Interview prep is typically where candidates dedicate a bulk of their time and energy, with post interview etiquette being forgotten in the excitement and exhaustion of the interview itself. Many candidates believe that once they have completed their interview, there is nothing left to do but wait; however, post interview etiquette dictates that maintaining contact with a hiring manager after an interview is not only appropriate, it is encouraged. The following guidelines will help you to maintain appropriate communication with hiring managers, while demonstrating your continued interest.

Request a Timeline

Interviewers typically have a hiring timeline in mind, and an estimated date for when they will be extending a job offer to one lucky candidate. If a definitive timeline hasn’t been communicated by the conclusion of your interview, ask. Knowing their timeline will be helpful later on as you are deciding when to reach out and follow up.

                Requesting a timeline example:

“Thank you so much for your time today. This position sounds like the perfect opportunity to use my extensive experience in customer service. Do you have a timeline in mind for when you will be making your final decision?”

Send a Thank You Email

Don’t hurry out to your car after your interview to send a rushed thank you email; rather, take some time to reflect. Was there anything that stood out as unique? Did you learn something new about the company? Once you have had time to reflect, carve out some time to sit down and construct a thoughtful thank you email. Make sure to address them by name, remind them of the position you interviewed for, thank them for their time and consideration, mention something memorable from the interview, and make sure that they have all of your contact info. Reiterate that you look forward to hearing from them by the prearranged date that was communicated at the end of your interview.

*If you interviewed with multiple people, make sure to email them each individually.

                Thank you email example:

Subject Line: Thank you, Brad!

Hello Brad,

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me yesterday. I enjoyed learning more about your company’s vision and was impressed with the steps that ABC Company has taken to become an industry leader.

Our conversation makes me even more excited in the open position at ABC. I was especially impressed with your company’s culture and how dedicated ABC Company is to community outreach programs.

Please feel free to reach out if you need any additional information from me, and I look forward to hearing from you in the next week regarding the Customer Service Coordinator position.

Thank you again for your time and consideration!

Best,

Michael Smith

555-555-5555

Follow up with a Call or an Email

While hiring managers strive to stick to a strict timeline, it is not unusual for a roadblock to arise and slow the hiring process. As a result, if you haven’t heard back from them within the discussed period of time, it is acceptable to reach out and express your continued interest in the position. Resist the urge to call more than once; instead, make an impression with the one call that you do make. Whether they answer on the first ring, or they send you straight to voicemail, it is important that you don’t press the call button until you are prepared with what you are going to say. You may even want to practice a script a few times so that you sound professional and confident.

*Take note of the primary means of communication that the hiring manager has chosen to use with you. If their preferred method of communication is email, consider sending a follow up email rather than calling them.

                Follow up voicemail example:

“Hi Brad! This is Michael Smith, and I wanted to follow up with you regarding the Customer Service Coordinator position that I interviewed for last Tuesday. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions. You can reach me at 555-555-5555. Thank you again, I look forward to hearing from you.”

Once you have followed these guidelines, you can rest assured that you have demonstrated correct post interview etiquette. If you follow these steps and still do not receive a response, be proactive and move on to other opportunities.