Do's and Don'ts After an Interview

Author: Jojo Varona

Waiting to hear whether you've been successful in a job interview can be stressful. Whether you're ready to wait as long as it takes or you decide to follow up for an answer, some tips will help you navigate this part of the job search.

Do’s

• Do follow up. After the interview, it is vital to send some form of correspondence – whether it be snail mail, email or even a phone call – thanking your interviewer for their time and effort.

• Do send multiple thank you notes if more than one person interviewed you.

• Do personalize your follow up correspondence. Most hiring managers can spot a generic thank-you letter (or cover letter, for that matter) a mile away, so take the time and effort to tailor your letter to the interviewer. Bring up something you discussed that isn’t strictly related to your skills or the job description.

• Do include your interest in the position and why you’re the best candidate for the job in your thank you note.

• Do connect with contacts that interviewed you on LinkedIn, even if the job isn’t for you, making connections is always a good idea for job-seekers.

• Do be patient. The hiring process is difficult for hiring managers and can often take a bit more time than expected.

• Do continue to follow-up, especially if you have been told you’re still in process. A recruiter or hiring manager may lose track of who is still in process/interested or even get sidetracked. It’s important to follow-up and let them know you’re still interested, just don’t go overboard.

• Do alert your references, they may be getting a call from the hiring manager and it is always better if they are prepared.

Don’ts

• Don’t continue to contact the hiring manager if they have informed you that you are no longer being considered for the position. It’s all right – and even expected – to follow up after the interview, but don’t overwhelm your potential employer with multiple messages and phone calls.

• Don’t ever have spelling or grammatical errors in any of your follow-up interactions. Keep your correspondence simple and direct.

• Don’t stop job hunting after one interview, you will never be able to predict what the hiring managers will do, and you don’t want to miss out on any other opportunities by putting your search on hold. Regardless of how well the interview went, it’s crucial to keep your options open. Even if you feel like the job is a perfect fit, situations change, and the position could be altered or canceled. Avoid putting all your hopes on a single opportunity.

• Don’t be overly aggressive. You don’t want to scare off your potential employer, so make sure you’re tactful and respectful in your approach.

• Don’t be afraid to express your interest in the position. If you feel like a particular position is ideal for you, let it be known and prove to them why you are the best candidate.

Stay positive if you are not selected for the position. 

Do: accept rejection gracefully. Thank them for their time and move on with other opportunities. If it feels appropriate, ask them how you could improve your interview technique in future.

Don’t: burn bridges. Turn the situation into something positive by inviting the interviewer into your network and enquiring about referrals to other roles.