What do you do after a job interview?

For some job seekers, the hardest part of looking for a job can be the interview, so if you’ve just come out of an interview wondering what to do next, congratulate yourself for making it through the interview! You’re one step closer. Most job seekers tend to worry about prepping for the interview and then the actual interview itself, but not as many people put so much thought into the really positive actions they take after the interview is over. You may believe that you have done everything you can do to impress the interviewer but take this time to consider going the extra mile. We have some ideas on what you can do after an interview to make you feel more at ease and potentially keep impressing the interviewer, even after you have left.

After the interview, ask how they will follow up

Sometimes, the most nerve-wracking part of the interview process can be the wait time after the actual interview. So, before you leave, it might be a good idea to ask the interviewer what their interview process includes. Do they have second interviews? Will you have to complete an assessment? And how long will it be until they contact you regarding the next stage? Asking these questions can help you have peace of mind afterwards and keep you from worrying too much. You can begin preparing for the next stages and if they take too long to get in touch, you can get in touch with them and ask the status of your application.  

Get the interviewers contact information

It can be a very good idea to ask for the interviewer’s work number or email address during or after the interview. This means that you can contact them if you have any further questions about the role, so you can provide them with a follow up after the interview and send that all important thank-you note. You want to show the interviewer that you are pro-active, you should be going out of your way to let the interviewer know that after the interview, you are still interested in the role. If you have changed your mind after the interview and no longer think the role is a good fit for you, you can let them know this way as well. You can read more about the importance of a thank-you note and how to write one here.

What to do when you get home?

When you get home, it can be a good idea to analyse how you think the interview went. Think about what you did well and try not to overthink the things that you should have said. It can be easy to dwell over any perceived mistakes made in an interview, but there is no changing what has already happened, so use it as a learning curve. You will learn from every interview you have and there will always be positives. Overall, how do you think the interview went? Don’t put yourself down and if you know what the next stage of the interview will be, try and take some time to start preparing for it. It’s important not to waste time in a job search, you will definitely regret it later if you do.

Ask yourself what you thought about the company. Can you see yourself working there or is it not what you thought it would be? You should be thinking about whether you want to take the next steps and if you still think this job is still for you. If you still want it, great! But don’t feel disheartened if it’s just not for you. Contact the employer, let them know and continue with your job search! If you think everything about this role is for you, start planning how you will prep for the next stage of the interview. (If there is one)

Notify your references

You have probably already let your current references know that you put them down as contacts but a gentle reminder when you have an interview can help them prepare when they do get that call or email. It’s sometimes better and polite, if it’s an individual, to let them know they might be contacted for both their sake and yours. They won’t want to be put on the spot with a call out of the blue asking about an old or current employee, being prepared is always the best route to take.

Give it time

A common thing to do after an interview is to over-think it. Different companies have different interview processes, and some take longer than others, so once you have given your follow up and said thank you, make sure you try not to dwell on it too much. Keep yourself busy with your job search, because it doesn’t just end after one interview. You want to have a back-up plan, no matter what happens with this opportunity, try to focus on another.

If you don’t hear back

The job you applied for should have a closing date for applications, try not to worry if they haven’t contacted you before the closing date arrives. They might just be busy interviewing other candidates. However, if you feel like it’s been too long, you can contact them. You can do this via phone, email or even letter, whichever way suits you. Most of the time it’s not malicious or anything personal, employers can forget if they’re busy. Although this isn’t a valid excuse and it can be rubbish when you are left hanging, it’s just the way things are sometimes. Hopefully, they will get back to you once you have given them a little nudge.

No matter what happens after an interview, they are very good experience. Any interview is a good time to learn and build on your skills. As long as you are prepared, then all should go well. Interviews are something that take time and practice to get the hang of and even then, they won’t always go the way you had planned. You can never predict what the interviewer might say or how it might go. But making sure you are prepared for the interview and know what to do after the interview, then there is always a chance that you will succeed. Taking time to analyse how the interview went, the next steps and simply saying thank you to the interviewer, can all have a positive impact on you and your job search.