6 Post Interview Tips

“We will notify you of our decision as soon as possible.” These are the words that leave many job seekers wondering “Well, when is soon as possible”, as well as  feelings of nervousness, anxiety, excitement, and joy. So what do you do when your left waiting?

1. First breathe a sigh of relief. You did it. Your interview is done and the fact that you got an interview is something to be proud of. Go on a walk or do something to help calm your feelings and emotions.
2. Next, on a piece of paper write down
   • the questions the interviewer asked,
   • how you responded,
   • anything that stood out,
   • how you felt about the interviewer, and
   • your feelings/emotions during that interview.
3. Put that paper away for a couple days and come back to it. Reflect on what you wrote. Find points that you feel you did well on, as well as points were you feel you can improve. Doing this gives you the ability to really pin-point areas that you can work on next time.
4. Also reflect if this is a company you really want to work for. If you get a bad vibe in a 30 min interview, it may not be the best fit for you.
5. Write a follow-up letter. Use your follow-up to clear any points that didn’t get fully crossed during the interview and re-iterate your interest and match for the position.
6. Celebrate. You managed to get an interview and that is a big step and confirmation. No matter what happens next, you are one step closer and have takeaways that can make a difference in your next interview opportunity.

Not knowing whether or not you got the job after an interview may be one of the hardest things. It is because, after all that we’ve been through, the stress, frustration, excitement, and relief of getting an interview, that we are then left hanging. At the end of the day, all an interview is – a learning experience. It gives us insight into what we want out of a job, teaches us areas of improvement, and may even make us realize that the company is one you may not want to work at. If you don’t get that dream job or don’t hear back even after your follow-up, don’t worry; everything will be okay. It may take one interview or many more. Learn something from each one and you will land that dream job.