The end of the interview is often an awkward time for both the interviewee and the interviewer. You are worried about the overall impression you have made on the employer. You may feel you forgot to communicate important information about your strengths. But the time has come to finish the interview.
Close the Interview
At the close of nearly every interview, the interviewer verbalizes some variation of, "Glad you could come by today. We have several other people to interview. We'll be in touch." In response, most interviewees shake hands, thank the interviewer, and leave. Don't do this! At this point, try to briefly summarize your strengths as they relate to the job. For example,
I'm really glad I had the chance to talk with you. I know with what I learned when I reorganized the accounting department at XYZ Corporation, I could increase your profits too.
In addition, ask the interviewer when he or she expects to make the hiring decision. If the response is "Friday of next week," then ask, "If I haven't heard by Monday, may I give you a call?" Almost everyone will say you may, and you will have solved your problem of wondering when you will hear about the final decision and what to do next. If you haven't heard anything by the time the designated Monday arrives, do call. Some interviewers use this technique to see if you follow through with a call --others are just inconsiderate.
Respond to a Job Offer
Occasionally the interviewee will be offered the job right on the spot. This may happen if you have made a particularly good impression, if it is a hard position to fill, or if the employer needs to fill it fast. Even if you think you want the position, it is a good idea to ask for a period of time - at least a day or two - to consider the offer. There are several reasons why you should do this. First, give yourself time to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the position. It is possible that a job which seems good, as described by the interviewer, may seem less so after you've had a chance to think about it. This advice is doubly important if you have been sent to the interview through any employment agency. In this case, if you accept and later turn down the position, you may be liable for the fee. If it is a "fee paid" position - paid by the employer - you are still likely to be held responsible for paying the fee if you accept but never actually go to work or work less than a specified period of time - often six months to a year. These regulations vary by state as well as employment agency. But be especially careful about accepting a job you are uncertain about.
A second reason to ask for time to think about the job offer is to give yourself a chance to check with other prospective employers who are considering you for employment. It is usually acceptable to call a firm where you have been told you are under consideration and tell them you have a job offer. It may speed up their decision and give you two offers from which to compare, bargain, and choose.
Third, asking for time to consider the offer can give you greater leverage for negotiating salary. You will be further communicating your value to the employer.
Send Thank-You Letters
Always follow up the interview by sending a thank-you letter. Do this within 24 hours after the interview. It is courtesy to do so and will often set you apart from the other applicants who normally do not do this.
If you send the thank-you letter right away, it may arrive while the hiring deliberations are in progress. In addition to expressing your gratitude for the interview, briefly restate the reasons you believe you are right for the job. Again, stress your value --what you will do for the employer.
Even if you are not hired, send a thank-you letter and ask to be remembered for future openings. Based on the thoughtfulness of your thank-you letter, you might be hired for an even better job in the future.
Continue the Process
If you do not receive a job offer or if you decide the job is not for you, continue conducting informational interviews, networking, and checking on other job leads. You may go through interviews with several organizations before you find the job you really want. In your personal contacts as well as any thank-you letters you write after rejecting a job offer or in response to a rejection, ask to be remembered and referred. There are other jobs out there.
Once you accept a job offer, send letters to the people who helped you with your job search. Inform them of your decision and thank them for their assistance. You should keep in contact periodically with people in your networks. Remember, you will probably make several other job or career changes in the future. These people are important sources for job information. They may give you leads to better opportunities three, five, or ten years from now. While you may not make frequent job changes, you never know what can happen. It is best to keep your networks up-to-date for both personal and professional reasons.
Succeed through Implementation
So where are you now? Let's hope you are out making contacts, conducting informational interviews, and interviewing on a regular basis. You cannot just read a book and hope something will happen to you.
The key to job search success in getting interviews and job offers is implementation. You must take the job search techniques and translate them into specific action plans. This involves setting daily and weekly job search goals and specifying activities you will regularly engage in. For example, your goal for three weeks from now may be to get one job interview. In order to achieve this goal, plan to send out three resumes each day in response to job listings, make five telephone calls each day for uncovering job leads, and conduct three informational interviews each day. In other words, plan to devote a large amount of time to your job search in order to get the results you want.
If you do not plan and spend time in this manner, do not expect to get ahead in your job search.
The hardest job you may ever do is finding a job. Hard work, persistence, drive, and intelligent action planning will put you in the right places to seize job opportunities that are right for you.
