After an interview, it is always a good idea to follow up with the employer. This shows that you are interested in the position and are willing to put in the extra effort. Following up also allows you to thank the employer for their time and express your interest in the position one last time. If you had a nice rapport with your interviewer and delivered strong answers to most or all of their questions, you might be tempted to phone straight away to find out how the employer felt about your application. Processing applications and interviewing other applicants can still take time, so it’s essential to be patient and allow the interviewer a chance to reach out to you first. After this time, you can contact the interviewer again to discover more about their timeline for making a hiring choice.
But when you follow up after the interview, it is important to know how to follow up because if you seem desperate and aggressive, you can lose the chances of getting a job. There are few mistakes you should avoid while following up. Maybe you’ve read a few articles about how to follow up after an interview but here, in this article we will know about how not to follow up after an interview.
Ways to Avoid Seeming Desperate when Following Up After an Interview
When you’ve interviewed for a job and are waiting to hear back from the employer, it’s natural to want to follow up. However, if you come across as desperate in your follow-up, it can hurt your chances of getting the job. Here are a few tips for how to avoid seeming desperate when following up after an interview:
- Do Your Research
Be sure to research the company and specific position you interviewed for. This will help you better understand what they are looking for in a candidate and allow you to tailor your follow-up accordingly.
- Be Professional
Regardless of how you feel about the interview, it is important to remain professional. This means no follow-up call or email should be angry, entitled, or unprofessional. Be professional in everything you do and stay patient.
- Be Prompt
Timing is everything when it comes to job searching. Be sure to send your follow-up email or call within 24-48 hours of your interview. This shows that you are interested and eager to hear back.
- Show Appreciation
Be sure to express your gratitude for the opportunity to interview. This can be done in your email or call, or even with a handwritten thank you card.
- Reiterate Your Interest
In your follow-up, be sure to reiterate your interest in the position and company. This will help keep you at the forefront of the Hiring Manager’s mind.
- Be Prepared to Follow-Up Again
If you don’t hear back after your initial follow-up, don’t be afraid to reach out again. Just be sure to space out your attempts and remain professional.
- Stay Positive
No matter how tempting it is to ask about the status of your application or to express your disappointment, try to stay positive in your follow-up communication.
Read more about interview follow up tips: https://www.hirect.in/blog/how-soon-should-i-follow-up-after-the-interview/
How Not to Follow Up After an Interview?
Some job seekers make the mistake of being overzealous when following up after an interview. While it is important to follow up, avoid asking for frequent updates. This can annoy the Hiring Manager and damage your chances of getting the job. Here are few things you shouldn’t do when you follow up after an interview:
1. Don’t Send a Generic Thank-You Note
Sending a generic thank-you note after an interview is a surefire way to make a bad impression. Your interviewer will be able to tell that you didn’t take the time to personalize your note, and it will reflect poorly on your attention to detail and enthusiasm for the position. You should aim to send your thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview. If you wait too long, your interviewer may assume you’re not interested in the position.
2. Don’t Be Overly Eager
There could be a few reasons why you should not be too eager while following up after an interview. The main reason being, that the Hiring Manager or company might perceive you as being too desperate. Additionally, if you follow up too soon after an interview, it might give the impression that you are not giving the company enough time to properly review your qualifications. And if you are constantly emailing or calling the company after an interview, it might begin to annoy the decision-makers, which could ultimately hurt your chances of getting the job.
All in all, it is important to remember that the hiring process is a two-way street. While you should absolutely follow up after an interview, you should do so in a way that is professional and respectful of the company’s time. While it is important to express interest in the position, sending multiple emails or calling the company several times a day will likely turn them off.
3. Do Not Be Pushy
The interviewer may have already decided on another candidate, or may be waiting to hear back from other candidates before making a decision. In either case, being pushy and persistent will likely only serve to annoy the interviewer and damage your chances of getting the job. Asking for constant updates or demanding to speak to a decision maker will likely just annoy the company. Asking for a specific response or timeline in your follow-up can come across as needy. In general, it is best to err on the side of caution when following up after an interview. Remember that the hiring decision is not always up to you, and being too pushy can damage your chances of getting the job.
4. Do Not Take Too Long to Follow Up
It’s important to strike a balance between showing interest in the position and giving the Hiring Manager space to make a decision. A good rule of thumb is to follow up two to three days after the interview. If you take too long to follow up, the Hiring Manager may have already filled the position or moved on to other candidates. When you do follow up, be brief, courteous, and professional. Thank the interviewer for their time and express your continued interest in the position.
Are There Any Follow Up Red Flags?
Yes. There are a few red flags to be aware of when following up after an interview. Firstly, if the interviewer seems to be annoyed or impatient, it may be best to move on. Secondly, if the interviewer asks leading or offensive questions, it is likely that they are not interested in your candidacy. Finally, if the interviewer does not seem to be interested in your responses or asks follow-up questions that do not seem relevant to the position, it is best to move on to another interviewer. Here are a few interview follow up red flags to be aware of. If you experience any of these red flags during the interview follow-up process, it is best to move on to other opportunities:
- The interviewer does not contact you within a reasonable amount of time after the interview
- The interviewer seems unprofessional or disinterested in your qualifications during the follow-up call
- They are not taking you seriously as a candidate
- The interviewer asks you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable (Such as providing personal information or signing a non-disclosure agreement)
Conclusion
Following up too soon or too often can be a turn-off for potential employers. It is best to wait a few days after the interview before sending a thank-you note. Be sure to personalize the note and mention something specific that you discussed during the interview. This will show that you were paying attention and are truly interested in the position. If you don’t hear back from the employer within a week or two, it is acceptable to follow up with a phone call or email. Again, be professional and to the point. Thank the employer for their time and let them know you are still interested in the position.
FAQs
1. What if you don’t hear back after following up?
If you don’t hear back from the Hiring Manager after a reasonable amount of time, you can reach out again. It is possible that they simply haven’t seen your email yet. And if you’re sure that they haven’t replied to you intentionally, you should look for other opportunities.
2. Give an example of a follow up email.
Hello [Interviewer Name],
Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me about the [position name] position at [company name]. I enjoyed learning more about the role and getting a better understanding of how I could contribute to the team.
I’m confident that my skills and experience are a great match for this role, and I’m exiting to put my knowledge and expertise to work for you. I’m looking forward to the next steps in the process and hope to have the opportunity to join the team.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]3. Write do’s & don’ts of following up after an interview.
Do’s
- Do be specific about why you want the job
- Do show appreciation for the interviewer’s time
- Don’t send a generic thank you note
Don’ts
- Don’t send your thank you note more than two days after the interview
- Don’t be overly familiar or friendly in your thank you note
- Don’t include about salary in your follow up email or call
