Once you’ve completed a job interview, your work does not stop there. Even if you prepared thoroughly, eloquently answered questions, and felt like the interview went superbly, there are still several tasks ahead of you. These are the 10 things you need to do within the minutes, hours, and days after your interview to ensure your position as a top candidate.
Minutes After the Interview
Thank Each Individual
As your interview ends, it’s critical that your closing remarks to each person you interviewed convey gratitude. If your interview is in person, shake hands with everyone you met before you leave. You want to make sure you’ve thanked each person who played a part in meeting with you, from the receptionist who first welcomed you to the hiring manager who concluded the interview.
Express Your Interest Again
It’s important to express enthusiasm about the opportunity for that particular organization, so be sure to say it again before leaving. Also, don’t forget to ask about the timeline of their hiring process, including when you can expect to hear back from them, so you can get a better sense about next steps.
Gather Contact Information
Lastly, make sure you’ve collected contact information for each person you met with during the interview. You will need this information to craft your thank-you notes and handle any necessary follow-up.
A Few Hours After the Interview
Reflect on the Interview
Take some time to reflect on how the interview went. What do you think went well during the interview? What could you improve upon? What did you like about the company culture? What were the conversations you had with each interviewer? The answers to these questions will be useful in learning about your interview skills and will assist with preparation for a potential second interview.
Send Your Thank-You Note(s)
Sending thank-you notes is an essential aspect of interview follow-up. You need to craft a thank-you note/email for each person who interviewed you, and mention specific points you discussed with that individual during your interview. This will be your most time-consuming part of the post-interview process, but it’s necessary. Your thank-you notes will again showcase your enthusiasm for the role and give you another chance to make a lasting impression on the employer.
The Day After the Interview
Connect on LinkedIn
Now that you’ve met one or more employees at that particular organization, you’ll want to find ways to connect with them. The easiest way to do this is to connect with them through LinkedIn. You’ll want to tailor your connection request message to add another personal touch. Reiterate your appreciation for their time and enthusiasm for staying connected. Even if you don’t end up getting the job at this employer, you’ll at least have these contacts in your network.
Contact Your References
There is a good chance the hiring manager will want to contact your references either after your interview or later in the hiring process. It’s better to give your references a heads-up that they could be contacted by your potential employer. This way, your references won’t be caught off guard and can confidently speak to how your skills and abilities align with the job and organization’s needs.
Days After the Interview
Prepare for Next Steps
If you’ve heard back from the hiring manager, it’s time to start getting ready for the next steps of the hiring process. They may want to bring you in for a second interview, so there are a number of ways that you’ll need to be prepared for that next meeting. It’s here that you’ll want to do even more research, review your resume again, and formulate different questions to ask your interviewer.
Ask for Updates
If you haven’t heard back from the employer, you’ll need to reach out to your main point of contact and ask for any updates. It’s perfectly fine to send a quick email to see where you stand. Just be sure you’re reaching out in the expected amount of time you were supposed to hear back from them. Reiterate your excitement for the opportunity and offer to provide any additional information if necessary.
Continue Your Proactive Job Search
Regardless of whether you’ve heard back from the employer or not, it’s important to keep moving forward in your own job search. Continue making networking connections, keep searching and applying for new jobs, and maintain your business leads. Just because you’re waiting to hear back from one employer doesn’t mean you can’t keep your search going.
As much as you were prepared for the initial interview, your post-interview to-do list is also crucial. Add these simple steps to your interview follow-up to be fully prepared for any next steps in the hiring process.
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Blog originally published 9/14/17 by Erin Bazinet
Updated and re-published 3/30/2026