One of the most nagging challenges in today’s pursuit of almost anything is one’s ability to follow-up, getting a response, and then acting on it. This is particularly true when someone is after a job that interests them. As one gets progressively more “embedded” in the selection process the value of this feedback increases geometrically, especially when the process does not materialize into a job offer. Despite its value most candidates do not make the needed effort to follow-up with the right people and follow the “right” process to get what they must know for their own learning, if not for their own curiosity!
A recent example illustrates the point:
In this case my client was going into a fairly deep interview process for the position of a senior Technical Program Manager at a coveted high-tech company. He was going to see many senior executives as a part of the final interview process. So, he came to me and I coached him on everything I knew on how to prepare anyone for such a challenge.
A week passed and I did not hear back from the client, despite my specific reminder for him to get back to me, especially if things went awry. I also emphasized the importance of sending an immediate thank-you note with specific focus on mending things that could have gone better in the interview.
When I sent an email asking me to provide the details of the interview almost a week later, he wrote back to me resigned to his fate of not getting that job because he was sure he “blew” the interview. He listed all the mistakes he had made on some very basic questions that were posed. He also went into great details of how he felt disconnected with almost all senior executives throughout the interview process. As a result, he had resigned himself from getting any further in that process.
When I listened to his side of the story, I suggested to him that he must consider writing a thank-you note, despite its lateness and his apprehensions, explaining how some of the glitches he felt were due to miscommunication between the interviewer and him and that he was aware of them. I further reminded him that he must express his continued interest in that job and in joining the elite team. I helped him with that note to make sure that he did not discount himself too much and gave the right level of urgency to the message.
Interestingly, he heard back from the hiring manager in just one day after sending that email with a job offer. The first thing the hiring manager said to him, I thought that you were not interested in pursuing this further! To my client’s great relief the hiring manager told him that almost everyone was impressed by his presentation! Not only did he get that offer, but also the hiring manager agreed to negotiate the already impressive offer given to him!
Such is the power of a proper follow-up. So, what are some of the “secrets” for a proper follow-up? Here is my list:
- During the early parts of the interview process and throughout form some personal bonds with people with whom you develop good chemistry. Go out of the way to build such bonds. Invite them on your LinkedIn network.
- Be honest with any misfiring during the interviews and write to the person honestly what happened and how you would rectify it.
- Stay in touch with your close contacts that go beyond just the transactional exchange. Many will even provide you with “inside” information about people you are going to interview.
- Always send thank-you emails with your honest appraisal of the interview and ask for their guidance for the next steps. Continue to show your interest in the open position.
- You can greatly increase your response rate by first sending an email message to follow-up. In that message if you mention that you plan to follow-up in a few days by personally calling them your chances of a response go up. If you do not hear back from them then you call them as indicated, leaving them a voice mail about your follow-up. In that voice mail you briefly remind them of the context and say, I am also sending you another email after I hang-up to make it easier for you to respond. If you do this, your chances of getting a response go up dramatically.
Most people are afraid to follow-up, perhaps because they are afraid to find out about their own foibles. Don’t be. A strong follow-up with the appropriate approach is the best way to close an otherwise hanging matter.
Good luck!