Simple Truths About Following Up to Close the Deal

Once you've sent your initial thank-you communication, it's time to move forward to the next phase of your follow-up. Since your appointment, the interviewer may have met with numerous other candidates. As difficult as this may be to accept, you may no longer be top-of- mind. Furthermore, during the course of these discussions with other candidates, new issues or concerns may have been raised that the interviewer didn't consider when talking with you. Depending on how long the hiring process actually takes, the target employer may now be contemplating new tasks and/or challenges that the new employee will be faced with, and which never came up during your interview. Because neither of you were aware of these expectations for the position, perhaps you never fully demonstrated your capabilities in these areas. By taking an active approach to following up, you can actually become part of the hiring process, rather than passively waiting…and waiting some more, while subsequent candidates gain an advantage.