7.11 After the Interview

You made it through the interview! You’re almost at the finish line, but before you decide to congratulate yourself with a big, delicious meal or night out, follow these three valuable steps to leave a lasting impression.

• Evaluate and reflect – After the interview, it is a good idea to reflect on your performance and consider what questions you answered well and what questions could have used more information or preparation. A best practice is also to write down the questions that were asked so that you can prepare better for next time.
• Ask for feedback – If you were not the chosen candidate, don’t sweat it! Look at your experience as a practice round and take the opportunity to ask the employer for feedback on your interview. You may find that not all employers will provide you with this specific information or that the response you receive is vague. However, if you do receive feedback, this information could be very valuable in increasing your chances of successfully passing your next interview.
• Send a thank you letter –After your interview, differentiate yourself by showing your appreciation and reiterate to the employer your interest in the position by sending a thank you letter in an email format to those who took the time to interview you. Your thank you letter should be sent within a 24 hour period of when the interview was held. If you have agreed to provide additional information or samples of your work, be sure to do this as soon after the interview as possible. Remember to always proofread your email to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors!