The Interview is Over. Now What?

You’ve just left your job interview.  You feel it went very well. You and the hiring manager just seemed to click and you were able to show her how your skills and experience could help her solve the particular problems the open position would be called upon to solve.

So now you just sit back and wait for good news, right?

Wrong!

You’ve still more work ahead of you so that you have the best chance of clinching that job offer. Read below for the steps to take after the interview.

  • Two things you always should do near the end of the interview is a) ask the interview what the next steps are in her search (will she be calling people back for second or third interviews; when does she expect to make a hiring decision?) and b), ask for the job. You can do so by saying something like: “Maria, thank you for meeting with me. I’m excited about this opportunity and I hope you’ll choose me to fill the position. I would look forward to working with you.”
  • As soon as possible – and no later than 24 hours after the interview ends – you need to send an e-mail thank you message. But this is no mere “thank you for meeting with me” missive. This is a thank you note as well as something akin to a sales pitch. You are going to reiterate why you’re a great fit (why your particular skills are perfect for the position) and you’re going to do so by bringing up something you and the hiring manager talked about.  (“You mentioned that you’d love to increase your distribution center’s teams’ efficiency. As we discussed, I think my 15-years of experience as an assistant manager at Ontario’s Target distribution center, as well as the fact that I helped my second-shift team improve their efficiency by 10 percent during that time will truly help you reach your efficiency goals for your team.”)
  • Before signing off, you also should repeat your desire for the job.
    Because you know that the hiring manager hopes to call three people back by next Wednesday for second interviews (see the first bullet point, above), you mention that in case you don’t hear from the interviewer by then, you plan to give a  call to see where she is in the process (she may say she will call her finalists by Wednesday, but this step often is delayed). Then make sure you call as you said you would.
  • Depending on her hiring/interviewing time frame, you also could say you’ll call her in a couple of weeks to check on where she is in the interview/hiring process. Then call.
    If you don’t hear back after that second call, e-mail her a week after calling.
  • If you don’t hear back after that e-mail, you can try again in a couple of weeks. But don’t contact her again before then; you don’t want to come across as a pest.
  • If you don’t hear back after this last touch, you’re done. It’s very rude, but many companies today never let candidates – even those they’ve interviewed – know they are no longer in contention for the position. Some do, via e-mail or letter, but most don’t. If you hear nothing after a month of occasional contact by you, the hiring manager has moved on… and you should, too.

If looking for work in Ontario or another Inland Empire city, contact the recruiters at Arrow Staffing. We can help you find temporary, temp-to-hire or direct-hire employment opportunities with some of our region’s top employers. Contact us today.

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