Podcast 14 What to do after a job interview - listen to interview tips Viewpoint careers advice blog

Podcast 14 What to do after a job interview - listen to interview tips The limbo period following a job interview can be stressful for many job seekers. Once the interview is over, you might be left second guessing how it went and if there is anything else you should be doing to increase your chances of being hired. In this podcast, I discuss the best and worst things you can do after an interview, and how you can ensure you are remembered for the right reasons: 1. How can candidates make a great last impression with the interviewer? I think this is a great topic to begin with. Most candidates nowadays are fully aware of the power of a strong first impression, which you can demonstrate by being punctual, making strong eye contact with your interviewer and having a firm handshake too. When it comes to ending an interview though, many candidates get relaxed too early, thinking that the hard work stops as soon as the questions have been asked. To avoid making this crucial mistake, I’d recommend taking these three steps. Firstly, once you’re sure that the formal questioning part of the interview has finished and no more questions will be asked, remain focused and don’t act overly familiar. It’s not time to relax, yet. Your interviewer might be walking you around the office or towards the exit, so don’t let your guard down too early and stay professional in your conversation, even when making small talk. Secondly, before you leave, reiterate to your interviewer that you’re interested in the job you’ve applied and interviewed for. It is easy to assume that everyone involved in the hiring process knows about your interest in this role, however telling people face-to-face that you enjoyed interviewing and that you’re interested by the challenge of the role, is a great way to demonstrate that you’re keen on the job. Finally, don’t leave yourself in the anguish of not knowing about the next steps of the hiring process. Instead, take charge and clarify with an interviewer that you have understood what the next steps are going to be. By doing this, you will not only demonstrate that you’re an organised and assertive individual, but will also know when you can hear back or should follow up with your interviewer. Read more: How to leave a great last impression with your interviewer 2. Once the interview is over and you’ve left the building, what should your next steps be? To begin with, I think it is important to take a minute and pat yourself on the back. You have most likely prepared a lot for this interview, conducted your research about the company and the recruiter, and prepared your answers to potential questions. All of this work has taken a lot of your time and you should really take a minute to tell yourself ‘well done’. You might want to treat yourself to a coffee afterwards and let your friends or family know how your interview went. If you’re working with a recruiter, then definitely speak to them too and share your thoughts on how you think the interview went. Remember to reiterate your enthusiasm for the role and how much you enjoyed meeting the interviewer. If you do have any questions that you forgot to ask, then definitely flag them to your recruiter who will be able to follow up with your potential new employer. By being proactive and communicative with your recruiter, you’ll stay fresh in their mind and demonstrate to both the recruiter and the interviewer that you’re serious about this job. If you’ve been in direct contact with the interviewer, then it is appropriate to follow up with an email and thank them for their time. You can, of course, reiterate your interest for the role but remember to be sincere, otherwise you might appear somewhat pretentious. If you’re planning to follow up with the interviewer directly, then I’d definitely recommend doing it within the first 24 hours, whilst the interviewer has a fresh memory of you. Read more: The best and worst things you can do following your interview 3. What questions should every candidate ask themselves after the interview and why? We all know that job searching and interviewing is an extensive process, which involves a lot of preparation, research and requires top performance from your side during the interview itself. And, by the time you have finished the interview, you’ll likely feel drained with plenty of thoughts and hopes going through your head. During this time, not many candidates take time to assess the situation, evaluate the company they interviewed for, the role and consider whether it is the right fit for them. From my point of view, this is a mistake and, so, to help jobseekers avoid doing this, I wrote the blog. In it, I shared four questions that I think you should always ask yourself after the interview. First and foremost, consider whether you were really sold on the job. Try to remember what drew you to the role in the first place and whether this is still the case. For example, you might have been attracted to the scope for career progression and the variety of work involved. Now that you found out more about the role, does it live up to your expectations and, importantly, fit with your career plan? Remember to be honest with yourself when trying to understand your feelings about the job. Secondly, reflect on the company and whether it is the right fit for you. You will likely have your ideal company in mind, including the ideal company size, culture and values. Now that you have seen the company from the inside, does it match your preferences? It can be tricky to get a feel for a company culture from just one meeting, but try and remember how you felt during the interview, also think how the interviewer described the business and team. If they used words such as ‘close-knit’ or ‘sociable’ then it gives you an indication of the dynamics within the company. Ultimately, you should consider whether you see yourself working there and integrating with the company culture and values. The next question, and probably one of the key questions to ask yourself, is what you thought about your potential new manager. If you’re successful in the hiring process, you will be reporting into this person on a daily basis. Reflect on your interviewer and think if they were a strong communicator and were able to explain the job and their expectations from a successful applicant. Consider if they listened to you and answered your questions fully. Did you feel comfortable talking to them and did they come across as approachable and welcoming? These are all important things to consider when thinking about your new manager. Lastly, what is your ‘gut’ telling you? Your gut feel isn’t just a suspicion; it is your intuition telling you that a certain decision is for the best, even if it doesn’t make complete logical sense at the time. So, even if a job is not 100% perfect, but your gut is telling you that it doesn’t matter, it might be worth taking a risk, should you be offered a job. Read more: 4 questions to ask yourself after your job interview 4. Are there any signs which could indicate that your interview went well? I agree that after the interview many candidates are left second guessing how they performed. It can be hard to gauge this, and often you will just have a strong gut feel, but there are some other signs you can reflect on as well. Firstly, did the interview last longer than expected? Your recruiter or interviewer might have specified how long the interview will last for. So, if you were in the interview room for that amount of time or longer, this is usually a good sign. This means that a hiring manager chose to dedicate extra time to learn about you, your experience and personality, which means that they’re clearly interested. Reflect on whether the interview felt conversational. You would have of course felt a bit nervous, but think if the interview felt more like a conversation rather than a strict question and answer session? If this is the case, then you have likely built up a good rapport with the interviewer and showed your strong interpersonal skills. Next, consider whether the interviewer seemed engaged and interested? Did they lean forward to listen to you and respond positively to your answers and questions? For example, if they smiled, nodded and agreed with what you had to say, then it’s a positive sign that you made a strong impression. If you’re working with a recruiter and the interviewer provided positive feedback afterwards, then this implies that youve done well, and although they’ll likely have to continue interviewing, your chances are strong. Read more: 11 signs your interview went well 5. What are the most common mistakes you see candidates making after a job interview? You will be surprised but there are quite a few mistakes that candidates make following their job interview. For example, some jobseekers decide to call off their job search entirely following just one interview with a prospective employer. However well you think your interview went; don’t cancel any of your other upcoming interviews in your calendar. If you’re really keen on this specific role, use this as a basis to steer your job search for similar roles. Secondly, you’re likely interviewing for a few roles, so make sure you don’t lose track of who you have interviewed with. From an interviewer’s and recruiter’s perspective, there’s nothing more off-putting than speaking to a candidate who can’t remember the role they interviewed for or even a company name. You should ideally have a spreadsheet with names of all companies and roles that you applied and interviewed for. Make sure you keep this updated all the time so you know where you are in the application process. Also, don’t slack at work. Whether you’ve just had your first interview with a potential employer or are at the final stages of negotiating your job offer, don’t let your performance slip. Work hard to produce quality work throughout your employment maintain your discretion until you are ready to announce your leaving plans. This will help you to maintain positive relationships with your current colleagues and your boss, which, as we all know, is very important. Lastly, you might well be unsuccessful in your interview, and if this is the case, don’t lose your hope and certainly don’t cut ties with your recruiter. Remember, that your recruiter is there to help you find your ideal role and they’re doing their best to find a position which will match your requirements and hopes. So, if you haven’t been successful, don’t make a mistake of ending the relationship there and then. Instead, thank the recruiter for their support so far, try to get as much feedback as you can and take it on board for your next interview. Read more: 9 ways to keep your job search discreet 6. Lastly, this is a question we ask all our guests, if you could give one piece of careers advice to our listeners, what would that be? When it comes to your career and looking for a new job you should always stay proactive and keep your spirits up. Job searching isn’t always easy and it can take a long time but staying determined and motivated will help you find your ideal role. Read more: How to stay motivated during your job search If you found this podcast useful you may also enjoy our careers advice blogs: Digital natives: can you prove this important soft skill in a job interview? 5 sports mantras which will power your career forward What’s more important when job searching; your CV or your LinkedIn profile? Did you enjoy this podcast? Subscribe to the Hays Worldwide podcast on  SoundCloud  and download it on iTunes.