The Interview's Over - What Next?

So the interview's over.

You breathe a sigh of relief and get on with everyday life, hoping you'll get the "you're hired" letter in the post.

Bad idea.

???

If you want to practically double your chances of getting to the next round or being offered the job, you need to follow up.

Think about it. If you go to a great party or someone gives you a present, you call or write to them to say thank you. It's good manners. Think about how that makes the other person feel - appreciated and they know you care.

So why not do the same for your job interview?

Just imagine you're the interviewer. You've read hundreds of CVs and interviewed at least 10 candidates. Who will stick in your mind? The one you heard from most recently.

Taking a few minutes to thank the interviewer for their time and remind them why you're keen about the job is a simple, effective way of staying fresh in their mind. And it can positively influence their decision.

Should you phone or write?

Top tip: don't email them. Emails get lost in the day-to-day stress of work. They won't notice it, even if they do read it.

You should either phone or write a real letter.

Writing is probably best, as it can be hard to catch people by phone and get their attention.

Print your letter on good quality paper and hand address the envelope. Hand-written envelopes with stamps get opened more often, because they're not usually junk mail.

What should I write?

• Thank them for their time
• Tell them you enjoyed meeting them and finding more about the role
• Confirm that you're very interested in the job and would like the opportunity to discuss it further with them
• Is there anything you thought of on the way home that you wished you had mentioned? Tell them!

Make your tone professional. Ask a friend or colleague to read the letter for a second opinion, before you send it.

A simple, short thank you letter is something so few people bother to send, it'll make you stand out from the other candidates.

If you'd like more ideas about what to write, Jimmy Sweeney has created a free e-book on cover letters and thank you letters. Get your free job interview thank you letter e-book now.

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Using NLP in your job interview

Have you ever had the experience of a meeting that went particularly well, or a project that met every deadline and criteria? And yet there are times when it just doesn’t go as well?

NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is like a switch you can flick, to make sure your successes become your new standard. It gives you an understanding of what made the difference in those situations and what the critical changes are, which would mean you can always perform to that level.

So just imagine the impact NLP could have on your job interview performance.

NLP is about how the way we think influences our behaviour and hence performance.

It's actually a set of simple, yet highly effective, tools and techniques that help us work with our subconscious mind. It’s an outstanding personal development tool.

How would I use NLP in a job interview?

• You can use NLP before the interview, to help you mentally prepare


• You can use NLP during the interview, to build rapport with the interviewer


• You can use NLP after the interview, to subtly influence the interviewer's final decision

If you're interested in finding out more about NLP, we've just published reviews of two of the best NLP books out there.

Whether you're completely new to NLP or even if you've been on an introductory NLP training course, these NLP books are well worth reading.

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