influence the recruiter in their final hiring decision.
9) If you get rejected, don’t burn all your bridges. In life you never know. The person who got the job offered might quit or be fired soon afterwards or another vacancy might open up later on. You might not get the job today or tomorrow, but maybe later on.
10) No matter how the interview went, keep on applying for other jobs. Until you don’t get a confirmation from a company that they are prepared to hire you, you need to keep looking.
Every interview is different and no matter how experienced you are in giving interviews, there is always something to learn!
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