What to Do While Waiting to Hear Back After a Job Interview

What to Do While Waiting to Hear Back After a Job Interview What to Do While Waiting to Hear Back After a Job Interview 2 What are the best moves to make after a job interview, especially if the waiting period stretches into days or weeks, and youre on pins and needles?  To be sure, there are certain professional courtesies and protocol for following up on job applications  that you should view as necessities. How do you reinforce a good impression with the hiring manager, and also harness any nervous energy you might be feeling after a job interview? Here are some steps to consider while youre waiting to hear back after a job interview: Follow through. Send a brief, personalized  thank-you note  immediately after the interview (that same day, or the next) indicating your genuine appreciation for the time and effort they invested in the interview. An email may be the best format, but take a cue from the platform you may have used for any written communication with them pre-interview. This may seem obvious, but showing up in person, unannounced, is a really bad move that could spell the death knell for your hiring chances. Strike the right tone. In any post-interview communications, be careful to reinforce the high points of the job interview. Youll want to come off as self-assured (but not cocky) and confident (but not desperate). Study up on how to send a thank-you note if youre rusty, or new to the practice. Show your continuing enthusiasm about the job, and reinforce your connection to them and the organization. Practice patience. It can be tricky to figure out how long to wait if you havent heard back after a job interview. Try to be patient and keep paranoia to a minimum. Take into consideration everything that might be going on with your prospective new boss to  understand  why employers dont respond  right away  in some cases.  Reasons can range from the obvious (you didnt get the job), to something as simple as  the employers schedule (theyve been too busy to get back to you). Keep in mind that Mondays and Fridays are often the busiest days of the business week for managers. Dont pester. How often should you contact the hiring manager after the interview? Take the overall time frame into consideration, and use your best judgment. Its a good idea to ask during the interview about when you should expect to hear from them, and take it from there. Once or perhaps twice in the first week or two is appropriate. If you receive encouraging responses, consider it a green light to keep going in a meaningful way. Keeping them up-to-speed on any new accomplishments is a great way to stay in the game. Dont overanalyze your performance. After the interview, avoid beating yourself up about any perceived missteps, or second-guessing your answers after the fact. Try not to read too much into how things went, especially if weeks have gone by and you havent heard back after a job interview. While youre waiting, try to stay optimistic and view the interview as a learning experience that can help you  prep for job interviews  in the future. Handle rejection gracefully. Worst case: they hired someone else, not you. Its easy to take it personally if you didnt get the job, but dont- its business, after all. Thank them again, solicit any meaningful feedback they might offer, and ask whether you might be a good fit for a future position. Its always good idea to leave the door open for reapplying with a company after a job rejection- and maybe landing a job that works better for you.