While getting an interview with a potential employer may feel like a battle in itself, it is often what happened during and after that can help you turn that interview into a job offer. While preparing for your next job search, do not forget to have a follow-up strategy. We compiled some tips below to help you after your next interview.
Make it Timely
Following an interview, you want to make sure to send a follow-up email within the week you interviewed. Avoid sending it within the first 4-6 hours after the interview as it may not stand out as much. A good practice is to send it 24-48 hours following the end of the interview.
Thank the Interviewers
The first thing you want to include in your follow-up communication is a “thank you.” It is a good practice to thank the interviewer(s) for their time and consideration. Here are a couple of key tips for the “Thank You”:
- Make it personal – Do not send a generic thank you to the whole interview team. Be sure to reach out to people individually if you have their contact information.
- Reference something from the interview – It is likely the company is interviewing multiple people so be sure to reference something that will help remind them of who you are. Whether it be a common item you discuss or some experience you mentioned, this will help your name stick out.
- Keep it brief – If the goal is to get a job, you will likely have multiple rounds of interviews so be sure to not over-thank on the first round as you will likely be sending more thank yous as you progress throughout the interview process.
Refresh Their Memory
While sending a follow-up communication, you want to reiterate some of your main points of conversation. Not only does this give you a chance to emphasize your strengths for the role you are interviewing for, but it also helps reinforce who you are to the hiring team. Examples of this may be stating a single unique experience you have that will transfer nicely to the new role, or it could even be referencing something that happened during the interview that stood out.
End Strong
When closing up your follow-up email, you want to be sure to end with something strong. This can be you mentioning how you can envision benefiting the company, a link to a portfolio or work samples, or even follow-up questions you did not have a chance to ask.
When following up after an interview, be sure to treat it as an extension of the interview. You want to put time and consideration into the words and make sure it is a clear representation of you as a professional.
