Following Up After the Interview

Now that the interview is done, it’s time to play the waiting game.  What should you be doing while you wait to hear back from the company?  One thing you shouldn’t do is wait around and hope that you will receive an offer.  What you should do is continue applying for jobs and interviewing with other companies while you wait. 

It is possible that you might receive multiple offers.  Let’s say that you’ve interviewed with Company A and Company B.  If Company A calls you up and offers you the position, don’t ask them how long you have to make a decision.  They will likely give you a shorter timeline than you need.  Instead, ask them if you can have a few days, or even a week, to make your decision.  They might not let you have that much time, but it never hurts to ask for it upfront. 

Once you know when your response is due, you can call Company B and let them know that you have another offer and what the deadline on accepting that offer is.  If they are really interested in you it might force them to make a decision sooner.  If they tell you that they won’t have a decision in time for the deadline from Company A, then you will just have to weigh your options and make the best decision that you can at that time.  Will you accept the sure thing or will you wait for the unknown?  Only you can know the answer to that.

As an entry-level candidate you won’t likely have much say when it comes to negotiating your salary.  Most of the time that figure has already been predetermined by the company.  There is nothing wrong with trying to negotiate the salary, but you better have some good reasons to be asking for more money.  If you do decide to negotiate a higher salary, take some time and research some techniques for how to do it successfully.

The art of saying thank you has changed over the years.  A lot of people will receive a business card from a hiring manager and elect to email them.  Others like to go about it the “old-fashioned” way and send a personal thank you card.  It doesn’t matter which option you choose.  You do have to be careful with what you write though.  You want to express your interest, but you don’t want to oversell yourself.  It would be beneficial to do some research and see how to construct a well-written thank you card.

Hopefully these tips will help you negotiate a successful follow-up to your interview, and stay tuned for our next article on 12/18/14! Until then, feel free to catch up on our previous articles, and be sure to check out our pages on Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ for the latest news and opportunities available through Verum Staffing! If you are interested in speaking with us further regarding positions we have available, future opportunities, or interview/resume help, please apply at www.verumstaffing.com  to set up an informational interview.