Interviewing for a job can be the most stressful part of a job search. When the interview is done, you probably feel this great sense of relief that it
is over. And although you may be tempted to forget it ever happened (depending on how it went!), there are a few things you should do after every interview.
1. Get contact information.
Ask those whom you interviewed with for their business cards or email addresses so you can follow up. You may
also wish to ask for the name of a specific person who will make the decision on the opening.
2. Reflect and write down notes.
As soon as you can after the interview, sit down and think about what you learned about the company and the position. Write down any important
points that you need to remember, for instance, the names and job titles of the people you met and any significant information that was brought
up during the meeting. This is also a good time to write down any questions that you may still have that were not addressed in the interview. Also
jot down notes to yourself regarding points you can improve on next time.
3. Notify your references.
Let the references you used on the application know you just interviewed and someone may be calling them. This will keep your references from getting
caught off guard and provide them with time to think about what to say when the hiring manager calls, especially if it has been awhile since you
got their permission to use them as a reference.
4. Follow up.
Going back to number one on this list, if you collected good contact information after your interview, you will be able to follow up well. Keep
in mind that globally, each region is different with regard to the interview follow up. You will need to find out what is appropriate in the country
you live in. In many countries, thank you notes through the mail or email are expected; however, in such places as Japan, they are not. Procedures
for follow up can also vary by company – some may say they will contact you about the results of the interview while others may expect you to contact
them. No matter what the normal procedure is in your country, you DO always want to thank the interviewers at the end of the interview.
5. Relax and keep looking.
Even if you think the job is yours, do not stop your job search while you are waiting to hear the results of the interview. Sometimes, things do
not turn out the way you expected. Stay calm, and keep moving forward until you know you have the job secured.
