By Bruce Powell, Founder & Executive Recruiter
A company you’d like to work for has just interviewed you. Now the waiting game begins. As a candidate, the next few days can be stressful as you keep checking your phone or email inbox for any news.
But there are things you could do to ease the uncertainty … and they might even help you land the job.
First off though, I always suggest to a candidate that you take a moment to congratulate yourself. Be proud of the fact that you got this far in the interview process. You had the opportunity to meet with a potential employer, get a sense of their organization, and hopefully make a good impression.
Here are six smart steps from a headhunter that I recommend you take while waiting to hear back from your interview.
1. Immediately after the interview go somewhere quiet and make notes.
Reflect back on the questions you were asked and the answers that you gave. Jot down some notes.
- What were some of the tough questions?
- What surprised you?
- What was your overall gut feel on how things went and how you connected with the interviewer?
When you’ve collected your thoughts, call your recruiter and share your observations. When your recruiter circles back with the hiring manager, they’ll have a clear picture of how you felt the interview went.
2. Write a handwritten thank-you note.
It’s a simple gesture that produces unbelievably positive feedback. The person who sends a handwritten note shows they’re thoughtful, caring and this is how they’d treat their co-workers and the company’s clients. At the very least send an email, but a handwritten note is so much better. Even if you don’t get the job, the hiring manager will remember you and be more likely to refer you when another job comes up.
TIP: Bring a blank thank-you card to your interview. As you make your notes afterwards, also write a card. Then go drop it off with the receptionist.
3. Speak to your significant other or family about the new job.
Find out how the important people in your life feel about this particular opportunity you’re considering. The role could involve:
- Relocation
- New hours
- Lifestyle changes that could affect them.
If you have to delay at the offer stage to discuss the impact of the new job, that delay could cause the offer to be pulled.
4. Pull together all of your references.
A lot of people leave references as a last-minute loose end they scramble to pull together. Don’t delay. Speak to your references directly about the role and let them know they may be called on soon. Send them a link to the company website and even the job description or a few key highlights of the role.
5. Don’t stop looking & continue to work with your recruiter.
It’s important to have plenty of irons in the fire. The more you’ve got going on, the more opportunity you have to land something. So while you wait, continue your search for similar roles and keep applying for jobs that may be of interest to you. It keeps you engaged in what’s out there.
6. Be patient and stay positive.
All kinds of things can delay the hiring process in an organization – scheduling, meetings, sign-offs, approvals, etc. Be patient and trust that if you’ve been in for an interview, you’ll hear back at some point. Follow up with your recruiter every couple of days for news.
At IQ PARTNERS, we make a point of keeping candidates as up-to-date as possible on any developments. I’m in regular contact with hiring managers to find out next steps on a search. I advocate on a candidate’s behalf to help move the hiring process along, and make sure to touch base, either by phone or email, so my candidates know what’s going on.
There’s always going to be a wait … but at least you can make it more worthwhile.
………………………………………..
For more interview tips and suggestions for job seekers, check out our Tips from a Headhunter for Job Seekers blog category.
IQ PARTNERS is an Executive Search & Recruitment firm with offices in Toronto and Vancouver. We help companies hire better, hire less & retain more. We have teams of specialist recruiters in Financial Services & Insurance, Marketing Communications & Media, Emerging Tech & Telecom, Consumer Goods & Retail, B2B & Industrial, Technology, Accounting & Finance, HR & Operations, Energy, Mining & Engineering, Life Sciences, and Construction, Property & Real Estate. IQ PARTNERS has its head office in Toronto and operates internationally via Aravati Global Search Network. Click here to view current job openings and to register with us.
