Did you know you can still influence the outcome of your interview after it is long over? Use this trick to stick in the interviewer's mind -- and you could even get a job offer you might have been passed over for.
The Simple Trick
You might think it's nothing new to send a "thank you" letter to your interviewer: but the letter has an important strategic use you shouldn't overlook. Besides, about 99% of job seekers won't bother with a follow-up letter; they're already exhausted from the interview, and don't go the extra mile to make their candidacy really powerful.
Plus, in information technology you should never pass up the chance to show you're an excellent communicator, in tune with the needs of the people you work with. In non-IT firms, interviewers can have a bias that IT pros are unclear or even "don't like people." That gives you an opportunity to stand out from the pack!
Your follow-up letter should be addressed directly to the person who interviewed you. If there are several, personalize a copy for each one. You won't have to change the text very much, but you don't want them to feel as if they got a form letter.
You begin by thanking them for their time, of course.
The specific details you include after that depend on how you did in the interview.
If You Did Well ...
Repeat Important Themes
If you did well, use the thank you letter to repeat some of the things that made you a good candidate. For example, if your interviewer talked about upcoming projects in cloud technology, and you're an expert, a one line mention will be a good reminder.
For example: "With my recent CCTP certification and hands-on expertise, I'm confident I can help you with the cloud computing migration we discussed."
Offer Something New
If you're feeling ambitious, and you know that you and the interviewer "connected," raise the relationship to the next level by taking on some responsibilities before you get the job. "Next time we speak, I'll have some facts and figures on how we can start implementing the new CRM system ..." This will show initiative and may give you the chance to talk to the interviewer again when you might not have otherwise.
If You Don't Get the Job
If you've offered something new and you still don't get the position, send whatever you've prepared to the interviewer(s) anyway, along with a short note politely expressing disappointment that you won't be working with them.
Even if that door is closed for now, you can add the interviewer on LinkedIn and might get the inside track on a future job.
If You Did Poorly ...
Say What You Should Have Said
Maybe there's something you know you should have mentioned that would help the interviewer see you as a great candidate. If so, now is the time to do it! This is especially useful if you were told your skills in one specific area aren't where they need to be.
Matter-of-factly introduce whatever it is: "I feel you would be interested in my achievements in Quality Assurance, which we didn't get the chance to discuss earlier." Summarize some key results: "I improved software quality 14%, contributing to better customer satisfaction scores and $200k+ savings in technical support ..."
Don't Wait: Send Something New
If you did well, you have time to ruminate and offer proof of your skills "next time." If not, go ahead and send a concrete sample of your work right away, including it with your "thank you" letter.
In information technology, this could be an example of documentation that reduced support calls, training materials that boosted your team's skills, or letters of commendation from supervisors or clients you weren't able to reproduce on your resume.
Bear in mind who the interviewer is before you choose: are they technical enough to appreciate what you're sending? Do they need something more general? If you're sending a technical artifact, include a Post-It that quantifies its impact on the workplace. "This guide helped team members reduce network downtime time 20% ..."
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S. D. Farrell, CARW, CEIC is a Certified Advanced Resume Writer, career development author, and speaker. He has placed hundreds of job seekers during the recession, helping information technology pros from entry to C-level achieve their career goals at Fortune 100 employers like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Read more IT career advice by this author at http://www.careerexcellenceadvisors.net
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