If you are fortunate enough to land a job interview, coming up with interesting answers to the interviewer's questions isn't always enough to seal the deal. Interview etiquette dictates you should also follow up with the interviewer to reiterate your interest in the job. If you follow up with an interviewer, you must do so in a way that shows interest without making you look desperate.
The first step in the follow-up process is sending a thank-you note to the interviewer. If several people participated in your job interview, try to obtain contact information for all of them. Don't make the mistake of writing a generic thank-you note and calling it a day. Make sure the note includes references to some of the things you discussed during the job interview. The text of your note should explain why you are the most qualified person for the job.
Many interviewees feel frustrated when hiring managers don't contact them within a few days of their interviews. One of the best ways to prevent this frustration is to ask about the follow-up process at the end of your job interview. If a hiring manager is interviewing three or four more candidates, all with varying schedules, it might be a month or more before you can expect to hear anything about the job. If the hiring manager is kind enough to give you a timeline, don't call to ask about the status of the job until at least that much time has passed.
Calling the hiring manager is also a good way to follow up after a job interview. If you call a hiring manager, be careful not to take up too much of his time. Ask one or two questions, and make sure the hiring manager has everything he needs to make a decision. If you are nervous about making the call, write a script beforehand. The script can be as simple as three or four bullet points to help you stay on track while you speak to the hiring manager or leave a message.
Every contact you have with a hiring manager after a job interview should create a positive impression. If you can't get in touch with the interviewer, don't get angry and leave messages that make you sound frustrated or annoyed. Part of being employed is knowing how to keep your cool in tense situations, so don't do anything that could make the interviewer second-guess your ability to handle the job.
It's important to follow the rules of interview etiquette when you are searching for a job. Following up with the interviewer in a professional manner is one of those rules. Reiterate your interest in the job by sending a thank-you note after every job interview and asking each hiring manager for a hiring timeline.
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