So you just finished a job interview. Well done you!
You’re tired. You’re exhausted /excited/and or worried that you bombed it. And yet somehow you feel energized and more focused than you did the entire month.
So the question is, What should you do next?
Should you grab an emotional support beverage? Should you meditate for 15 minutes? Or should you just call it a day?
In today’s post, I’m going to show you the 6 most important steps to do right after you walk out/hang up from a job interview. And I’m going to break them down for you step by step.
Job Interview Checklist: 6 Things to Do After You’ve Just Finished an Interview
Many interviewees think that just showing up and answering questions is enough.
But you know nailing a job interview requires much more than that. Specifically, you need to keep your skills and relevance fresh in the interviewer’s mind. You also need to show (not tell) why and how you’d be a good fit for the role and organization because of how you solve problems.
On top of that you need to come across as personable, competent and worth the value of the salary. It’s a lot.
So after you’ve made it through the gauntlet of the interview, what’s next?
Step #1. Debrief
Your first order of business is to take a look at the interview objectively. The best way to do that is assess not only your performance but the conduct of the interviewer and your feelings about the role now that you’ve discussed it in more depth.
Now, many people like to take all responsibility for a ‘poor’ interview onto their own shoulders, but you shouldn’t do that.
Why?
Because interviews involve more than one person! Maybe you did flub a response, but did the interviewer ask you questions that allowed you to showcase your experience properly? Were they engaged and actually interested in the answers you were giving?
Some questions you may want to ask in your personal interview debrief:
Do I want this role more or less after the interview?
Was I able to demonstrate my abilities and make all the points I wanted to make?
Did I get answers to my questions about the organization/role?
Step #2. Thank You
Your mother may have been wrong about a lot of things, but she was right about thank you notes. You gotta send one.
There’s no one “right” way for a more effective Thank You but there is a wrong way: not sending one. Whether you send an email (yes you should), an email and a physical note (yes, please) or a bouquet of flowers (not necessarily a bad idea) here are some things to keep in mind:
Keep it short
Send it in a timely manner
Include any critical info you missed that popped up in debrief
If you are stuck on what to say, you can start with this template:
Step #3. Connect
After you send your Thank You is the time to connect. You’ll want to connect on LinkedIn or any other socials that are appropriate for your situation.
If you think of interview conversations and networking connections as long term career moves and not solely beneficial to just this role then you will not only save yourself work down the line but be set up to receive more opportunities in the future.
So maybe the company you’re interviewing with suddenly enters a hiring freeze and not only do you not get the role but they do layoffs. Maybe the manager you interviewed with gets to her next role and remembers you as a qualified, capable and competent employee she’d like on her new team. Unless you’ve connected with her outside of her previous-work email, she may have no idea how to contact you!
Step #4. Next Steps
If you want to stand out from all the other applicants, you have to add a personal touch to any next steps that may be on the docket.
Be sure that you understand what next steps are needed and that you have all the information you need to carry them out.
If they would like you to schedule with an admin assistant, be sure you treat them with consideration and respect (sending them a thank you note is not a terrible idea either).
If they require you to do a skills test/complete a piece of work make sure to do it with not just speed but your career goals and personality in mind.
Step #5. Take a breath
Another important step in the post-interview process is to take a moment for yourself. No matter how you feel the interview went, congratulate yourself for making it to this point in the process!
Just take a breath. Have a little treat. Get some air and congratulate yourself.
Then, relieve the energy of the situation whether you’re nervous or excited, give your brain and mode a chance to recover.
Pro Tip: Build your reward and time for yourself into your calendar when you schedule the interview so that you can be certain to make it happen.
Step #6. Track Data
This activity is one of the most overlooked, but also one of the most important (which is why I saved it for last).
If you don’t keep track of your job search data, how will you know what’s working?
I’ve got a free job search tracker for you so you can keep track your progress, your next steps your contact info and everything else.
For example, if you had a great interview but didn’t get the job, you may have to alter your method.
If you made a great connection with a contact but need to follow up, you’ll need to keep tabs on when to do that.
With this tracker you can keep data on:
Contact information
Application steps
Interview information
Next step to-dos
And more!
Make sure you check in like this frequently and adjust your job search accordingly.
Wrapping it up
If you think your work is over as soon as you finish a job interview, I’ve got surprising news for you.
What you do AFTER the interview is even more important than what you do before. Taking your foot off the gas can turn all that work you put into the interview a false start.
So instead of just interviewing without intention, spend some time on your post-interview routine to make the most out of the effort you’ve put in. Try some of the other steps above and keep them in mind for your next interview.
Most importantly, stop breezing through your post-interview routine. Take the time to make sure you leave the best impression possible with the organization you’re interviewing with and prep and protect yourself to keep stress at bay.
Before you know it, you’ll land that gig and you’ll start that next big step in your career.
If you want to know even more about how to create your ideal career, here are 3 related posts for you:
NAVIGATING THE CAREER MAZE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR PERFECT FIT
SELF-REFLECTION AND ASSESSMENT: THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS YOUR DREAM CAREER
Yours in rock that interview goodness-
EBS
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EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types
ebsanders.com
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