When to Follow Up With an Interviewer

Your job interview is over. Now it's a waiting game. You're probably anxious to hear about the job, but you can't let your feelings allow you to forget to follow up. Interview tips and techniques can only get you so far. Following up after an interview is one of the most critical steps: it can determine whether you get the job or not.

Before you decide when to follow up with an interviewer, you need to determine how you want to follow up. Interviews often include some time for you to ask the hiring manager a few questions. If the interviewer hasn't already mentioned when and how you can expect to hear back about the job, ask. It's likely that the interviewer will answer the question using his or her preferred method of communication. It's good to know the time frame so that you aren't following up on your interview too soon or too late.

One of the most common reasons that people don't contact the hiring manager after a job interview is that they don't realize how important it is to follow up. Interviews don't last long, so you want to be sure that you've made a lasting impression. That isn't an easy task. Interviewers typically see numerous applicants in one day, so it's easy to get lost in the crowd. Sending a simple thank you note after the interview helps the hiring manager remember your name.

Even people who realize the importance of following up with the interviewer after the job interview often skip this step simply because they aren't sure how to follow up. Interview tips often tell you to follow up with a handwritten note to thank the interviewer for his or her time. However, according to Roy Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach, sending a handwritten note via snail mail will make you look like a dinosaur. He suggests sending a well-written follow-up email instead, and the quicker you send it, the better.

If you're following up after an interview by email, it's always best to send the email immediately. However, if you're following up by phone, you don't want to make the phone call right away. If you aren't following up with an email, call the interviewer the next day to say thanks for allowing you to interview. Then, don't call again until after the time that the interviewer gave you in the interview passes. Because a phone call allows you to initiate a conversation with the hiring manager, it's a good way to follow up. Interviews are often stressful situations, so following up with a phone call lets the interviewer see more of your personality.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether you opt for email, a phone call, or a combination of both as long as you follow up. Interviews don't always go as planned. Following up with the interviewer in a timely manner allows you to say thanks, correct any misconceptions, and address any concerns. It also shows the interviewer that you're serious about the position, which is an added bonus that might land you the job.  

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)