If interviews make you nervous, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that more than 90 percent of U.S. adults get nervous about at least some aspect of job interviews. Being prepared is one way to calm those nerves. And while there are a lot of resources about how to prepare for an interview, this article will focus on what to do after an interview.
What to do before leaving your interview
1. Ask wrap-up questions
It’s important to ask wrap-up questions at the end of an interview so you can adjust your expectations going forward.
Ask about the timeline and when you can expect to hear about your application status. You’ll also want to ask the interviewer if there is any additional information they would like you to provide (i.e., references or work samples).
Finally, if you’ve interviewed with multiple people, ask the final interviewer if they would be comfortable providing contact information for the other individuals who interviewed you so you’re able to thank them directly.
2. Thank the interviewer(s)
There’s not much more to it than this: verbally thank the interviewer(s) for their time.
3. End on a positive note
When you finish an interview (whether it’s in-person or virtual), it’s always important to end on a positive note. Do your best to remind the interviewer of any key skills or qualifications you want to highlight, and show them that you’re interested in the position.
Thank you for taking the time to interview me! This role sounds like a great fit due to my expertise in [skills needed for the role]. Everyone was very welcoming today, and I’m really excited about the opportunity to work with such a tight knit team!
Read more: How to Decide What Skills to Put on a Resume
4. If it’s a virtual interview, end the call
If you’re in a virtual interview, be sure to actually end the call before you do anything else. Depending on what platform you’re using, the call may automatically end when the host leaves, or you may have to leave or end the call yourself.
What steps to take after your interview
5. Send a thank-you note
Send a thank-you email that includes specific details and information from your interview within 24 hours of your interview.
Sending a thank you note serves a few different purposes: It thanks the interviewer for their time and shows respect. Additionally, a thank-you note can be used to remind the interviewer of a high point or a positive experience you had in the interview.
On the other hand, if you didn’t answer a question as thoroughly as you would have liked, you can use the thank-you note to expand your answer and show that you continued to consider the question after your interview. This demonstrates thoughtfulness and that you care enough about the position to continue to consider questions from the interview after the fact. Regardless of what you want to highlight in your thank-you note, be sure to keep your note short and sweet.
Hi [Name],
Thank you again for taking the time to interview me today. It was great to learn more about the [job] opportunity with [Company], and I really enjoyed discussing [topic] with you. I continued to think about your question on [topic], and after further consideration, [insert what you want to add to your answer].
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing more at your convenience.
Best,
[Name]
Read more: A Simple Recipe for a Post-Interview Thank-You Letter
6. Follow up
Ideally, before you left the interview, you asked about when you could expect to hear more about your status. If the timeline they gave you has passed, give it a day or two, then follow up. Keep in mind that there are a lot of internal activities that need to happen prior to denying or giving an applicant an offer, so don’t use an accusatory tone (as in, why haven’t I heard from you yet?).
Hi [Name],
It was great speaking with you and learning more about the [job] role in my interview last week. I wanted to follow up and see if there have been any updates to my application status.
Feel free to reach out with any questions, or if there is any additional information I can provide for you.
Thanks,
[Name]
Read more: How to Respond to a Job Offer Email (with Examples)
