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THE INTERVIEW FOLLOW-UP 185

A CareerBuilder.com survey, “How to Get in the Front Door,” was
sent to more than 650 hiring managers. The results were as follows:

, Nearly 15 percent of hiring managers reject a job candidate who
neglects to send a thank-you letter after the interview.

, 32 percent said that they would still consider the thankless
prospect, but that their opinion of him or her was diminished.

With statistics such as those, it is in your best interests to follow up
and put aside any qualms you may have for doing so. The CareerBuilders
survey also indicated that, although most hiring managers expect to re-
ceive a thank-you note, the format preferences differ. One in four hiring
managers prefer to receive a thank-you note via e-mail only; 19 percent
want the e-mail followed up with a hard copy; 21 percent want a typed
hard copy only; and 23 percent prefer just a handwritten note.

Following-Up Pointers

The purpose of the interview is not to ask about the job. It is to express
your interest in the position. With this in mind, consider the following
additional pointers about handling the follow-up:

, Do not assume the worst. Depending on the number of candi-
dates interviewed, the hiring decision can take longer than you would
like. However, it is best to never assume the worst. Unless you have in-
side information, you will never know what is going on behind the
scenes. Playing a guessing game will cause unnecessary distress.

, Keep your industry in mind when choosing to either call or send
an e-mail. As an example, a salesperson’s assertiveness may be acceptable,
whereas for an accountant, whose profession is more laid back, assertive-
ness may not be welcome.

, When interviewers do not get back to you, let go. From your
point of view, the interviewer should take the time to either offer you
the job or let you know that another candidate was chosen. Unfortu-
nately, interviewers dislike informing candidates of negative outcomes,
for two reasons: First, when they do reach out, many candidates begin to
ask questions, requesting another opportunity; some even become hos-

American Management Association
www.amanet.org