3 Ways In Which It’s Appropriate To Follow Up After An Interview

One of the hardest parts of the job search can be the waiting game. 

You submit the resume. You wait.

You talk to the recruiter. You wait.

You interview. You wait.

It can be tempting to hound the hiring manager for an answer, but resist the urge. There are really only three times it’s appropriate to follow up after an interview:

1. A thank you email. Typically, you want to send this quickly—by the next day. Keep it short and to the point, but make it personal by mentioning something from the actual interview that stuck in your mind.
2. A follow-up note. If you haven’t heard back in, say, a week, it’s kosher to send another email.
3. A status update. You don’t want to nag, but if something changes in your own status—for instance, you receive a job offer from another company—it’s fair to let the interviewer know, particularly if you’d prefer to hold out for this job.

In my experience working with countless hiring managers and candidates at The Source and Recruit Company, I’ve also come to recommend a fourth type of follow-up in some cases. If you are turned down for the job, you might want to ask for feedback on the interview. 

If you’re working with a recruiter, of course, we can usually provide that for you.