3 ways to follow up after an interview
Just because you’ve completed an interview doesn’t mean you’re done with the job application process. You’re probably not the only candidate that the company interviewed, and it’s up to you to keep yourself in the forefront of potential employers’ minds. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to follow up after your interview.
Following up with a business can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Do yourself a favor and inquire as to the next step in the job-application process at the conclusion of your interview. Doing so will give you a good idea of what’s acceptable and what’s not. The last thing you want to do is become an annoyance after a good interview.
Here are three ways to follow up after you complete your interview:
1. Thank you card
Thank you cards are always appreciated, even at the professional level. Take the time to put together a thank you note for the folks that interviewed you. If you want to get the note out as soon as possible, you can send an electronic thank you card via e-mail. Thank whomever conducted your interview for taking the time out of his or her busy day. It’s a good idea to add a line about how you would add value to the company, too, as long as you do it in a succinct manner.
2. Connection via LinkedIn
The hope is that you’re forming a long-term business relationship with the company where you just interviewed. That said, connecting with your interviewers seems more than appropriate. But make sure you don’t do it without permission. Simply asking if it’s alright for you to reach out via LinkedIn near the end of interview is all you need to do, according to Forbes. In the same vein, don’t connect with people just because. Find a reason to connect that makes sense (e.g. you want to share an article about a trend in the industry).
3. Check-in phone call or e-mail
This can be the most difficult form of follow up to master. Checking in should be more about reminding potential employers of what you’d bring to the company than inquiring about whether or not you got the job. Follow up in whichever way you’ve been communicating up to now. If you’ve been communicating with the company through e-mail, follow up with an e-mail yourself. By phone? Check in with a brief phone call.
