After Your Interview - What Must You Do Next?

Other than actually landing the interview itself and living through it, waiting after the interview and wondering whether you will get a phone call or a rejection letter can be one of the most difficult aspects of searching for a job. What you do after the interview should actually start while you are still 'working' the interview.

Prior to leaving make sure that you have noted the name of the person or persons who interviewed you. This will come in handy later for a number of purposes. Also, do make sure that you shake hands once again with your interviewer and thank them for taking the time to meet with you. Also, it's not out of line to ask when they expect to be making a decision. This gives you a timeline to go by.

Always be sure to send a thank-you letter. This practice not only demonstrates good social etiquette but it also helps to keep you and your skills fresh in the mind of the interviewer. On some occasions an interviewer already has an idea by the time the interviews are completed who they will be calling to offer the job; however on many more occasions they still remain unsure who will be awarded that coveted slot. Sometimes they want a little time to 'sleep' on the decision or they may need to consult supervisors or others within their organization regarding the hiring decision. If a decision has not already been reached in the mind of the employer when all of the interviews have been completed, taking the time to send a thank-you letter can go a long way toward making sure you don't get lost in the shuffle.

While it's a good idea to send a polite thank you note to the person who interviewed you it is not a good idea to pester that person to no end. The only result you are likely to achieve through this strategy is alienating yourself from them and assuring that you won't get the job. Although 'don't take no for an answer' is a strategy that many aggressive job coaches recommend; it is still always best to observe polite social standards.

That is not to say that you should sit by the phone and allow several weeks to elapse, waiting, while you hear nothing and do nothing. Ideally, your thank you letter should have gone out the same day as the interview, no later than the following day. This means that the interviewer should receive it within one to two days following the initial interview.

Keep track of when the employer indicated a decision would be made and if that time has come and gone, it is perfectly permissible to go ahead and phone them. However; when you do make the call, be polite. State your name, the date you interviewed and the position for which you interviewed. You may say that you are following up to inquire as to whether a decision has been made.

At this point, the conversation can go a number of ways. The employer may indicate that a decision has been made and all candidates who were not selected will be receiving a letter in the mail. If this is the response you receive, it is your cue that you were not hired. Had you been, you would have received a phone call from the employer by now.

Thank them for their times, ask them to keep you in mind for any future vacancies and get off the line. Don't burn any bridges. It could be that there was simply a better qualified candidate for that particular position, but they might consider you for a different, future position.

On the other hand, the employer may state that they are still reviewing resume, conducting interviews, etc, etc. This type of response could mean a couple of different things. It could mean that they really have made a decision and the person just doesn't feel comfortable telling you on the phone that you weren't selected or it could simply be taken at face value.

Perhaps something came up and their initial timeline has been forced to be extended somewhat. In either case, always remain polite and thank them for their time. After you end the call, make a note of the date on your planner and set a tickler to remind yourself to call back in a week if you still haven't heard anything. Call back once a week, every week until a decision is made. Once a week is persistent; a trait which is to be admired. Once a day is pesky; a trait that should be avoided at all costs.

While it can be difficult to wait around after the interview, the most important two things that you should do is not blow the opportunity by annoying the employer with numerous pesky phone calls and by all means do not show up announced at their office door asking if they have arrived at a decision. Finally, make sure that you don't pin all your hopes on one job. Yes, it may have been your first choice and your ideal dream job; however; this is probably also true for someone else as well. Use the time while you are waiting to hear back from the employer to line up your 'B' plan. Continue job searching, scheduling interviews and most importantly, reminding yourself that you can do this.

Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

---

Top Ten Guidelines For Working With Executive Recruiters

1. Select the right type of recruitment partnerDetermine whether you... Read More

Get Inspired About Your Career

Get Inspired about Your CareerDo you linger in bed long... Read More

Create A Rappin? Resume

(Percussion sounds emanating from who knows where while you listen... Read More

Applying for a Job in Another Country? International Resumes

Is an International Resume still a Resume? This is a... Read More

Tips for Building a Successful Career

1. Develop excellent work habits ? for example, meet deadlines... Read More

The Power to Succeed

It's amazing how we fool ourselves... while at the same... Read More

What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont

Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume.... Read More

The Global Work Marketplace - The Revolution Of How Work Gets Done

Will cubicles be a distant memory for today's workforce? Will... Read More

Pre-Interview Web Research

You have obtained an interview -- congratulations! You feel prepared... Read More

Five Facts You Must Know When Changing Careers

Too often in life, we fail. We fail not because... Read More

Job or Career

At this present time I have a job. It pays... Read More

Defining Success Your Way!

In my career advising practice, I often find that my... Read More

5 Ways to Drastically Improve Your Resume in 10 Minutes of Less

Follow these quick and easy tips to build yourself a... Read More

9 Secrets to Career Success

Are you miserable at your job (or what you are... Read More

How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages

Salary and Benefits NegotiationOne of the most difficult aspects of... Read More

How To Deal With A Difficult Boss

Most people at some point in their lives have to... Read More

6 Vital Tips For Creating A Superior Resume

1: Keep It ShortConsidering that initially HR personnel only spend... Read More

Tips on Finding Employment as a Corporate Flight Attendant

I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic... Read More

Career Change: A Glittering Invitation To The Emotional Stalkers

As much as you are yearning for career-change, and as... Read More

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in the Job Search

Most everyone these days knows what a comfort zone is.... Read More

Have Enough Money to Change Careers - Five Key Steps

At every talk I give, I ask the audience to... Read More

Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself!

Interview Question, "Tell Me Something About Yourself?""Tell me about yourself"... Read More

How to Success On The Job from Job Hunting to Keep Your Job and Get Most of Out of It

INTRODUCTIONThis article will prepare you for the difficult task of... Read More

How To Resign Gracefully

Once a new job has been accepted, you need to... Read More

Creating a Feng Shui Power Office: 6 Easy Tips to More Successful Surroundings

More and more people are looking to gain an edge... Read More

Success at Work : People Skills : Networking

Getting along with your co-workers is critical to yourhappiness and... Read More

An Alternative to Hiring Employees

Current trends in business are conspiring to create a revolution... Read More

Consulting: A Different World

I won't say I have a vast array of knowledge... Read More

The Not-So-Effective Cover Letter

Here's a newsflash: Cover letters work, plain and simple. This... Read More

Career Education Options For Working Adults

Ask yourself this question: "Do I like what I do... Read More

Unemployment Blues: Staying Afloat

The unemployment checks are running out and there is no... Read More

Your Interview Questions Are a Serious Matter

Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions... Read More

What is Absolutely the Best Day to go on a Job Interview?

First of all, to fully understand and appreciate the answer,... Read More