July 13, 2009 
By Janet Farley
This is the final installment of a three part-series designed to give you the skills you need to land your next job. In part one, we discussed what you should do before the interview while in part two, we addressed the big day itself. Here, we go over what to do after the interview.
Your much anticipated job interview is finally a thing of the past. Now you can take a break and chillax. Your job is done and all you have to do now is wait to see whether you scored the job or not.
Right?
Wrong.
You, dear job seeker, are now at critical mass and it is up to you to follow-through in nurturing this particular job opportunity.
Remember, your goal is to generate choices for yourself. You have done that up to this point; don’t quit now. After the interview, it is like you are only inches away from crossing the final finish line of an important race. Now it not the time to relax on your perceived laurels but to cowgirl up and pour it on.
The following strategies can help you.
Strategy #1 Conduct a post-interview analysis.
How do think the interview went? Be objective in your analysis. Try to separate your desire for the job itself from the reality of what actually transpired. Ask yourself these types of questions:
-Did the employer seem genuinely interested in you and your skills? How do you know?
-Did you ask pertinent questions and get the answers you need to make an educated decision?
-What were the high points of the interview? The low points?
-Who were the key players, by name and job title, included in the process?
-How could you have made the overall interview a better experience, if possible?
Make note of those points so you are sure to address them appropriately in future job interviews. Don’t sweat it if things didn’t go perfectly. They seldom do.
Strategy #2 Identify key work-related issues.
Were you able to effectively communicate to the employer how your particular skill set could be used to influence those issues? What seemed to impress or distress the employer? This part of the analysis goes beyond the basics and into the nitty-gritty job specific issues that may get the job offered to you.
Strategy #3 Consult with your spies.
Networking, as you’ve no doubt heard a million times over, is key to landing any job. So network with those you may know in the company where you interviewed to get an insiders perspective on how the interview went.
Strategy #4 Craft an action-oriented thank you note.
Armed with the information from your thoughtful post interview analysis and any gathered intelligence from insider company contacts, write an action-oriented thank you note.
This isn’t just an exercise in good manners. This is an opportunity for you to drive home a specific point, right a wrong impression and/or make one final case for getting the job. You’d be surprised how many wannabe employees stayed that way just because they didn’t write a simple thank you note.
Print out your thank you note on nice stationary and hand sign it neatly. Craft a brief handwritten note or type a simple to the point email. Pick your own method of delivery as there is not a definitive approach here. The point is that you do it in the first place.
Strategy #5 Be patient and be open to other possibilities.
Good things take time. While you may be anxious to know the outcome of the interview, there may be other things with the employer going on behind the scenes that take priority. You can never be 100% sure what is going on, sight unseen, that is playing into the whole “fill this job” dynamic. Maybe your interview went so well that they are considering you for a different job and not the one you applied for. Maybe funding has been cut for the position since your interview and the job no longer exists. You just don’t always know.
Bottom line, work your insider contacts and give your thank you note a few days to be received, read and considered.
Strategy #6 Dial the digits if necessary.
You’ve been about as patient as you can be and still no word. Pick up the telephone for a little one-on-one conversation. If necessary, jot down a few notes before you dial the digits so you are sure to cover the points you want to during the call. Don’t show your impatience. Be the charming professional that you know they would benefit from hiring.
Strategy #7 Continue your job search throughout.
Yes, this is an important opportunity but it may not be the right one. You don’t know yet and you shouldn’t halt your forward progress for it. Keep applying for other jobs. Keep going on other job interviews. If it’s mean to be, it will be.
Janet Farley, Ed.M Freelance writer specializing in Careers & Workplace Issues Author, The Military Spouse's Complete Guide to Career Success (Impact Publications, Jan 2008) and The Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide (Jist Inc). Visit my website at www.janetfarley.com