Tips from the Career Coaches: How To Follow Up After an Interview

I know waiting for the outcome of a selection interview is a stressful time for applicants. My career coaching clients often re-live interview answers and reflect on what went well or wish they had used better examples to impress the interviewers. They wonder what the outcome will be, and when will they know? And how to follow up after an interview without feeling like you’re hassling the hiring team? It’s hard to be patient at times like this!

This can feel particularly frustrating, as unlike earlier in your job search journey, you may feel you have little power to influence what happens next. Having set career goals, identified ideal job roles, prepared your CV and aced the interview, now all you can do is… wait.

Timeframes for recruitment decisions vary hugely across sectors, from a few days to several months. The number of applicants, complex recruitment processes, recruitment freezes and budget cuts delay decisions, leaving applicants in limbo.

However, here are my suggestions for several steps you can take after your interview that will be positive, professional and productive, regardless of the outcome:

Send a ‘Thank You’ Message

When considering how to follow up after an interview, one of the easiest ways is to thank those that interviewed you for their time. Shortly after the interview, you can send a message to the interviewer or interview panel, thanking them for their time and repeating your interest in the role - but not pressing them for an outcome. The message should be short, simple, and positive. You can personalise it by mentioning a memorable point they shared on the company culture or its future direction - to jog their memory of your interview. Ideally, you will already know when you will hear about the interview outcome, but if not, you can also ask for this information.

Your note will reflect your professional approach to the recruitment process. The recruiters, even if they don’t usually contact unsuccessful contacts, are more likely to respond to your contact. On the plus side, some recruiters report that a polite ‘thank you’ email tipped the balance between two equal candidates, leading to a job offer.

Send a ‘Interview Follow-up’ Message

If the decision deadline passes and you haven’t heard anything, then you may need to contact the interviewers. However, there may be good reasons for the delay, so I suggest waiting for several days or a week before reaching out. Again, set a positive and professional tone for the contact.

Whether you have been offered the position or not, remember that their decision is not personal – your skills are simply not the best fit for this role. It helps to respond with a polite and sincere thank you for their interest. Ensure you leave them with a positive impression – your paths may cross again in future. It’s also possible they may approach you with information about another role that is a better fit for your skills.

Request Feedback

Another positive choice is to ask for feedback on your application and interview. Not all companies provide this, but some will if requested. You will gain insights on what you did well and should continue to do, and what you could improve next time.

What to do When the Wait is Long

If you have contacted the recruiters several times with no result, the outcome may be clear from the silence. A resilient response is to move on and continue to explore other roles – an even better career opportunity may be right around the corner!

The recruiters may get in touch with a job offer at a later stage. Perhaps the successful candidate turned down the offer or other factors prevented them from getting in touch. So, in anticipation of a potential successful job offer, it’s worth taking the time to answer two questions:

• Does this role still interest you? If you were offered this role, would you still take it?
• What are your acceptance terms? What would the job offer need to include, for you to accept it?

If - and when - they do get back in touch, having thought about these two questions will help you make a decision if they offer you the job.

Negotiating a Job Offer

Now that you know how to follow up after an interview, the next step is learning how to negotiate a job offer. Imagine it is good news! - and the prospective employer has got in touch to offer you the job - all of your hard work has paid off and you are really excited to take up the challenge!

If you have already considered your preferred salary and benefits, then you will be prepared for what comes next - negotiating the job offer. It’s important to explore all the elements of a job package, rather than simply focusing on salary. But, as it is a major factor for most people, so let’s begin with it.

How to Decide Your Salary Expectations

When considering salary, you can explore your existing pay, expected travel expenses, additional responsibilities, changes in working hours/ conditions and your current expertise.

You can also research average salaries for the role - you can check online salary guides on recruitment websites, company review sites or speak to industry experts. Explore the highest paying employers in the field, and your prospective employer - what rates do they usually pay?

Finally, ask yourself how others would rate your expertise, qualifications and experience – are you a beginner, intermediate, expert?

A common tactic in salary negotiation is to estimate three salary levels:

The Bottom Line - the lowest salary you would accept for this role

The Going Rate – the average salary for this and similar roles

Your Top Salary- the highest salary you could reasonably expect, given your current level of experience. This gives you a goal to aim for and a wide salary range to work worth if you need to negotiate.

It’s important not to position your dream salary too highly, as there may be other successful candidates who will accept a lower rate. It’s also important not to undersell yourself. Once you have decided on a minimum salary, stick to it and politely decline a lower offer. An increased offer may follow.

If the employer asks you about salary expectations, provide a general answer without being pinned down to one figure. For example, you could say that you are, ‘aiming for the upper range of the pay scale for this type of role.’ Encourage the employer to make an initial offer to you.

If they push you for a figure, it’s better to give a range slightly higher than the salary you’d like. So if you’re hoping for a salary of, say, £30,000 (and the minimum you’d accept is £28,000), respond with, ‘I would expect a salary around the mid-thirties’. Even if they come back with a generous offer in your desired range, always ask for time to consider the offer before you respond.

In addition to salary, ask about the full package of benefits, including:

• Holiday Allowance
• Pensions
• Health Care
• Stock Options
• Travel Allowances and company car
• Gym Membership
• Flexible Working Arrangements/Working from Home Options
• Funding for Professional Qualifications and time off for study.

Which of these benefits matter most to you and how well do they compare with your existing arrangements? If the salary offer is average or nearer your minimum, how do the benefits compare? A good benefits package can be worth more to you than a small shortfall in basic salary. Be prepared to consider negotiating on these benefits - employers may have more flexibility in these areas.

Salary negotiation is a common business transaction, so provided you are not making unreasonable demands that are unaffordable, your prospective employer will not be put off by this conversation. Aim for a result that satisfies both parties - this often involves some compromise, but this will set a positive tone for your future relationship.

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Helen Geoghegan is an experienced Career Development Coach based at Randstad RiseSmart.