Jengo's Job Search Tips

Tip #14: Following Up After Your Interview

Never walk away from an interview thinking it is all over. Your follow-up may be the tie-breaker that gets you the job. Follow up vigorously-show that you care!

Your basic tools are e-mail, letters, and telephone calls.

E-mail	Use e-mail when you hope to start or continue a dialogue with the interviewer or when quick action matters - if you are worried that the job could be filled while you're waiting for mail to be delivered. Use e-mail if that's the way you sent your resume because that is the employer's preferred mode of communication. And use e-mail if you are dealing with a high tech firm.
Letters	Write a thank-you letter for the interview within 24 hours of the interview to strengthen the good impression you made in the interview. (You can do this in addition to a quick e-mail thank-you.) Nothing is as impressive as a gracious hand-written thank-you. You need not stop with one letter if it is taking the company a long time to make a decision. In subsequent letters, try to include additional information, a relevant article, or an appropriate cartoon. The interviewer will know what's going on, but at least you are keeping your name in front of him or her. If your hand writing is illegible, you can type it.
Telephone Calls	In today's busy work world, calling back too often can jeopardize your opportunity for the job. At the end of the interview, ask if you may make a follow-up call, and when a good time would be. From then on, once a month is about right. If you need to leave a voice message, try to add a short sound-bite to create interest. This might be something you forgot to mention during the interview, mentioning a shared interest that would benefit the employer, or suggesting an answer to a problem was discussed in the interview.