Interview Situations - After the Interview

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Interview Situations
After the Interview

Get the job you interview for -- without ‘interview jitters’, embarrassment, or being stumped by trick interview questions. Matt & Nan DeLuca and the job-interview.net experts will prepare you for your interview with the Complete Interview Guide.

Answers to more than 50 of the Toughest Interview Situations to more than 50 of the Toughest Interview Situations - follow-up calls & letters, illegal questions
Control your nerves and give natural, unrehearsed answers
Questions to ask the interviewers
Review hundreds of skills and abilities questions and answer tips

Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions to the Toughest Interview Questions

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INTERVIEW IN DEPTH
A detailed answer and analysis of a tough interview question from Matt & Nan DeLuca, authors of the best selling "Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions"

Do I send a follow-up thank you letter after a second interview?

Yes...you have even more to be thankful for, don't you? A polite restatement of your interest, qualifications for the job and appreciation for the time spent is always in order...yes seldom done by applicants. Showing good manners is always appreciated and keeps your name in mind in a favorable way. Send a thank you to everyone you met with...not just the recruiter. Follow-up on what they said the next step would be.

How much follow up is enough? I have sent follow up letters and have made numerous follow up calls to a start-up firm.

I would try one last time if you are really interested in the position. Make the following points:

You are sincerely interested in the job.
You can understand that they are probably dealing with a lot of issues.
Is the position still open? Are they still looking at candidates? (If they are, this may have been their polite way to say...not interested. What is their timetable in filling the position?
If they are still interested in your candidacy but are not in a position to make a decision (could be awaiting funding, private investors)? How should you proceed? Do they have an idea of when they will be deciding?
You do not want to be an irritant calling repeatedly to check the status; what would they suggest? Will you be called if an offer is to be made?

Another view would be if they advertise for a position and are clueless as to how & when to fill, do you want to work for such a disorganized company (no matter how glamorous it seems?) This may be the tip of the iceberg; it may be their management style for the time being. Or an indication of their financing. See how they handle this---remember you are also interviewing them. This is not a sales pitch that they are handling very well--but there may be good reasons (at least acceptable to you)!

One of the key problems of start ups is staffing. Who to hire, when to hire and how to make the offer. Ideally, after all the technical/financial teams are assembled and a business plan is originated (did you ask to see theirs)? An HR person is brought on to hire the rest of the team to carry the plan forward.

How long after the interview before I call to see if I have been hired? What do I say or ask?

Usually, at the end of the interview the candidate asks what the next steps will be. When will they make a decision? Getting a time frame helps. Sending a thank you letter after the interview also is an opportunity to restate your candidacy and remind them of this time frame. "As you said you would be making a decision next week, I will telephone you to determine my status."

If you are in the dark about when they are deciding, call the person you met with:

Thank them (again) for the interview.
Ask for status on the hiring process; has a decision been made?
If they have chosen and it was not you, you can ask for some feedback or suggestions (hired someone with more experience?).
You can restate your interest in the organization and ask to be considering if any other related jobs open up.

After an interview, when do I write a thank you letter?

Send a letter immediately (within 24 hours) of the interview to each of the persons that you have interviewed you. Mention specifics from the interview ("I particularly appreciated the tour of the facilities." "The information you provided about the planned new product line was very helpful in understanding the company's new goals and objectives. I look forward to being able to supporting those goals in a positive way.") Thank each person for the time spent in the interview.

Secondly, make your pitch for the job again. State briefly your qualifications. "With my recent experience in graphic design for _____ Inc. and the concentration in print media, I feel that I am perfectly suited for the position of _____. After the interview, I am even more excited at the prospect of using my skills at ______ Company."

Close with a statement of the next step: "You mentioned that a hiring decision will be made within two weeks; I look forward to hearing from you in that time frame. Of course, if additional information is needed, please contact me."

Even if you find out that you were not the chosen candidate, you have options:

Follow-up for feedback. Was there something you could have done better in your interview or in resume preparation? Was there another factor that affected their choice?
Follow-up with a letter at a later date if you really want to work at the company. Many new hires are either no-shows or do not work out. "Several weeks ago I interviewed for the position of _______. I still remain extremely interested in working for _____ Company. (Go on to mention several points about the company or the position that you particularly like.) Close with another statement about your qualifications. Lastly, ask to be kept in mind if any further openings occur.

When do you notify a prospective employer of nonrefundable vacation plans?

As we get closer to spring/summer this is a more and more relevant question for any person changing jobs. Interviewers are usually sensitive and frequently bring up the issue. When they don't, I suggest you mention it after getting the offer but before accepting. Timing is so important and this should be a matter subject to negotiation and therefore should be included with the final job offer. By gauging the reaction of your future employer you may get to see what you are in for before you quit your current job -- especially if he/she becomes withdrawn or angry with he request.

If you have been dealing with an executive recruiter and/or Human Resources representative let them earn their keep and by bringing it to their attention they should serve as the messenger and also buffer for any initial adverse reaction. If you wait until a later moment -- like for instance after you start work, then you will be perceived as someone who purposefully waited and that will not be perceived as the most professional way to handle the matter.