What to Do After Your First Job Interview

Your first job interview can be nerve-racking You would naturally want to put your best foot forward, and you wish for it to be perfect. But we have to tell you, thinking about perfection will do you no good either. Just prepare and do your best. 

You have probably seen a lot of articles on how you can prepare before your interview, but have you ever wondered what you need to do after? The post-interview activities are also important and that’s what we are going to share with you in the post. Let’s begin. 

Ask the Right Contact Information   

Before you leave the room, make sure that you were able to get the contact information of the person you have to reach out to for follow-ups. If you can get a business card, then that’s good. But always prepare your notepad or your smartphone just in case you have to write it down. It’s one way to show your interviewer that you are highly interested to get the position. 

Likewise, you can also politely ask when you can follow up with your application. However, as a rule of thumb, you could do this a week after your interview. 

Leave the Premises 

Just in case you need to grab a cup of coffee or a smoothie after your interview, we suggest that you go to a different location where you won’t bump into your interviewer. This is applicable most especially if you feel you didn’t do well during your conversation. Remember, our facial expressions are too genuine. 

Assess Your Interview 

It is also important that you evaluate yourself objectively after your interview. See if there are points you need to improve or if you have missed out on anything. The good thing about having a self-assessment is that you can work on your shortcomings. At the same time, you can clarify points in your thank you note which we will explain in the next section. 

Draft Your Thank You Note 

In one of our articles, we’ve already shared the importance of sending a thank you note to your interviewer. This should be done within 24 hours after your interview. Basically you want them to know that you appreciate the time and effort given to you. Aside from that, this is your opportunity to reiterate your strengths and how you can be an asset to your company. And lastly, the thank you note is a great venue where you can clarify points that you have not explained well during your interview. 

Connect on Social Media 

Another important thing that you have to do is to connect with them on social media. We encourage you to do this on LinkedIn to stay professional. There’s no need to stalk them on Instagram or follow them on other platforms. You don’t even have to like their posts. There’s a big difference in establishing connections and being annoying and an attention-seeker. You have to know your boundaries.  

Improve Yourself 

While you are waiting if you will get that second interview, use the time wisely. Since you’ve already assessed yourself, it’s about time that you improve on your weaknesses. For example, you feel that you were too nervous when you introduced yourself to the interviewer. Then you can start practicing a spiel wherein you will sound more natural and comfortable. You can even ask your family and friends to help you. 

Maybe you were not too confident with the written exams or essays. You can always look for tips on how to write well.

Look for Other Job Opportunities 

Remember, you do not have to box yourself in one job opportunity. There are other positions available and you can always apply. Instead of focusing on one application, you can make a list of companies where you would like to work for. 

Going on interviews on a regular basis can definitely improve a lot of skills. You become more confident and you can work on spiels that could impress potential employers. Who knows if there are better offers for you?

Stay In Touch  

Just in case they decided to push through with a different applicant, never burn bridges. Always thank them for the opportunity, regardless if you felt a bit disappointed. More often than not, hiring managers will keep your records with them. If ever there are new openings and you made a great impression, you will be the first person they have in mind. 

We understand that sometimes it hurts not to get the job, most especially if you prepared for it. However, there are different factors why you did not get it. Don’t think that you are not capable or that you are not good enough. There is always a perfect time for everything. And what matters most is that you do not give up.