Just finished your interview. Great job! Now, what next? It’s normal to feel critical about yourself and overanalyze your responses after an interview. We’re sharing 5 things you should do after an interview – regretting what you said and didn’t say is not one of them!

1. Take a little break and give yourself time to decompress

Interviews can be exhausting. You’ve spent hours, sometimes days, preparing for the interview. Whether things went as you expected or not, pat yourself on the back and take a moment to rest. Do something you love that will get your mind off the interview for some time.

2. Don’t be so hard on yourself after an interview

Interviews can be highly subjective, and it’s sometimes hard to know how well you did. If you know it did not go well at all for whatever reason, give yourself grace. Sometimes the interview doesn’t go as you expected! Maybe it’s a vibe you got from the interviewer; maybe you feel as though you could have answered a question better, maybe you feel like you could have prepared better.⁠
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Either way: remind yourself that what’s done is done. Take it as a learning opportunity!⁠

3. Stop Obsessing Over the Answers That Didn’t Go as Well

It’s so easy to obsess about how you could have worded specific answers differently. Take a moment to assess the interview. Learn from your responses and see what you can do better for the next interview. Read our blog post on 4 common types of interview questions to see whether you used the right strategy to respond to the various interview questions. Bottom line: See it as a learning opportunity. Lastly, please do take time to celebrate the answers that you nailed!

4. Send a Thank You Note/Email

A thank you note or thank you email is an opportunity for you to restate why you are the ideal choice for the role. When creating your thank you note, include the following 4 components:

Here is a thank you note example that can help you:

Hello [name],

Thank you for interviewing me today for the role of [position name]. I enjoyed our conversation. It was great hearing about [something that stood out during conversation].

These are the kinds of [ideas/initiatives/projects] that inspire me to join the team at [company]. I am confident that my successful background in [industry or areas of expertise] coupled with [industry or areas of expertise] provides a unique outlook that will help advance [project/initiative they are working on].

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon on the next steps. Please let me know if there is any other information you need from me.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Signature

Your Name

LinkedIn Profile / Your Website (if any)

5. Repeat the steps that go you that interview

Lastly, even if an interview went well, keep your options open. Don’t stop job searching even if you think an offer may be on the way. You don’t want to accept the first offer, and there are so many things that go into hiring outside of your control. The search isn’t over until you have a signed employment agreement and you start your first day on the job.

Follow The 5 Steps

Whether the interview went as expected or not, these 5 tips will help you after an interview. Finally, remember to send the thank you e-mail within 24 hours of the interview when it is still fresh in their mind. Looking to work with a career coach to help you go from overlooked to the best choice candidate? Learn about our Job Search Coaching Services here.