Interviews are all about impressions and most important of all is the first impression. Congratulations if you made it through. Now that the hardest part is done, here are job interview follow-up strategies you can implement if you still want to reinforce your qualifications to the interviewers, so they remember you, contact you for a second interview or even hire you.
Do a Post-interview analysis.
A great Job interview follow-up strategy is to take some time to analyse your performance and replay the interview in your head. After mentally accessing your everything, write down the facts. What did you learn regarding the nature of your job, what did you learn about the company? Note down the names of individuals, their titles and professional domains or details regarding the company and anything that you can use for your follow up emails, phone calls, and even second interviews or negotiations.
Write a follow-up email.
If you haven’t received feedback yet from the potential employer, start drafting your follow-up email. If writing a follow-up email makes you feel nervous, don’t worry. Most people feel the same. I mean if someone hasn’t replied after an interview, they’re probably not interested, right? Not really!
On the contrary, a follow-up Email is the single most effective post-interview technique you can use if you use it right. Begin by thanking the interviewer for their time and opportunity and reiterate why you would be ideal for the position. The good thing is, there are plenty of resources out there that can help you ace it.
Contact your references
You should also call the references whose names you’ve given, and fill them in on how the interview went. Tell them about the job, and how your qualifications fit it, this covers you on all fronts. If the interviewer decides to call your referees, then they will know what to say and will put in a good word for you. If you are working with a recruiter, contact them immediately with your feedback and share with them any concerns about the interview. They can talk to the employer on your behalf, clarify answers you were unsure of and provide feedback on your interview.
Contact internal employees.
It is highly and likely that you get a contact or two while conducting your research on the job position and the company. These are your bargaining chips. Check-in with any internal referrals or friends you made during your research. Tell them a few positive things about the interview. Inquire subtly if they’ve “heard anything.” If they’re receptive, ask them to “put in a good word” for you. Sometimes an interview has a few candidates who satisfy the interviewee, and the interviewee really cannot decide who to pick. It is during scenarios like such that a “good word” put in for you goes a long way in increasing your chances for getting a second interview or even hire.
Re-contact the interviewer
If you had more than one interviewer, contact the one you had a “good feeling” towards. Express your appreciation, and probe them into a discussion. The interviewer will be delighted to give you their impression, listen and take notes. This is a subtle way of confirming your impression on the interviewers and also determining if you will get a second interview or even get hired.