5 Things You Must Do After A Job Interview

A successful job interview is the dream of every job seeker struggling to land a job in these harsh economic times. However, the job market being as competitive as it is, attending an interview is not a guarantee that you will be hired. Some of the unspoken things we do after an interview end up ruining our chances of landing a job.

For instance, it is common knowledge that employers never take seriously candidates who don’t do follow ups. In order to rise above the pack, here are a few tips on things you should do after an interview.

Related: 5 Tips On How To Prepare For An Interview 

What Should You Do After A Job Interview?

Have you ever attended a job interview that you felt confident you did well only to get a rejection? Maybe it was because you ignored some basic etiquette of job interviews.

Here are things you must do after a job interview whether you feel you were successful or not.

1. A simple thank you note will suffice

Most job seekers I have come across have no inclination about how important a thank you note is. It’s just as simple as saying thank you to a cup of coffee offer.

Most hiring managers expect a thank you note after the interview is over. This means that any candidate who sends in a thank you note will be considered for the position. Refuse to send one and you have dug your own grave.

Send a thank you note not more than 24 hours after a job interview. However, the most ideal time to send it is 2-3 hours after your interview.

Hiring managers will always remember a candidate who was courteous enough to say thank you for the interview invitation whether they were successful or not.

2. Make follow ups

The worst thing you can do after a job interview is to just sit and wait for the magic to happen. During the interview, ask the hiring manager when they are likely to reach a decision. If they haven’t contacted you by then, call or send an email.

However be careful not to look like a stalker. Don’t keep calling them just to follow up. It’s creepy and a total turn off and in the end, they will get tired of you because you will come out as an impatient person.

Following up, according to Ms. Melody Mwendwa, an interview coach should be done at least a week after the job interview.

Related: 4 Successful Ways To Follow Up After A Job Interview

3. Search, search, search

So you were invited for an interview. Does it mean that it’s the end of you and the job search?

The mistake most job seekers make is put their job search on hold. Keep looking and applying for jobs as you wait for the company to reach a decision.

At least if they don’t pick you, your job hunting will still be on track.

4. Update your LinkedIn profile

First of all let me say that if you are a job seeker and don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, get one.

Just like your CV, ensure that the profile is up to date highlighting your experiences and expertise just in case the interviewer comes snooping around.

In short, ensure that what they find on LinkedIn or any other social media page is good enough to make them hire you.

5. Gauge your own performance

This is by far the most important things you should do after an interview. How well did you perform? What could you have done better?

This not only prepares you for the results but also for other job interviews in future.

It is possible to tell how you performed in an interview by conducting a self-assessment.

It is exciting to be invited for an interview. However, if you don’t do things right you might end up missing on this golden opportunity, and it’s not just about the things you are supposed to do before and during an interview. What you do afterward also matters a lot and can be the difference between you being jobless and landing your dream job.

Related: How Do I Find a Job If I am Rejected After Every Interview?