Once the interview is over, your job as a candidate is not done. Rather than sitting around and waiting for a call, take some ownership of the situation and follow up. The right follow up techniques could make the difference between getting the job offer or not. However, there are some etiquette rules to follow.

• Ask for cards. Before you even leave the building ask for cards from everyone you spoke with. Without this you may be scrambling to follow up with the interviewers. You will not only have their phone numbers and email addresses but also the correct spelling of their names. Before you leave, verify that they have your resume and contact information as well.
• Ask about their timeframe. At the end of the interview, when they ask you if you have any questions, be sure to include a question about when they might be making a decision. Their answer will tell you a lot about the opportunity and what you can expect in the following weeks. For example, they may give a concrete time frame such as “by August 1^st,” or they could be less exact. Use this as a basis for when to follow up.
• Send a thank you note. As soon as you return home your job is to write and send a thank you note. Handwritten notes are nice and welcomed by employers but they also lack the immediacy of an email message. Send a separate email to each person you spoke with and recap some of the conversation for them. Be sure to reiterate your interest in the opportunity.
• Call to follow up. After sending the thank you note, and using the information you gathered from your conversation, call to follow up once after your interview. If they did not give a specific time frame, you can call in about a week. The best time to call is mid-morning before lunch. They will have already handled their pressing morning issues but won’t be rushing to get out the door at the end of the day.
• Don’t cross the line. There is a very fine line between persistence and pushiness. Employers want to hire someone who has confidence and initiative so following up can demonstrate these qualities. However, you should also respect their time and not continuously contact them if you haven’t heard an answer. It is very likely that this type of behavior will negatively influence their decision.

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