It’s probably one of the most-asked questions from your employees. Should you call or email after being interviewed to see how you’ve done? How long should you wait before you make contact or do you sit it out and wait for them to get in touch like the famous saying “Don’t call us, we’ll call you”.
Well, this week our panel of recruitment experts share their thoughts on what should be done.
Kerri-Ann Hargreaves
This is where old school meets modern day practices work for me. Follow up after a meeting, send an email thanking the interviewer for their time and highlight your interest for the position. Don’t be afraid to say it out loud for all to hear – I am interested in this opportunity
Kerri-Ann Hargreaves, Director, H2 Consultancy.
Jeff Berger
Send a personalized follow-up email to each interviewer within 24 hours of your interview. This follow-up message is a unique opportunity to express your gratitude, reiterate your interest in the role, and remind the employer of qualifications; however, many candidates overlook this step and pay dearly for it. In a study conducted by our resume-writing business, TopResume, we found that a candidate’s thank-you note ‒ or lack thereof ‒ can impact their chances of landing the job. 68% of employers confirmed that receiving an interview follow-up matters, and nearly one in five interviewers have completely dismissed a candidate for not following up after an interview.
Jeff Berger, CEO and Founder, Talent Inc.
Lysha Holmes
Call the recruiter with your initial thoughts as soon as you can- failing that, a voicenote on whatsapp is helpful as we can hear your tone. Then reflect for a while and call back later once you have had chance to fully digest your thoughts and desires to pursue- or not. But always call your recruiter even if you don’t wish to proceed.
Lysha Holmes, Recruiter of Recruiters, Qui Recruitment.
Paul Wolfe
It is always a good idea to send a personalized thank you note to each person you spoke with during the interview process. If you don’t have their email addresses, ask for the business card of each person you spoke with during the interview process so that you can follow up with them individually. If your interview took place earlier in the day, send your follow-up emails the same day. If you interviewed in the afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make certain that each email is distinct from the others, using the notes you took during the conversations.
Paul Wolfe, Indeed Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources.
Rebecca Fraser
Start with a single thank you email. Generally you will be provided information on next steps, including the time frame of notification. Respect this in any follow up and don’t harass. The worst thing you can do is to break rapport by not respecting the time frame or realising that sometimes priorities in business change and they can’t get back to you as soon as they were hoping to.
Rebecca Fraser, Digital Experience and Learning Manager.
Ben Martinez
Email or a short text to just say thank you. Don’t get pushy in your follow-up. Just something short to let the hiring manager know you are interested.
Ben Martinez, Principal Founder, Ramp Talent.
Jo Cresswell
Candidates aren’t always explicitly told to send a follow-up after an interview, especially if all communication until that point has been through the recruiter, however it is seen as common courtesy and will put the candidate in a good light. The best way to do this is simply a short, concise and professional email to the interviewer/s within 24 hours of the interview taking place. Express gratitude for the interviewer’s time, mention appreciation of all the information the interviewer provided and the candidate should finally reinforce their enthusiasm for the role.
Jo Cresswell, Corporate Communications Manager, Glassdoor.
Darain Faraz
Each situation is different, but it never hurts to send a “thank you” email following an interview, either through your recruiter, or direct if you are in touch with the interviewer yourself. It’s a simple way to show your interest in the role, and a prompt for them to let you know if you’re through to the next round. Feel free to also use this as an opportunity to follow up with any further questions you may have from the interview.
Darain Faraz, Careers Expert, LinkedIn.
Allan Leung
This can differ depending on the circumstances, but an email follow up that recaps the conversation and thanks the interviewer for their time should be sufficient. Ideally this is sent by the next day or so.
Allan Leung, Lead Talent Acquisition Advisor, HCSS.
Chris Murdock
If the role is time sensitive, send an email thank you immediately. If you have some time, a handwritten note will separate a candidate from 99.99999 of the field.
Chris Murdock is Senior Partner and Co-Founder at IQTalent Partners
