What Comes Next? Four Things You Need To Do After Your Job Interview

Congratulations: you’ve completed your job interview. So … what now? Here are four things you can do to help you not only secure the job, but also keep your job search on the right path:

Ask When to Follow Up

Ok, if you want to split hairs this is technically something you would do during your interview, but you need to leave the office knowing what the next steps are in the hiring process. Each Hiring Manager has a particular way of handling things, and while they should go over what happens next, you want to make sure you’re clear on when you should be following up. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions if you feel unclear on what you should do. Expressing interest in knowing next steps shows genuine interest in the position.

Put on Your Analyst’s Cap

Analyzing your interview is important, and the best time to do it is immediately after the interview, when it is still fresh in your mind. Whether you head to a nearby coffee shop or wait until you get home, go over your interview in your head. What were your strong points? Where do you need to improve? Don’t dwell on the negatives, but see where you may need more preparation in follow-up interviews. This will also help you identify any areas you may want to talk about in future communications.

Send a Thank You Email/Card

Don’t think sending a “thank you” to your Hiring Manager is important? According to a recent survey, 80% of Hiring Managers consider a thank-you note influential when evaluating candidates. If you take into account that, according to CareerBuilder, only 57% of interviewees send that important follow-up, simply taking a few minutes to reach out could put you ahead of your fellow candidates. Thank you cards (or emails) don’t need to be long and elaborate, you simply want to thank the Hiring Manager for the opportunity to interview, and reaffirm your excitement for the position and what comes next. Just make sure you send it within the next 24 hours so it gets to them while your interview is still fresh in their mind.

Keep Up Your Search

Only a fraction of the people who apply for a job end up interviewing, so you should feel pretty good about your chances of getting the job once selected to interview. While you should think positive thoughts, don’t stop your job search, at least not yet. It never hurts to keep looking at what is out there, just in case.  Additionally, having other viable options makes you more attractive to the Hiring Manager, and more relaxed during the interview process.