5 Things You Must Do AFTER a Job Interview

 “Thanks for coming in. We’ll be in touch soon”.

The elevator doors shut and you let out a big sigh of relief. The interview is officially done and dusted and you’re feeling confident. All you can do now is sit back and wait for the company to make their decision… right?

Not quite!

When it comes to job search, most people put a lot of thought and energy into preparing for interviews – what to wear, how to introduce themselves and how to answer those tricky interview questions. Preparation is absolutely essential, but what you do AFTER the interview can also go a long way in setting a positive impression.

Here are 5 things you should be doing after every interview:

Know the recruitment process

Before you walk out of the interview room, it’s always a good idea to ask about the next step in the recruitment process. Will there be another round of interviews? An assessment centre? Reference checks?

Knowing the recruitment process will help you to anticipate what’s coming up next and prepare accordingly. It also gives you an indication of the appropriate timeframes to follow-up if you haven’t heard back.

If you are nearing the final round of interviews, you should start advising your referees and be prepared to discuss salary expectations.

Send a ‘thank you’ note

Don’t overlook this simple, yet important part of the interview process. Send a brief, but thoughtful email to the interviewers on the same day as the interview. Thank them for the opportunity to meet with them. This is a chance to to re-iterate your interest in the position and demonstrate that you have professional communication skills.

Reflect

Every interview is a learning experience, whether you get the job or not. Take some time to reflect on the interview while it is still fresh in your mind. Write down some of the questions that you found challenging to answer, and consider if there’s anything you would have changed to improve your interview technique.

Reflecting will also help you to determine if the position and the company is the right fit for you.

Connect on LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows you to maintain long-term relationships with your new-found company contacts, whether you land the job or not.

Maintaining these connections is valuable because an opportunity might pop up in the future and the interviewers might want to contact you.

Make sure to send customised connection requests to the people that that you’ve interacted with throughout the recruitment process.

Follow up professionally

Wait the suggested time before following up (this is why it’s important to ask about the next steps in recruitment process).

If you don’t get the job, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Most recruiters are willing to provide constructive criticism and highlight areas for improvement.

Accept rejection and feedback gracefully – just because you weren’t successful on this occasion, it doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities in the future.

Finally, don’t forget to unwind and treat yourself for progressing through the recruitment process! Have a glass or wine, a Netflix binge session or [insert leisure activity of your choice]. Interviews can be nerve-wracking and job hunting can sometimes feel like a job in itself, so be kind to yourself!

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash