As a recruiter, I always told candidates to give me a call immediately after their interview. The information is fresh, not everything is thought-out, or decided, which leads to a great discussion.
Whether a job seeker is working with a recruiter or applying on their own, here are a few questions that s/he should go through immediately after the interview.
Post-Interview Questionnaire for Job Seekers
1. Who did you meet with? Name & title.
2. How long did you meet with everyone?
3. Was it one-on-one? In a group?
4. How easy was it to talk to each person?
5. Go through each conversation. Name one new detail that you learned about the opportunity or subject over which you connected.
6. Was there anything about the interview that made you hesitate?
7. Did anyone mention the hiring timeline? Also, think about your timeline. What if they offered you a position that starts in two weeks? one month?
8. Was compensation discussed?
9. What was the overall impression you had – did you like them? Could you see yourself working there?
10. What are the next steps? Will there be another interview? Would you like to meet with more people?
Incorporate some of your answers to these questions when writing your thank you note or e-mail.
While I’d recommend for you to send a thank you note or e-mail sooner rather than later, any thank you is better than no thank you at all.
