Following Up After Your Job Interview: How to Do It Successfully and Why It Matters

So you just completed your job interview! You’ve heard you should follow up, but is that going to annoy them? Does it really matter? What’s the best way to do it?

Here are some tips to help you with following up after your job interview – how to do it successfully, and why it matters.

1. Why Follow Up?

You may wonder if following up really matters. In two words, it does. In fact, some employers deliberately wait 2 or 3 weeks after the interviews in order to see who follows up and who doesn’t.

Here are some reasons why following up is important. When you follow up, it:

* Shows your interest level in the job
* Reassures your prospective employer in case he/she had any doubts about you
* May make the difference between your prospective employer choosing you or someone else
* Keeps your name and face in front of your interviewers
* Leaves a good impression, which can help you with future positions (and leaving a good impression is always a good thing)

So what is the best way to follow up? How can you do it without being annoying or seeming too eager? Here are some tips to help you out.

2. Time Frame

Hopefully, when you had your interview, you asked (or were told) what the next step is, and/or when you could expect to hear back from the prospective employer. This gives you a time frame – if you were told two weeks, and it’s been 15 days, it’s okay to send a note that politely mentions the time frame of two weeks and asks if your interviewer needs any more information to aid his/her decision.

3. Thank-You Notes – an Immediate Follow-Up

In contrast to the follow-up note that is a query about the job itself and whether or not you’ve been hired, the thank-you note is something you send out right away regardless of the time frame for the decision. Sources agree that the sooner you get this note out, the better. These days, it’s likely to be electronic; so fire out that first email as soon as you get home (or before, if you have your laptop and a hot spot!).

4. Social Networking

LinkedIn is a respected place for professionals to connect. Ask your interviewer if you can send them a request to connect on LinkedIn, and if they say yes, send the request as soon as possible. Experts suggest making the connection through other motivations, such as forwarding an article you think they’d like, or offering to connect them to someone who shares their personal interests.

5. Snail Mail

A business-like letter mailed to your prospective employer is not unlike a cover letter, only in reverse! In doing this, you’re showing your ability to write this sort of letter, and also pointing out your comprehension of the interview. In this letter, you’ll summarize key points discussed in the interview and emphasize a few of your strengths. This shows you were paying attention during the interview, too.

Follow-up with your interviewer is vital. How you do it is equally important. So make sure to follow up so they won’t forget you!