Waiting for a call from a potential employee is as agonizingly painful as waiting for your guy or gall to call. The only difference is that one is a romantic relationship and the other a professional one.
Imagine the scenario. Your interview is over. It ended the way you wanted it. Everything went off well. In your mind, you felt that the interviewer had given you enough signals that you would be their preferred choice.
You were least prepared for the fact that the call would be long delayed and, horror of horrors, it may not even come. Instead of merely waiting for the call and letting your blood pressure do the salsa in your body, follow the undermentioned advice and increase your chances of getting that long-awaited call.
1) Start By Sending Thank-You Notes
A lot has already been written about how you should write a post interview letter and what should be its contents and whether it should be typed or handwritten and if it should be sent via electronic mail or snail mail. The important thing is to send it.
The hiring managers are expecting it, even more so, if you are their desired choice. It is common courtesy to thank people for services, things and opportunities. Moreover, a quick follow up indicates interest.
Just to briefly recap, what it should be like, it should contain appreciation for being called for the interview, address any reservations the company may have about your appointment, stress how eagerly you are looking forward to meet the challenges and point out anything else that you may have forgotten to mention during the interview.
Neatly type the letter, check it for spelling and grammatical mistakes and email it to the hiring manager.
Always conclude your letter by saying that you are looking forward with anticipation to the next step. That is a subtle hint that
you are waiting for them to respond.
2) You Initiate the Dialogue, Break Through Their Silence Barrier
You distinctly remember the interviewer telling you that you'd be informed by Friday that you were among the selected few for the next round of interviews. But today is Monday and the call hasn't come. Panic sets in. Did she really say, Friday or was it Tuesday? You ask yourself. Is it possible that you did not make it to the next round? Just relax, it is also possible that the hiring department got busy, or an emergency cropped up and they've postponed decision making for a couple of days more.
Now what? What should your next move be? Do you call or do you email? Do both, a call will get you an immediate response and assuage and calm your agitated mind. However, response to your email may not be so easily forthcoming. Of course there is the danger of annoying a fatigued hiring manager but don't lose your cool or find fault with him or seek reasons for the delay. Just be polite and brief. Ask at what stage is the process.
Never get provoked into anger or make accusatory statements. It will be like you on your own writing, signing and posting a rejection letter to yourself.
Initially the hiring manager may sound harassed at your calling, but then, he understands what the job means to you. Most interviewers will take this as a sign of your interest in the company and the job and are more likely to be impressed by your determination, communication skills and interest in the job.
Don't worry about how the company will perceive you. If they drop you, it doesn't matter anyway. Don't be concerned about how they identify you, worry about ensuring that the company sees how you can contribute to the company's growth and progress.
3) Rectify Mistakes Made During The Interview.
In hindsight you feel that you made certain mistakes in your presentation that could be held against you or you failed to mention the time you saved your erstwhile company thousands of dollars, by suggesting a policy that cut theft at the workplace. Your follow up is your chance to rectify those errors.
Tell them you want to send more references and specific instances of certified documentation of your accomplishments. However, if you think that you blew the interview, just because you spilt the coffee or asked a puerile question about the weather, ignore it. The interviewer may have forgotten those incidents and drawing his attention to such minor things will convey the feeling that you are insecure and timid.
4) What To Do If You Are Rejected?
The call comes at last. But sadly it's a bearer of bad news. The caller says you've not made the cut. What do you do? Do you moan and gripe? Imagine conspiracies against you. Allege foul play. No, you take it in your stride. Immediately thank the caller for at least letting you know. Then ask him, if it would be possible for them to fill you on where you went wrong so that you can rectify your mistakes and use them in future interviews. They will probably refuse, but they will know that you are showing maturity in the face of rejection and that you have the desire to improve. Also request them, to keep you under consideration, should something crop up, for which you could be suitable.
Who knows? You may have been their second choice and the guy who is chosen may decide he does not want the job after all, or maybe decide to leave within a few weeks of joining. It always pays to face bitterness with a sense of maturity and level-headedness.
