Recently I got questions from students on how should they approach your interview follow up when it has been 1-2 weeks after the last interview session.
I hear you. The interview went well, and the hiring manager promised to get back to you as soon as they can. You’ve sent a simple and sweet thank-you note within 24 hours, by email or by snail mail (handwritten one are the best).
You’ve Used “The Rule of 3” to Write Your Note:
Sentence: #1 Thank the person for meeting with you.
If you liked them, or if they were particularly friendly, you can say something like “Thank you for making my interview today so pleasant.”
If they were more businesslike, just say something like, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.”
Sentence #2: Mention something that you liked about the interview.
If they were personal or friendly, say something personal, such as, “I particularly enjoyed our talk about [whatever you—and they—particularly enjoyed talking about].”
If they were more businesslike, say something businesslike, such as, “I was glad to learn more about [name of organisation].”
Sentence #3: Repeat your interest in the job (but don’t repeat your qualifications or act as if the interview is still going on!).
Friendly version: “I would be thrilled to work for [name of organisation], and hope to meet you again as a colleague.”
Business version: “I am now even more interested in working with [name of organisation], and appreciate your help with the process.”
But it has been 2 weeks and you are getting anxious. You wonder should you follow up to check the status, without sounding too needy.
Interview Follow Up after 1-2 Weeks
My advice is, first, ask yourself, what is your intention for following up with the hiring manager?
If deep down, what you are aiming is to urge the interviewer for decision making, then it will only do more harm than good. Companies have their own decision-making process and timing, so it would not be a good strategy to give your hiring manager further pressure; what’s worse, your action might hint your desperation in getting the job.
A smarter strategy would be to approach the hiring manager from the perspective of continuing a previous discussion and adding further value. Recall some of the discussion topics during your interview, then conduct some research and see if you can find some updated information or industry reports on the topic. Alternatively, if the interviewer gave you some advice or recommendation, let them know their advice are taken and share your thoughts.
So, you can send an email or LinkedIn message to your hiring manager in a lighthearted way like,
“Last time when we met we’ve discussed XXX. I just came across this industry report which I thought you would be interested. Happy reading and look forward to discussing with you on this further.”
Or ” I would like to thank you for your book recommendation of “XXXX” when we met last week; I’ve finished it and it deepens my understanding of XX topic regarding……..”
To summarise, I want to share with you a core principle in communications:
Are you communicating to GET, or to GIVE?
Getters put pressures on others and people can tell your hidden agenda; Givers, on the other hand, are generous, love to share, and attract friends wherever they go. It’s up to you now to be conscious about your attitude in your future communications.
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