Friday 19 June 2015

The Art of the Follow-Up: 11 Tips on How to Get the Job After Your Interview

The Art of the Follow-Up: 11 Tips on How to Get the Job After Your Interview

We'd all like to seal the deal during a job interview—but, more often than not, we leave a hiring manager's office crossing our fingers, holding out on hope. But guess what? You don't have to leave your fate entirely to a 45-minute-long meet-and-greet.

job-interview-work-office-career-meeting-stocksy

"First impressions stick the most, but you reinforce or rebuild the impression you made in the interview by the actions you take post-interview," says Maggie Mistal[1], career consultant and host of radio show Making A Living. With that in mind, here are 11 expert post-interview moves that will wow any potential employer.

1. Follow up with everyone. You already know it's good manners to shoot the hiring manager a thank you email. But did you realize you should reach out to every single person you met—even an underling—in order to stand out? "Writing an email right after the interview thanking each person you spoke with shows professionalism," explains Hallie Crawford, career coach and founder of career coaching agency Hallie Crawford[2], "because you did the right thing, and you respected each person you met with—not just one."

2. Handwrite a thank you note. An email serves its immediate, polite purpose, but a handwritten note shows you truly care. "Adjust the wording so it's not the same as your email and therefore not redundant," advises Crawford. "Speak to why you're excited about the position, and how much you appreciated their time. When you take the time to send something handwritten, you will stand out in their minds."

3. Play to the person. Hiring managers give off clues as to what will hit home without saying a word—and tapping into them will give you the edge you need to take you from candidate to new employee. "I remember a recruiter who posted every hand written thank you he'd ever received on a bulletin board in his office," says Mistal. "Obviously, sending an email thank you to this particular person would not be the best approach. You've got to notice these things to stand apart and make the right moves following the interview."

4. Get social. You should already have followed the company and hiring manager on social media and connected on LinkedIn. But if not, do so post-interview. "Comment or like the individuals' updates, and use insights from the company page on LinkedIn to again make your follow-up notes and emails most relevant," Mistal says.

5. Be a problem solver. Inevitably in every interview, an issue arises—the hiring manager reveals she's dealing with internal email hiccups or that, on her off-hours, she can't keep a single houseplant alive. "What can you do to help or further connect on these subjects?" asks Mistal, who recommends scanning your own bookshelf or the bookstore's top-sellers' shelf for tips you can read and pass along. "By becoming a resource before you even have the job," she explains, "you're reinforcing that you'll be an asset once hired."

6. Have people speak on your behalf. You can't count on a hiring manager to reach out to your references—they're busy people! Instead, as your references, mentors, or co-workers to contact your potential employer, if they're willing. "This is bold and can be perceived as aggressive," admits Crawford, "but if done in the right way, very effective." Do it right by "asking the reference if they're willing to mail a letter of recommendation or send an email speaking to your strengths and why you're qualified for the job." No phone calls!

7. Yuck it up. After Mistal missing not one, but two, callbacks from a potential employer, she played it off by being playful. "I made a joke that I'd be keeping my phone close going forward so as to not miss another call, ever again," she says. "Everyone makes mistakes. Making a joke lightens the mood and makes you seem human. Trying to cover it up never works."

8. Get it right the second time. We've all walked out of an interview feeling as if we fumbled a key question. And while you can't rewind in the moment, you can still wow with a better answer in the aftermath. "Respond to the hiring manager the next day with a comprehensive email response that's short, sweet and to-the-point," Crawford says. Not only you prove your prowess, she'll appreciate your dedication to getting things right.

9. Ask for additional meetings. If you left your interview yearning to talk with people you didn't meet, don't be afraid to request follow-up face-time. "There might be people you didn't meet but who can help you understand the job and ensure it would be a fit," explains Mistal. "Why not ask for more meetings? Even if your request is declined, it shows you are willing to make an effort beyond just doing what you're told."

10. Send a one-sheet. That's industry jargon for a little something that shares your leadership and work philosophies, 90-day goals, and more—all the important stuff that you don't have room for on your resume. "It rounds out your candidacy and gives a hiring manager a sense of what it would be like if they hired you," explains Crawford.

11. Don't pester. Sure, you could set a daily reminder on your iPhone to send scolding , has-a-decision-been-made emails. But why not try proving your interest in less annoying ways? Mistal landed a job as media giant Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's director of learning and development because she refrained from pestering the busy employer with questions. Instead, she says, "I just sent relevant articles with a note saying, 'I saw this and thought they'd appreciate it given our conversation.' Immediately, I got a response that an offer for the job was ready."

How have you gotten a job after a so-so interview? Tell us your tips in the comments, below.

Photos: stocksy

References

  1. ^ Maggie Mistal (www.maggiemistal.com)
  2. ^ Hallie Crawford (www.halliecrawford.com)

Source : http://feeds.glamour.com/c/35377/f/665037/s/47649469/sc/15/l/0L0Sglamour0N0Cinspired0Cblogs0Cthe0Econversation0C20A150C0A60Chow0Eto0Efollow0Eup0Einterview/story01.htm
If you want to unsubscribe Click Here

No comments:

Post a Comment