How to Follow-Up & Express Interest

Leaving the room doesn't end the interview

When you are done with your interview, you should celebrate! It's not an easy thing to prepare for or to do. In fact, wouldn't it be nice to get a standing ovation at the end?

Regardless if you think you aced it, messed up a little, completed bombed, or have absolutely no clue how you did, you should be proud you completed it.

What you experienced in that interview will help you do even better in future interviews.

But it's not over yet. You still have a chance to get the offer based on how you end the interview and follow-up.

What to do before the interview ends

Get Business Cards

Get contact information for each person in the interview, including spelling of their name and email address.

Understand the Next Steps

Ask them about next steps and timing. This will help you prepare and know what to expect. It also shows them you're interested.

Express Interest

Employers are interested in candidates who are interested in them. Let them know what you are excited about and that you're looking forward to next step.

Ask for the Job

If you want it, ask for it: "From everything I've learned, I hope I can become a part of your team." If you're not sure, don't close the door yet. Let them know you look forward to hearing from them.

What to do after the interview ends

Send thank you letters

A good thank you letter could be why employers choose you over another candidate. Make sure you follow-up every interview with an email to help you stand out.

PURPOSE OF THANK YOU LETTERS:

Express sincere appreciation for their time
Reemphasize your strongest qualifications
Address anything you missed or wished you'd said in interview
Reiterate your interest

How

In most cases, your "letter" will be an email. No need to send as an attachment--just put your message in the body of the email. Make sure you are using professional writing and communication, and include a signature line with your complete contact information.

To Whom

Ideally, you'll want to send a personalized email to each person you meet with. That's why it's important to get contact information before you leave. Avoid sending the same generic form letter to each person as they will likely share with the team.

Immediately after your interview, jot down notes so you can remember individual comments and personalize your thank you letters.

When

You want to send your thank you notes either later that day or by the next day, if possible, so people can see your interest and think about you when they are talking about who to hire (or who to call back for the next interview).

After every interview, you want to follow-up with a thank you.

Example of thank you letter

Thank you letter.pdf

THANK YOU LETTER TIPS:

Make it personal. Since you have already met with your interviewers now, you can connect to them and your conversation.

Make it professional. Use a professional--not casual--writing style. Use proper grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc. Avoid slang and abbreviations. And don't be too familiar/comfortable.

PROOFREAD multiple times! Your email should be error free.

If you are not the person chosen for the job, companies will generally email a generic form letter to advise you.

Wait...and check in

Understanding the employer's next steps in the hiring process will help you know how long you have to wait. Will there be another interview? Is their next step to make an offer to someone? When do they anticipate that happening?

But regardless, it is often the waiting that is the hardest part. So, be prepared. It could take weeks (or even months) for some positions and employers. When an expected deadline has been missed, it is possible that the employer might have made an offer to someone else but it is not finalized yet so they can't inform you.

You can, and should, follow-up when the time is right. If deadlines have been missed, then you could send an email to your contact (often the HR rep) to show you are still interested and ask for an update.

Always be courteous and professional and use professional communication. Even if you do not get the position you interviewed for, you want the company to think highly of you in case a different position is available now or in the future.

But don't just sit there

After your interview ends and you've sent your thank you emails, you need to MOVE ON. It's easy to just wait, especially if you really want (or think you got) the job. But don't stop.

Until you get an official offer and decide to take it, you need to continue your job search just as you had before so you don't lose momentum for other opportunities.

This can be hard, so it is important to manage your expectations and emotions throughout the entire job search process.

Dealing with rejection

A big part of the job search process is rejection. It is inevitable. You will not get an interview for every job you apply for, and you will not get a job offer for every interview. How you handle the rejection, and what you do after it, is what will determine your success.

Expect it

The average company may get 250 applications, interview 4-6 people, and hire only 1 person. Be happy you made it to the interview, and know you still have competition.

Sometimes hiring managers already have a person who they want to hire (a personal referral or internal candidate) but they legally need to interview other people anyway. So, even if you are a great fit, you still might not get the job offer. Don't take it personally.

Learn from it

You cannot control who employers choose to hire, and their decision sometimes may have nothing to do with you at all.

However, every job interview you do always brings an opportunity for you to evaluate what you think you did well, how you can develop your qualifications, what didn't go so well, and how you could improve for the future. Take the opportunity to learn. As in everything else, if you are willing, the more you practice, the better you will become.

Move forward

The job search process is hard. You put yourself out there, got your hopes up, and shared your story. When you don't get an offer, it's easy to take it personally. What was wrong with me? Why didn't they like me?

So, when you are rejected, take time to feel sad and recognize that this happens to all of us. It's simply part of the process. The most powerful thing you can do is keep going. Move on to the next opportunity. Because the next one, could very well be the one you get.

Getting the job offer

Congratulations! You got it.

Now you get to decide if you want it, and consider whether you need to negotiate for anything you think might be missing.

If you have unanswered questions, now is the time to ask. Be sure to get the offer in writing so you are clear about the salary, benefits and requirements.

Be appreciative

Even if you decide not to take the job, be professional and express your thanks. Better opportunities may come up in the future, so you want to leave a good impression.

Evaluate the offer

Just because you get it, doesn't mean you have to take it. Make sure it's right for you. When they call you, tell them how much you appreciate the offer, and then ask if you can have time to make your decision (usually a day or two). You can evaluate the offer and see if you want to negotiate.

Negotiate

If you're not happy, you can propose a counter offer. Employers often have flexibility to increase salary or add some extra vacation days. Again, be professional and appreciative. Check out this article from Balance Careers to learn more.

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Need more help preparing for interviews?

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