Updated: October 2025
Many people just assume that the company will contact them if they’re interested. But they interview dozens of candidates and, therefore, are not likely to remember all the details of your interview.
The time after a job interview is a crucial period, it could make or break your chance of getting the job of your dreams. Therefore, there are certain steps you need to take immediately after the interview to make sure you get ahead in the game!
Steps to take directly after a job interview:
The Thank-You Note
Right after the interview, there are two main things you need to promptly find out; the time in which it will take for you to receive an answer, and who you should follow up with. Having the contact information of the person responsible for the interview process is very important, and will most likely be their email address.
The best thing to do straight after this is to take time to evaluate, and re-think what you mentioned, what seemed interesting to the interviewer, etc. Maybe you have mentioned a personal blog that they took an interest in, so you could keep this in mind to mention in the follow-up email.
The next step would be to send a well-thought-out thank-you note. In this email, you should:
- thank the hiring manager for their time,
- go over your qualities that fit with the job description again,
- answer any of the questions that you couldn't provide a full response to,
- add references from previous employers,
- mention something they found interesting .
Sending this email is also a great opportunity to ask any questions that you forgot to ask during the actual interview. It can be very difficult to remember everything you want to ask, especially when you’re nervous!
Another plus is that it will help to keep your name fresh in the mind of the recruiter, as even if you did well, they will probably be interviewing more people, so it can be easy to forget.
It is also a great way to show that you’re truly interested in the role! Companies will only want to employ someone who’s genuinely enthusiastic about the job and really wants to work there.
In fact, 91% of employers like to receive follow-up thank-you notes, but only 57% of employees send them.
However, there are some points to remember:
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Be professional, check the spelling, especially of people’s names!
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Don’t be pushy,
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Double-check if the links/attachments work properly,
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Send it the same day as the interview or at most a day after while the interview is still fresh,
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Don’t expect instant results – people are busy!
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Don’t make the email too long, keep it business-like and easy to read.
Following up can be the key factor in getting the job that you want. It shows that you are genuinely interested and enthusiastic about the job, which could separate you from hundreds of other applicants competing for the same position.
Did You Get the Job?
After you've been waiting a while to hear a response, you might be unsure of whether you've got the job or not. The amount of time it takes for a company to get back to you can really vary.
For example, multinational corporations (such as Deloitte and L'Oreal) can take anywhere from weeks to months to let you know whether you've got the job, whereas smaller companies are much more likely to take anywhere between a few days and a few weeks.
We'd say a good amount of time to follow up would be 4-5 days for small companies, and 8-12 days for bigger companies. You don't want to follow up too soon as this could be seen as pestering.
There are two ways you can follow up after an interview - by phone or by email:
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calling can be a better method as it pushes for an almost immediate answer as to how close they are to making a decision.
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emailing, however, is more popular with HR employees, plus you'll be able to plan exactly what to say.
If you decide to call, make sure you start with this information:
Hello, I'm (insert your full name) and I interviewed for the position of (insert job position) on (insert date of interview). I was just calling to thank you for taking the time to interview me and follow up on how the interview went.
Make sure to practice beforehand and have a list of questions you might want to ask, as well as the key skills that you can go over. The key is to make sure it doesn't sound like you are pestering them. Keep your answers reasonably brief and make sure you are prepared.
If you're emailing, keep the message brief and polite. It should follow the lines of something like this:
Dear [contact name],
I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to again thank you for taking the time to interview me on (insert date here). I also thought I would follow up about the [job title] role. I’m really interested in the opportunity and think I would make a great addition to your team. Please let me know if there's any further information I can provide in order to make your decision.
Thank you, [Your name]
If you hear back and you haven't got the position, this is still an opportunity to learn. Ask what you were lacking and for some general feedback about the interview stage. Take note of these and take them on board for next time.
No matter how an interview goes, you should always follow up afterwards. This is a great habit to get into that could end up being a key factor in whether you get the job or not.
Getting some feedback and making sure you've put your foot in the door should ease your nerves a little before you hear back. Employers like candidates who appreciate the time taken for interviews and most of all, who show respect.
Feeling inspired? Visit our blog for more career advice! How can you be sure the information we provide is top-notch? We are a group of professionals working with recruiters, career coaches, and HR specialists from all over the world!
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Daniel Ortega Perez1y ago
Nice tip, well appreciated ????
Nice tip, well appreciated ????