How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

Tips on following up after a job interview

1. The first thing you need to remember when exiting the interview is to ask when they expect to make a decision. With this information, you will know when to expect to hear from them.
2. If you wish to be bold, tell your interviewer that you'll call them-perhaps in two or three days after the interview, to see if a decision is close to being made. If you're told that's not a good idea, then definitely don't call. However, if more than 10 days has passed and you still have not heard from the company about their decision, DO call and politely ask if a decision has been made. 10 days is the maximum amount of time you should have to wait for hearing on a decision about a job.
3. The interviewer will most likely inform you on when they expect to reach a decision. Should they name a day and time of day (say Monday morning), ask if it would be all right if you called to see what the decision is.
4. One thing you should always do after an interview is send out a thank-you note of some kind. Mailing it by post is best, although you can also send it out by email or fax. If the place where you interviewed is very formal, definitely send it by mail. If the place where you interviewed seemed informal, you'll probably be okay with just sending out an email. However, a handwritten thank you really shows that you put some time and effort into crafting a more personal note. Keep the note short and sweet-for instance, do not reiterate the points you made in the interview about why you'd be such a strong employee. Simply say thanks for taking the time to meet with me and that you'd be honored and thrilled to come aboard at the company. Quint Careers has a terrific section on thank you letters right here at their official website.
5. Be sure that before you send your thank you note, PROOFREAD IT VERY CAREFULLY. If grammar and punctuation are not your strong suit, locate someone who can give it a good read and recommend any changes you might need to make.
6. If you've decided to place a call to the company to see how they're coming along in the decision making process, don't be afraid to tell them that you're weighing other job offers. This will tell them that you are someone whose skills are in demand, and might tilt the decision about hiring you further in your favor.
7. Remember the old saying: patience is a virtue. It can sometimes take companies an agonizingly long period of time to make a decision on whom to hire for a position. Every company is different in how they approach hiring, and how long they take do it.
8. Keep looking and applying for other jobs. This is an incredibly important thing to do-you don't want all of your eggs in one basket. Doing this will keep you occupied while you wait to hear on the decision about the job you want, and you will keep your interviewing skills sharp.