After the Interview
Your work has only just begun
Immediately after the interview it is essential to take a few minutes to write a
summary of what happened in the interview while it is fresh on your
mind. Include the names of people you met; the details of the
job description as described by the interviewer; and details
regarding the company and department in which you would be working.
Write down the portions of the interview that went well and
those that caused you some problems. Were there any skills for which
you felt the interviewer had a concern. (If you're called back this
analysis will help make your next meeting even more successful. If
not, you'll be better prepared for an interview with someone else.)
Then report all of this to your Infopeople recruitment
consultant as soon as possible. We must know
how the interview went so that we can be more effective in talking
to the employer about you.
How important is it to follow up after an interview?
Follow-up can significantly affect whether or not an offer is
extended. (Everyone says this. Everyone recommends it. Yet in our
experience, less than 2% of candidates follow-up. The good news is
that you'll stand out quickly if you do follow up.)
Following up after an interview addresses a key employer concern:
your interest level in the position. In addition, you are
demonstrating, by the very act of following up, personal and
professional qualities that are typically sought by an employer:
dedication, tenacity, attention to detail, and the ability to follow
through. In some instances, employers may even use the lack of
follow-up as a screening device: a way to narrow down the number of
candidates to a short list — those who do follow up become
finalists.
More often, however, there are usually several top candidates,
each with various tradeoffs regarding strengths and liabilities. The
employer is often faced with a difficult decision, and follow-up,
when handled correctly, offers a strategic means of tipping the
scales in your favour.
Besides demonstrating your interest level and the desired
qualities employers seek, follow-up offers the opportunity to
reassure the employer regarding any concerns they might have about
you being the best choice for the position. This can mean the
difference between an offer being extended to you rather than
another candidate. Even if not extended to you at this particular
time, it helps you to stand out — and could lead to another
position in the future.
If the interview is arranged through Infopeople, we'll be
doing the follow-up for you anyway. But if we can pass-on to the
employer your own personal strategic follow-up email/letter, we'll
gladly do so. It may just tip the scale in your favour.
Strategic follow up email/letter
There are different ways to follow up and you may want to let
your interest level in each position guide you. Strategic follow-up
is considerably more effective. However, it requires a little more
effort on your part than standard follow-up.
First, demonstrate your interest in the position and some of the
personal and professional qualities sought in a candidate
(dedication, tenacity, attention to detail, and the ability to
follow through). While this may seem a bit outdated in our
electronic age, this approach adds a personal touch and is
effective. You should thank the interviewer for his/her time and
courtesy and indicate you are looking forward to the prospect of
working in such an exciting (or interesting, rewarding etc.)
position (opportunity etc.) and organisation (company, institution
etc.).
Then go go a couple of steps further by addressing the concerns
the interviewer might have about this position being the right fit
for you, and providing an opportunity to add any related skills,
abilities, interests or other information that you did not think of
in the interview, which may have a bearing on your candidacy. Since
there will typically be several top candidates for the position,
each with various tradeoffs regarding strengths and liabilities,
this follow-up helps nudge that often difficult decision in your
favour.
Remember, while follow-up can make the difference in being
extended an offer now, it also helps to leave doors open for the
future. Interviewing for one position may lead to another.
If your interview was arranged through Infopeople, pass on
your strategic follow-up letter in the form of an email or MS Word
document to your recruitment consultant and we'll make sure it gets
through speedily to the employer concerned.
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