The hidden key to a successful interview

I recently interviewed a candidate. The next day I received a follow up email. It was well-written, professional, and said all the right things like: “Thank you so much for taking the time…,” “I’m confident I could make great contributions…,” etc.

It was a perfectly nice letter. But it was a huge wasted opportunity. The letter gave me no new information, and therefore did not advance my assessment of the candidate.

Just as you should prepare questions for the interview, and really make them count, the same can be said of the follow up. The follow up correspondence is not just a formality, it should be treated as another chance to demonstrate your skills and your particular suitability to the company and that job, and to reinforce a personal connection to the recipient. Use the follow up email to deliver another insight or other sign of your capabilities, and personalize that to each individual you met with. Spend some time reflecting on something meaningful that you learned in the process, or an interesting new question that you came away with, and reflect that thinking back in your note – perhaps even ask a follow-on question. Even alluding to a particular subtle detail in your conversation that demonstrates how well you listened is useful.

Nothing impresses me more than someone who invests in their interview; someone who does their homework, and then takes every opportunity to amplify their candidacy. Each touchpoint is a chance to do that. You have a limited number of touch points in the interview process – make them ALL count.

This article is published in collaboration with LinkedIn. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: Tim Westergren is the Founder of Pandora

Image: A Japanese new graduate, who wishes to be called Shinji (R), speaks with a counsellor. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao