Your job interview just ended. Now do these 4 things.
A job interview can be super stressful, so once it’s over, it’s only natural to want to put it out of your mind and just hope you get the position.
But even after that grueling Q&A and sample assignment, you’re not done! There are still things you can do to increase your chances of getting hired. As an added bonus, these steps will improve your interview skills in future job searches. It’s crucial to be prepared, but to increase your chances of getting hired, these are the four things you can do after an interview ends.
Journal your interview
While the interview is still fresh in your mind, write down everything you want to remember or reference as you move to the next steps. Maybe you have a list of follow-up items you need to send the hiring manager. Keeping track of details like day-to-day job duties, hours and scheduling, company culture, compensation, perks or benefits will be especially helpful if you’re interviewing with multiple companies. Having this information in your back pocket will help you evaluate the pros and cons of each job and will make your decision that much easier when you start receiving offers.
Your list of notes will help you screen out companies or jobs you’re absolutely not interested in based on what you glean from the interview. You’ll still want to review all offers in detail once received and ask the recruiter any questions you may have, but you won’t need to reach back out to ask the same questions that they already answered.
Send a thank-you note
You’ll want to send a follow-up note within 24 hours. Thanking your interviewer(s) can set you apart from other candidates while noting your genuine interest in the role and company. It also gives you a chance to reiterate important details about yourself.
To write an impactful follow-up email, start by thanking the interviewer for meeting you and sharing more about the role. Express your excitement at the prospect of being part of their team and why you are eager to join the organization. Also, recap your skills and expertise that align with the required qualifications. This could also be an opportunity to pass along references, work samples, a portfolio or other supporting materials the recruiter may have requested during the interview. Finally, close by inviting the interviewer to reach out if they need any further information and provide your contact information so that it’s easily accessible.
Taking 10 minutes to send a quick thank-you email is an easy gesture that can go a long way.
Critique yourself
Like anything else, practice makes perfect. The more experience you get, the more comfortable you’ll become and the better you’ll perform in future interviews.
After every interview, evaluate your performance. What went well? What didn’t? How was your body language? Were you nervous? Did you sound too scripted? Were you not prepared enough? Which questions tripped you up?
Reflect and use those insights to improve the next time around. Maybe it means you should be better prepared to answer certain types of questions. Or, you might need to do more research on the company beforehand. It may also come down to practicing more before the interview — with a friend, a career coach or simply rehearsing aloud alone. Identifying and working on areas to improve in will help you feel prepared and confident going into your next interviews.
Don’t stop your search!
Even if you think you aced the interview, never assume the job is yours. If you get an offer, fantastic! If you don’t, you’ll be glad you kept applying for other jobs and interviewing. While some companies might get you an offer a day after your first interview, others may require several interviews that stretch over weeks or even months.
Don’t put your job search on hold after an interview — even if it's for your dream job or a company you’d love to work for. Continue ahead with your search. Worst-case scenario, you’ll receive multiple offers and have too many options to choose from — never a bad problem to have!
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