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If cover letters are about first impressions, then thank you letters can be described as last impressions. A well worded note to an employer to thank them for the opportunity to interview and reaffirm your interest in the job can be an effective way of reminding the employer of your candidacy just at that moment when they are preparing to make a decision.
You have finally been invited to an interview for that ideal job with that perfect company. You arrive on time, well prepared and dressed for the role. You answer the questions just as planned and ask intelligent questions. The interview is over, and you are sitting on the bus on the way home, wondering: was it a success? How can you tell if you did really well in the interview?
Here are some signs that you made the right impression at your interview:
If the interview extends into a friendly enthusiastic conversation which lasts longer than the standard one hour, consider yourself interesting enough for the interviewer to prioritize getting to know you. The opposite is true too – if an interview is unexpectedly short, it may be that the employer has decided that they are no longer interested.
Dear Joanna
I had a interview coaching session with a panel of JVS job developers just before my upcoming interview for an office manager position that I am 100 percent qualified for. Their feedback upset me. They said that I was scaring them with my responses. Is this possible? How can the interviewer or hiring manager be afraid of me?
Signed: Fear Factor (FF)
Dear FF
You are lucky that you received this honest feedback. You can be sure the hiring managers or HR staff would never dare to give you such critical information on your interview. Employment blogger Maggie Graham presents the following ways that job seekers can scare the hiring manager at the interview. I have included my own advice, based on my frontline practice as well with my clients: