Following up
So, you have been to the interview and you think it went well. You should hear one way or the other within a week or so of the interview taking place, unless the interviewer specified otherwise.
But that doesn’t mean you should just sit and wait, which is precisely what 90 per cent of people do.
At no stage in your job hunt should you be sitting back and waiting for anything, not until you’ve achieved the ultimate goal of successfully receiving a job offer. In a tight job market you need to be proactive and constantly keep up your efforts to land a new job.
You need to have a follow-up strategy in place.
What is a follow-up strategy?
Immediately after the interview write (by post or by email) a brief letter to thank the interviewer for their time and seize one last opportunity to make an impact. You want to reiterate how your skills and experience do of course meet their requirements.
So few people take the time to do this that you will stand out in the interviewer’s mind possibly at the very moment they are making the crucial decision concerning your future.
It won’t guarantee you the job it can only help.
Is it really worth the effort?
The odds are already in your favour if you’ve been invited for interview. There could easily have been as many as 100 initial applicants. However, fewer than ten are likely to have been selected for interview. Success is within your grasp and one final effort at this stage can really swing things in your favour.
TOP TIP
You probably devoted a good hour or two of your time just to attending the interview and yet it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes to knock out a well-crafted thank-you letter.
How do I go about this?
Follow up as soon as you can after the interview, either the same day if possible or, at the latest, the next day. By the time a recruiter has reached the interview stage, decisions can be made very quickly. You need to get your final shot in there before it’s too late.
If the person whom you originally contacted is not the same as the person who interviewed you, then you should send the letter to the person who actually interviewed you. If you were interviewed by more than one person, then send it to whichever one of them arranged the interview with you (or with the recruitment agency representing you).
I am writing to thank you for taking the time to interview me on 10 June and to confirm my strong interest in the sales manager vacancy. I would also like to reiterate the qualities which I believe make me ideally suited to the role:
You can follow this introduction with a few key sales points (it is perfectly acceptable to put them down in list form as bullet points).
You can conclude your letter along the lines of:
I look forward to hearing from you once a decision has been reached. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to call me on 07700 900 159 should you require any further information.
This is a fairly straightforward example and you can, of course, expand on it if appropriate. You may have thought of an important point since the interview which might further support your case. You may be able to refer to something that the interviewer mentioned that was of particular interest. There are numerous possibilities, but don’t go over the top; at the end of the day it’s only really a thank-you letter.
The Cover Letter Book
If you would like to learn more about such letters then please take a look at my best-selling book on the subject, The Cover Letter Book: How to Write a Winning Cover Letter That Really Gets Noticed. You can place your order for a copy via our website: www.jamesinn.es
Sometimes you just have to pick up the phone
If a week passes after sending this letter and you still haven’t heard anything, then don’t be shy to telephone the organisation and enquire politely whether a decision has been reached.
Unfortunately, not all organisations will bother to notify candidates of a negative decision.
Keeping track of your job hunt
We’ve put together a spreadsheet to help you keep track of the interviews you have attended, who with and what date etc. It will also enable you to keep track of the CVs you have sent out.
Using this tracking tool you will know exactly whether and when to follow up on an application. It will prevent you from becoming confused! It is much better to keep yourself organised. And this Excel spreadsheet will enable you to do just that.
To download your free copy, please visit our website: www.jamesinn.es