We’ll start with a freebie: The first thing you should do after a job interview is drive home, take off your suit, slip into something comfortable, and help yourself to a glass of wine and/or a nice, heaping bowl of ice cream. Job interviews are tough. They take a lot out of you. When you make it through one, you deserve to unwind and celebrate!
But of course, you can’t unwind or celebrate for too long, because there is work still to be done—some important tasks that every jobseeker needs to do post-interview. Make sure you make the most of each interview experience by following this quick checklist:
- Write down some notes from the interview. Make records about any pertinent facts about the job—whatever pros or cons may have stood out to you, or any additional questions that spring to your mind. It’s always good to have a basic record of your interview.
- Write and send a thank you note to the interviewer. Not only is this just a decent thing to do, but it’s an excellent way to follow up and keep your name in the mix.
- Send an e-mail to the interviewer. Just take a moment to expand on the thank you letter and reiterate your interest in the position.
- Send out another couple of resumes or applications. While your confidence and energy levels are high, send out another couple of probes, seeking out some new opportunities. Hopefully, you’ll get the job you just interviewed for, but you can’t count on it and shouldn’t slack off on your job search!
- Appraise your interview performance. You can do this by yourself or perhaps go over it with a close friend. Write down a list of some things to work on or reinforce for your next
- Review your LinkedIn profile. Maybe the interview brought to mind a few skills or achievements you need to add or elaborate on. Now’s the time to take a quick peek and make sure the profile is up to snuff.
- Review your resume. Likewise, now is a good time to polish up your resume a bit. Get with one of our resume consultants if you need a little help.
- Move on. Don’t dwell on the interview. There’s no time for that! Move on to the next job target on your list. Keep hustlin’.
Job interviews are important—but so is their aftermath. Don’t let a good interview make you complacent, or a bad one drag you down. Keep searching—and contact the Grammar Chic resume team if you need some help: 803-831-7444, or www.grammarchic.net.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.