While Lee concedes that your polished response might provide helpful information for the hiring manager, “the danger is you sound too needy.” Because that perfect reply is unlikely to be the thing that makes or breaks their decision, it’s best to leave it be. And while it’s tempting to ring up the hiring manager to re-answer the interview question you flubbed, it’s wise to exercise restraint. “Everyone comes out of a job interview thinking, ‘I wish I had said this instead of that.’” The French expression, esprit d’escalier, which means thinking of a witty remark in hindsight, is apt, says Lees. It’s natural to mull over mistakes and questions you didn’t answer well after the interview, says Sullivan. By doing so, “you’re subtly saying, ‘I understand your needs.’” Resist the urge for a do-over. It could be about a technology the company is considering adopting, how the pandemic is impacting their business, or some other relevant trend. Along those lines, Lees recommends sending a news article that’s pertinent to the organization. “Sending additional information could strengthen your case and help sway their decision,” he says. In addition to a thank-you note, Sullivan recommends sending supporting material, including samples of your work that might’ve come up in the interview. You could also connect with your interviewers on LinkedIn and send them messages of thanks there. Make sure to mention the people you spoke with by name and write your message with the assumption that it could be forwarded to them. If you don’t have your interviewers’ contact information but communicated with someone else at the company to arrange the meeting, you can send that person an email letting them know how much you appreciate theirs and the interviewers’ time. If your interview took place virtually, it’s best to stick with digital communication. He also recommends personalizing the message by “mentioning something positive that happened during the interview.” If your interview took place at the company’s office, you could send an old-fashioned, pen-and-paper thank-you note, which Lees says offers a classy personal touch. According to Sullivan, the message should communicate that you’re even more excited about the job and confident that you want it. Your most pressing post-interview duty is to thank the people who took the time to talk to you. There are some “immediate actions after an interview that can provide a candidate with a competitive advantage,” he says. While the hiring decision is out of your hands at this point, you’re not powerless, according to John Sullivan, a professor of management at San Francisco State University and author of 1000 Ways to Recruit Top Talent. Lees warns that during this time, you’re at risk of “counterproductive” behaviors, including doubting your own abilities, coming across to your prospective employer as desperate, and - perhaps worst of all - not pursuing other jobs. While you’re singularly focused on whether or not you got the job, they have plenty of other things to deal with. This waiting period between your interview and the company’s decision is so stressful because often, “you and the organization do not share the same sense of urgency,” says John Lees, the UK-based career strategist and author of Get Ahead in Your New Job. This stretch of time can feel like agony, so what should you do in the meantime? Is it appropriate and expected to send handwritten thank-you notes? Or is email better? If you thought of the perfect answer to one of the interview questions after the fact, should you reach out to the hiring manager? How long should you wait before following up to see if they’ve made a decision? And how do you avoid ruminating about the job while you wait? What the Experts Say You made it through the final-round job interview, and now you’re waiting to hear whether or not you’re hired.
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