So, the job interview is over
Did your interview go well or not, the worst thing you can do is nothing at all. It’s always important to be prepared for any possible outcome – and do the most you can to boost your chances. To help turn your potential post-interview stress into a positive attitude that could help land your dream job, here are some of our top tips on what to do after a job interview:
Follow up, but don’t be impatient
Do follow-up with a telephone call to the employer within a week to ten days (or sooner, if the employer had a shorter timetable) to ask about the position. And do continue to build rapport and sell your strengths during the phone call.
Take notes on what worked, and what didn’t work.
A great interview might tempt you to put your job search on a shelf and move on with your personal life. You should have some time to write down what did, or did not, go well in your interview. Evaluating yourself after an interview — even a great one — can help you learn more about your own strengths and weaknesses.
For example, did you know enough about the company and what they do? Did you ask enough questions? Maybe next time you need to do more research on the business, or perhaps you were unprepared to ask the hiring manager more about the job. Any insights you can glean will only help you perfect your interview skills for the future
Don’t discard job search
Even if you think a job interview went well, it’s never a good idea to put all your hopes into one hypothetical opportunity.
So keep your options open, and jump straight back onto the job hunting wagon. Having some alternative applications to fall back on in case things don’t turn out as planned will keep your job search moving. Even if that ‘sure thing’ you were banking on doesn’t end up coming in.
Key in your references
When you’ve reached the point in an interview process where you have to supply your references, we suggest taking time to contact each person and discuss the position with them. At the very least, you can send them your resume and any key skills you have, so they can prepare to speak to the hiring manager. The last thing you want is for your references to be caught off guard and unaware by a hiring manager’s call.
