You found the job, landed the interview, and you feel like you killed the interview, or maybe you don’t, either way, your work isn’t finished yet. After the interview is finished you want to continue to make an impression and keep your resume at the front of your interviewer’s mind. Don’t just sit around and wait. Be proactive. Maybe there were a few things you didn’t mention in your interview that could help you score the second interview. Take these 5 steps after the interview to help improve your chances of moving on to the next steps.
Assess Yourself & the Interview
Take stock of how the interview went. Write up a summary of the questions that were asked and your answers. This will help you think about the details you didn’t get to mention in your interview or help you think of more examples of your skills. Do the same for the questions you asked in the interview. Maybe there were questions you forgot to ask, or you need some more clarification on some of their answers.
These notes will help you prepare for the second interview if they request one. They may even help you address some areas that need improvement and help you with other future interviews.
Writing a Thank-You Note
At the end of an interview, you should ask for a business card or the interviewer's contact information, if you don't already have it. This is so you can write a thank-you note and follow up if need be. If you don't have a business card, be sure to write down the interviewers' names and titles.
Now that you have everything organized, it’s time to put together your thank-you notes. While email is the most efficient way to send a thank-you, a written card is out-of-the-box and unique, which might stand out more to the employer.
The most important part of the note is to thank the interviewer for their time, but it’s also a good tool to use. It can be used to showcase your interest in the position and how you feel you can benefit the farm or agribusiness. Also, you can use this time to highlight your most relevant skills that are specific to the role, mention anything you forgot to share or clear up any questions you have answered poorly. However, keep in mind this is a short note and not a new cover letter.
Make sure to proofread your note before sending it. And don’t worry about waiting, send your note within 24 hours.
Also, if the recruiter or hiring manager didn't provide the next steps or you forgot to ask, make sure to include that in your thank-you note as well. Then you know when you should follow up if you haven't heard back. Having a rough idea of when to expect a call or email will help you to be more patient.
Connect with Interviewer
In today’s digital world, it’s much easier to connect with employers. After your interview, connect with the hiring manager and/or recruiter on LinkedIn. Making these connections is good for long-term relationships. Even if you don’t get the position you interviewed for, another opening may become available, and they may want to connect with you again. This is also a great way for you to keep them up to date on your experience for future openings.
Contact Your References
If you have provided references to the hiring manager, make sure you have informed your reference that you have applied for the role and that they may be getting a call. Giving your references a heads-up will allow them to prepare for the call. Give them a summary of the role and any skills you would like them to showcase. Don’t forget to send a quick thank-you note to your references as well.
Follow Up
Following up with a recruiter or hiring manager is a good way to keep yourself top of mind. When you follow up, keep the message short and concise. Writing out a long message will likely get ignored and will make you seem desperate for the job. Keeping the message short will ensure they read the entire message.
If the hiring manager gave you a timeframe in which they will get back to you and that time has passed, it's a good idea to send a short message expressing your continued interest. Let them know you can provide any further details or samples of your work. End the email with "I look forward to hearing from you." It's a less direct and demanding way of asking when they're going to make a decision.
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