Press On
Depending on the number of candidates applying for a position, it may be several weeks — or even months — before a company is ready to make a decision. At the end of the interview, find out how many candidates they are interviewing (if you can) and when they expect to make a decision. Just remember, it could be a while before you hear any news.
Plan B
Even if you know that the job you just interviewed for is the perfect job for you, don't count on getting it. Make sure you spend the time between interviewing for a position and hearing about the company's decision wisely. Send your resume out to other firms and set up other interviews. Even if you have your heart set on working for one specific company, it always helps to have a backup plan. Keep in mind that having a number of opportunities on the table will put you in a much better position to negotiate a better deal for yourself.
Obviously, the ultimate goal of your job search is to land the dream job you've always hoped for. Because this is such an enormous task, however, setting that as your one and only goal can actually hurt your motivation. Set mini-goals, such as landing an interview with a company on your list.
Timing Is Everything
The best way to express your continued interest in a company and a position is first by a brief e-mail, followed a few days later by a telephone call. Figure out what you plan to say ahead of time. Make the call short; ask whether or not a decision has been made and when the applicants will be notified of a decision.
In an age of e-mail, making personal contact with unsolicited follow-up phone calls can be difficult, if almost impossible. If you call and reach your interviewer's voice mail, do you hang up (thinking you'll try again and maybe catch her in)? But with so many companies using caller I.D., perhaps you're afraid she will see your phone number and will decide you're a candidate who doesn't have the decency and courage to leave a message. Your best bet is to leave a brief and polite message.
If you have another job offer, use it as leverage in your call. It may help you get the offer you really want. Hopefully, if she's interested in you as a candidate, she will call you back. Still, there are always good and bad times to catch an employer. Here are some of the times to avoid calling:
Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. The body may be at work, but the mind is mired in the weekend.
Just before 12 P.M. and just before 5 P.M. You may catch him at his desk, but the interviewer is too preoccupied with lunch or getting home to give you his full attention. The few minutes before any hour can also be difficult. Meetings and appointments are often scheduled for these times, so try to call 15 minutes before or after the hour.
Better yet, during the interview, ask the interviewer when is the most convenient time of day for you to check back to follow up on the status of the position.
