The following tips will set you up for success in the days following your interview. During your interview, don’t forget to ask the employer, “What are the next steps in the hiring process? What is your timeline for hiring?” Many job seekers are so relieved when the job interview is over that they forget to ask these important questions. Without this knowledge, it can feel like entering a black hole.  

 

    After you have finished your interview, take a moment to reflect on the questions that were asked, the culture of the organization you experienced, and the work style of your potential supervisor. Write down any questions that you may or may not have expected. This will help you with your next interview. Many times, when interviewing, you may notice something unique about the working environment or culture of the organization. Take note of this, especially if it was an element that impressed you. These are golden nuggets that will make your thank-you note stand out. For example, you might write, “When I was waiting for my interview, I was particularly impressed with the  customer service of the staff at the reception desk. They made everyone feel so comfortable, including the social workers, the anxious clients, and an anxious job seeker!”

    Finally, as we all know, an interview works both ways. Make sure that you write down any questions that you may have forgotten to ask the interviewer. These will come in handy when you get a second interview.

 

    Did you know that most job seekers don’t write thank-you notes?  According to an Accounttemps survey of human resources, only 24% of job seekers send thank-you notes. However, 80% of the hiring managers found them helpful when reviewing applicants. Thank-you notes should never be left out of the job search process. If you think about the other side, job recruiters have quite a few tasks to accomplish to select the best applicant. They must create a good job posting, gain approval from supervisors and human resources, sift through résumés, and schedule and conduct interviews. Even if the interview was not quite what you expected, the interviewer should always be thanked for giving you their time. A well-crafted thank-you letter gives you the opportunity to plug your skills and reiterate something that stood out about the interview or the organization. If you have interviewed with a panel, it is not necessary to send the thank-you letter to the entire panel, but do mention their names in the letter that you send to the lead interviewer. Aside from this, it’s just good manners to always send a thank-you.

 

    Thank-you letters should be written within 24 hours of the interview. This correspondence can be written by hand, emailed, or in the form of a formal letter sent by mail. It’s important to gauge the culture of the agency when selecting the type of correspondence you would like to send. For example, if it is a casual nonprofit, perhaps a handwritten thank-you note is in order. If it is a formal agency, such as a government or legislative position, you may want to send a formal letter. If the interviewer tells you that the selection process will occur within the next couple of days or sooner, definitely send a thank-you letter via email.  

 

• Direct from the publisher
• Amazon.com