What about Communications Post-Interview?

For an employer, the hiring process can be long and drawn out. In some cases, the decision happens weeks or months after the first job interview, and the right post-interview communication can help you stand out from the sea of candidates. As you determine how to follow up, choose methods that remind the employer who you are and what you bring to the table.

Send a Quick Email

Email is an easy, noninvasive way to get in touch after a job interview. As soon as it's convenient, send a brief message thanking the employer for his time. Use the email to reinforce a strong personal connection, an engaging conversation or your best qualification. If the employer expressed strong interest in a topic, for instance, you might pass along a relevant article. Similarly, if he asked a question about a particular project, mention it and include a link to a news story or portfolio item.

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Social media often gets a bad rap in job searches, but it can be an easy way to follow up after a job interview. Ensure that your public profile photos are clear and recognizable; after a hiring manager interviews 10 or 20 candidates, it can be difficult to put faces to names, so a clear photo helps him find the right account and easily remember you.

Make sure that your LinkedIn page highlights the skills and experiences that the employer seemed most interested in during the interview. Then, demonstrate interest by following or liking the company's public pages. If you have public profiles, put out a positive tweet or Facebook post about the company, the job or the facility. Avoid sending requests to individual interviewers on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, however, as doing so can come off as intrusive and overly forward.

Exercise Proper Phone Etiquette

In the digital age, following up by phone is a tricky proposition. After all, busy executives and hiring managers do not have time to answer thank-you calls from every candidate. Voicemail is an ideal solution; it enables you to provide a personal touch without forcing the interviewer to step away from business tasks. Find the office number — not the cellphone number — of the person who interviewed you. Wait until well after business hours, and leave a short message thanking the person for his time and expressing enthusiasm about a specific facet of the job, company or a topic from the job interview.

Don't Be a Pest

If your job interview happens early in the hiring process, you might wait months for a decision. Keep in touch during that time, but take care not to pester the employer. After the initial thank-you communication, wait a minimum of three weeks to check in. When you do, keep it low-key; send a news story that relates to your interview conversation, ask a simple question about the hiring schedule or connect the person with a useful industry contact. This strategy keeps your name fresh in the mind of the interviewer without making him feel harassed.

Communication after a job interview requires a careful balance of tone, timing and content. By expressing enthusiasm and respecting the employer's time, you can keep your application in play without crossing professional boundaries.

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