You’ve interviewed, so now what?

After being interviewed for a job, ending the phone call or leaving the conference room can be a relief. You did your best, and now you wait for the employer to call you with a job offer, right?

No. Nowadays, the end of your job interview does not end when the meeting is over.

Successful applicants for developer and IT positions in Vancouver practice these six post-interview habits that increase their odds for eventually landing the ideal job.

• Debrief with Your Recruiter

While the questions and discussion are still fresh, contact your recruiter to share your thoughts about the interview. Make a call, leave a voicemail or send an email. The debrief can be helpful for both of you: you hear their suggestions about follow-up and get feedback on your responses and the recruiter develops a better understanding of your interview performance and the company’s needs. A strong relationship between you and your recruiter benefits everyone.

• Send Thank You Email

While snail-mail thank you letters are uncommon in the technology and IT industry, a brief email thanking your interviewers for their time can extend the positive impression you left during the interview. It demonstrates your business etiquette and communication skills while also keeps your interview front of mind for the employers. Also, everyone likes a genuine thank you.

• Identify and Contact Right References

If you have not provided references yet and/or asked to submit following the interview, think about which professional contacts would be the most appropriate for a job reference. Now that you know more about the actual position and company culture, who can provide the most relevant and useful insights about your past performance? And be sure to give those references a heads-up via email, text, or LinkedIn message.

• Follow-Up on Interview Conversation

During the interview, you have been asked a question or a conversation may have developed that you now want respond to. Be careful to keep this as neutral as possible. You can sell yourself and promote yourself as the best candidate for the job by providing just the facts or resources about the information discussed. This follow-up shows that you were actively listening during the interview and can go the extra mile.

• Connect with Company Contacts

Reach out to personal and professional contacts who currently work at the company or have a connection, such as a vendor. A friendly word about you from someone already inside the company can add more luster to your interview performance.

• Evaluate and Improve Performance

Finally, take a few moments to reflect on how you performed during the interview. While this exercise cannot undo your just-completed interview, it can prepare you for the future. What questions stumped you? If in person, did you display confidence in your skills? What would you do or say differently during the next interview? Most people need to sharpen their interview skills, so find a willing (and candid!) friend or family member to practice.

What are your ideas for successfully following up after job interviews? Please share!

Written by:

Rupinder Gill, Managing Director