What are the best practices for following up after a job interview?

If the hiring manager is considering you versus another candidate and you send a thank you email but the other person does not guess what might happen? Many recruiters have said they would offer the job to the person who sent a thank you note. This simple gesture does not take much effort but can show you appreciate their time and demonstrates basic politeness. It also allows you to reiterate your interest and follow up on something you learned about the job/company during the meeting.

I love the idea of mentioning something you learned in the conversation, this is a GREAT strategy. A thank you note shows you are professional and expresses gratitude and thoughtfulness. It also gives you the opportunity to speak to something that you wish would have gone better during the interview or re-address questions you didn't have a great answer for. "I wanted to circle back to your question about xyz. I didn't feel I answered that question well, and what I wish I would have said is xyz."

Respect the process. Following up is a great way to stand out, but it can cross the line quickly and become impatience. I love what Kathy Vines said in her feedback, often times our feedback efforts become us trying to control an uncontrollable situation.

I love when I talk to one of my #careercoach clients about this. I often have to remind them: "They know they still have an open job. They know they talked to you. A candidate reaching out to them isn't helping THEM fill their role; it's only helping the candidate ease anxiety and wishing to control the situation that's not controllable. It won't always go in someone's favor to repeatedly follow up. A fine line between showing interest and enthusiasm and telegraphing that you're going to be a needy employee!

Companies don't hire you based on your need, they hire you based on their own need. Trying to force someone into making a decision to meet your timeline will cost you an opportunity. Every stage of the interview is an opportunity to show the hiring team what it would be like to work with you.

I tell my coaching clients this all the time! You are on the market... until you aren't. Meaning, keep looking until you have a start date. I agree with the article, if you get another offer, let the preferred company know that you have received an offer and the deadline to respond.

At times, I'll have a #careercoach client I'm working with who is shocked to not get a role after making a really solid connection with the hiring manager. The feedback is very positive, "You were a great candidate, we really could see you here, but in the end, we went with someone who had xxx." I let my clients know that it's okay to graciously accept that feedback and say, "I understand and wish you and the team and the new hire success! I really enjoyed our talk about (xxx) and would love to stay connected in the future. Would it be okay if I sent you a request to connect on LinkedIn?" When you've hit it off, wrapping it in with the closure process can be a bridge to future conversation or even referrals for other roles.

You may not receive much (or any) feedback on your interview so it's important to review how you answered every question and do an honest assessment. I'm a big believer in preparation. You have to go into the interview prepared to showcase your skills and how you deliver value back to the company by demonstrating how you've solve this very business problem for others. Think of every interview as an opportunity to learn and refine your interviewing skills. I definitely recommend doing a practice interview with a friend and walk through the typical questions so you can crush your next interview. Preparation is key! It will also help you feel more confident which is important as you interview and showcase your unique talents!

Reflection on your interview Interview follow-up is the extension of your interview. You can brief what you did well and catch up with those interview questions you did not answer well with good answers. You get a second chance to show your skills by researching more on the topic you missed during the interview and showing your skills to summarize it in a short period. Interview follow-up also allowed you to show your personality and impress the interviewers with highlights and summaries. The key is to make it sharp as it is a Thank You note. Please draft it smartly.

The waiting period between interviews can be stressful! Be sure to fill your own cup by engaging in your favorite self-care. If it's nice outside, go for a walk or run. Sip your coffee, matcha, or tea slowly and be in the moment. Instead of spending time worrying about a reply (or refreshing your email 10X in a hour), unplug and give time to yourself.

While you should send a thank you note after an interview, it's possible to still sit in the company's valley of indecision. What a former C-Suite executive once told me (and have passed it on since) is to send the employer a list of 25 ways you could add value to the company/department/team. It's a way to stay top of mind and offer the reassurance of your confidence and understanding of the company's needs.