Follow up

What you do immediately after an interview is nearly as important as the interview itself. Knowing the right way to follow up will set you apart from the crowd.

Take notes on your interview and interviewers.

You will be amazed how quickly you can forget even the most memorable of interviews and interviewers. As soon as you leave an interview take a few minutes to review what happened. Be sure to note specific conversations so you can refer to them in your thank you letter. Also, be sure to record the next step in the process, which you should have obtained before leaving the interview.

Write down tough questions.

Couldn't answer something? Write down the question and develop a solid answer so when it is asked in another interview you will be better prepared.

Send thank you letters.

Send thank you letters to each interviewer and to the person who facilitated scheduling your interview. Thank them for their time, make mention of a portion of the interview you particularly enjoyed, and reiterate your interest in the job. Letters should be professional in content as well as format.

Guidelines for Writing Thank You Letters and Acceptance or Withdrawal Letters (PDF)

Follow up.

Take a proactive stand. If you don’t hear from them within the time frame they laid out, call.