So, your job interview is over. You think you pretty much aced it, but you want to know for sure. How did you do during the interview? And — the golden question — did you get the job?
For a start, you are not done when you say your goodbye to the hiring manager and exit the interview room. Your chances of securing a job offer may depend on what you do after the interview as much as what you do during the interview.
Here are a few more steps you may want to take after the interview.
Send a thank you note
A thank you note is a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates if you wish to be considered for the job. Thanking the hiring manager who just took some time out of their workday to interview you and acknowledging their investment of time will leave a good impression.
Our advice — keep your thank you note brief and professional. Start your note by thanking them for their time. Reinstate your interest in the job application and any relevant details on why you are qualified. End the note with a gentle reminder of when you can expect to hear back from them.
Circle back with the hiring manager
You are positive you nailed the interview. But, after a few weeks of refreshing your email and checking your phone every five minutes, you start to get a sinking feeling… Maybe the job interview didn’t go well, after all.
Before you put that job application to the trash bin and move on, make a point to circle back with the hiring manager. Sometimes the hiring process can take a while, especially if the decision makers have a lot on their plate. So, it is perfectly appropriate to reach out and inquire about the hiring progress.
This may also allow the hiring manager to communicate any concerns with the hiring decision, thus giving you a chance to overcome the issues.
As a general rule, sending a short email to check in is absolutely fine, but don’t call as calls are more invasive. Do not follow up excessively or demand responses. Be polite and respectful in your communications.
Stay in touch with the company
Sometimes a job interview just doesn’t work out… And you got rejected. Should you sit in the corner of your room, wallowing in misery? Do you find yourself forming a grudge and questioning life? Has the experience made you stop from applying again? Not so fast!
Rather than seeing your job interview as a lost opportunity, treat the hiring manager as a valuable new contact. It is always useful to grow your network. It is also possible that they could reach out about another role in the future.
What if you still don’t hear anything?
You still have not heard a word from the hiring manager. At this point, you may feel the best decision is to just move on. But, don’t! There’s no harm in sending one last note.
That said, unfortunately, some employers do not reach out to candidates to deliver the bad news that they didn't get the job. If you haven’t had a response in a long while, you can probably assume you didn’t get the job and begin your job-searching journey with a different company.
Struggling in your job search? Read more about how you can find creative jobs easily on Cult Creative.
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