Center for Career Success

Immediately following the interview, review the questions you had trouble answering. Reflect on ways in which you could answer them more effectively if they are ever asked again. Practice your revised answers aloud. Reflect on questions you answered particularly well and highlight those themes in the thank-you letter. Before your interview becomes a fuzzy memory, take the time to jot down notes about your meeting. Write down both positive and negative aspects of the interview and how you handled them. Take time to reflect on whether the position will be a positive fit for you and any other information you might want to know before accepting the offer.

Send a thank-you letter to the interviewer(s) within 24 hours after the interview. See our Thank You Note guide for examples and tips on how to write an effective thank-you letter.

If you do not receive a response from the organization in a week or so, or shortly after your thank-you letters have been sent, it is appropriate to email or call to inquire about the status of your application, unless otherwise directed. At the end of your interview, you should ask about the hiring timeline; if you did not, you may email your contact to inqure of the process moving forward.

You may be asked to come back for a second or third interview. Later interviews will concentrate on more specific subjects regarding the position and your skills, and you may discuss salary, benefits, bonuses, and options. Remember to only address these issues if the employer raises them. These interviews may involve a tour of the organization, interviews with staff from several areas of the organization, and possibly tests or forms to complete. The interviewer should give you this information in advance. If they don’t, it is within your rights to ask.