How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

31 Jan 2024

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You got your foot in the door. You nailed the interview. Now what? Waiting to hear back from a company you’ve interviewed with is the worst. The anticipation, the worry, the dead silence — you can’t help but think that you did something wrong. Should you have sent a hand-written note to your interviewers? Why did you answer that question like that? Is it okay to follow up again? It can be challenging to get through this period of uncertainty, but there are things you can do to pass the time and even boost your chances of getting the job (especially if it’s a close race between you and another candidate). Ascend editor Kelsey Alpaio asked Yih-hsien Shen, the Associate Director and Director for JD Advising at the Harvard Law School, for her advice. She shares some tips on exactly what to do after a job interview, from sending an impactful thank you note to following up with a gentle nudge. 0:00 Introduction 1:23 Take some notes about the interview 1:54 Email a thank-you note the next day 2:31 Mention one specific highlight 2:51 Keep it short and simple 3:36 Clean out your voice-mail box 3:46 Have a professional voice-mail greeting 4:18 Give your references a heads-up 4:47 Reflect on the possibility of getting hired 5:02 401(k) match Hybrid work 5:31 Waiting two weeks is pretty standard 5:47 Show enthusiasm 5:50 Offer to answer any questions 6:18 It's OK to ask for feedback Produced by Andy Robinson, Kelsey Alpaio Video by Andy Robinson and Elainy Mata Editing by Andy Robinson Animation and Design by Alex Belser and Karen Player Subscribe to our newsletter: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile_hbpascendnl&hideIntromercial=true

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