Follow-Up to an Interview

  

One of most serious mistakes a job seeker can make is to ignore the follow-up.  In almost any endeavor, it is the follow-up that seals the “deal.”  It is the follow-up that sets the winners apart from the losers.   

When I ran the 100 yd dash in high school, my track coach drilled me to run like it was the 110 yard dash.  So many kids ran the 100 yards and actually began pulling up at around the 97 or 98 yard mark, or so it seemed.  

Regardless of how the interview went, do not pull up at the 97 or 98 yard mark.  Because once the interview is over, you still have more work to do.  Now is not the time to sit passively and wait for the job offer to come to you.  You must still go to it.  And in doing so, you will set yourself leagues apart from your competitors.  

If you took some of my other articles into consideration, than you would have done serious research prior to the interview.  You should have done a business analysis, as best as you could.  You would have done a SWOT assessment of the company, as best as you could.  You would have developed a list of question from which to carry on a discussion with your interviewer.  

The key, without being arrogant or presumptive, is to “interview” the interviewer, as much as you are being interviewed.  And never mind how desperate you are, the interviewer does not need to know that (even if he or she does!).  Which in the end allows you to assist in bringing the interview to a conclusion.  

You conclude by confirming their contact information.  You conclude by asking for a timeline of events after the interview.  Before you walk out, you must know what will happen next.  It can be as simple as asking for a business card and the number of days before being contacted, one way or the other.  But ask.  Make it a two way discussion.  

As soon as you leave the site, head to a coffee shop and write a thank you note while the interview is still fresh in your head.  Or do it in the parking lot.  Do it with a fresh memory.  In fact, take blank “thank you” cards with you to the interview.  Write a thank note to everyone you meet, from the receptionists to the interviewer (that is right, collect a lot of business cards).  

The thank you needs to be very simple and brief.  To everyone but the interviewer, just thank, perhaps mention something nice and a hope to see you again, two or three lines at most.  To the interviewer, also state that you look forward to hearing from him or her at whatever date you got at the end of the interview, three or four lines at most.  And yes, you will write it out.  You will hand write the address and mail it immediately.  If the postal system works, your recipients will get it the next day.  

Wow, your interviewer will get a handwritten thank you from you the next day.  How many of your competitor, do you think will do that?  I think the numbers will be low.  I think you put yourself in the top tier by doing this.  

By the way, you send the thank you regardless of how the interview went or whether you want the job or not.  If it is the latter, then this exercise becomes a networking opportunity.  If it is the former, it is perhaps an opportunity to redeem yourself (probably no chance, but again, a networking opportunity).  It is always a good thing to demonstrate good business etiquette.  

On a side note, some have suggested sending it via email or hand deliver or just making sure that you send it through the “correct” avenue.  I have no idea what the “correct” avenue is.  I believe in mailing immediately, addressed to the person.  

And I believe a handwritten letter is best.  It is personal and it is warm.  If you have poor penmanship, my only advice is to practice and write carefully.  This is your livelihood on the line.  Write the letter grammatically correct with no misspellings.  A reason for keeping the letter brief and simple is to avoid sending a poorly written thank you note that has the interviewer thinking ill of you.  

If you made mention of references and provided the means for the interviewer to contact your references, call them, if you have not already done so, and give them a heads up.  Let us make sure that what you have claimed is what they will back you up on.  

Within the next couple of days, sit down with a member of your support team, whether a friend or mentor, and recap the interview.  Assess your performance.  Where did you do well?  What did you do well?  And the reverse, what were the missed opportunities? To me, this is critical moment and a critical exercise.  This is the path to improving your performance.  

If the interview went well and this is a company you want to work for, then it is time to do more research into the company and its business.  Turn it inside out.   During the interview, you should have garnered some good information.  Use it to build a better picture of what this company is all about.  

If the interviewer stated that he or she would contact you in 5 days but does not, then on day 7, contact him or her and politely ask what your status is.  And mention, “Oh by the way, how are you guys responding to the “xyz” change to your industry?  Is it a good thing?”  Politely, and with open-ended, leading questions, finagle yourself a 5 minute follow-up interview.  5 minutes, no more.   

There may be all kinds of good reasons for the late contact – read nothing into it – unless they tell they are not interested.  After you get off the phone, guess what you are going to send him or her.  You are actively keeping the lines of communication open.  

Assume the worst and you do not make the cut.  Whether after the first interview or the third, they chose someone else.  Guess what you do?  Write a thank note.  This time, type it out and among the points to reiterate are your appreciation for the opportunity to meet; a request that you be consider for any openings matching someone of your skill level and experience, or to forward you to someone who might be in need of your skills or experience.   

Lastly, write a thank you letter to the first person that got the ball rolling with all same points as you wrote to the last person you interviewed with.  Job opportunity is gone, now you are in full networking mode.  Always leave on a good note.   

They say we are all six degrees of separation from someone famous.  Well, you are six degrees away from a job.  The people you just finished interviewing with could be in that chain of degrees.