Once your job interview is over, there are a few steps you can take to make sure you're making the best impression and also getting feedback for future applications. Here are a few tips.

Write down key points

While it's fresh in your mind, write down any key points or big questions that were asked in your interview, according to communication trainer and coach Ashira Prossack in a Forbes article. You should also write down your answers to the questions if you can remember them, because if there's a subsequent interview, you can build on your previous answer without contradicting yourself, telling the interviewer "that it’s something you’ve been thinking about since the first interview".

This is also your opportunity to write anything that you wanted to mention in the interview, but didn't. This could come in handy for your subsequent or final interview, or in a thank you note, says Prossack. 

Critiquing and analysing your interview, writing down what went well and what didn't, could be invaluable information for your next interviews, highlighting areas to improve on.

Thank you

Following an interview, sending a thank you note to your interviewer could have a big impact. In an article for recruitment site Reed, Michael Cheary writes "manners don't cost a thing" and although you may have already thanked them during the interview, an email expressing your "kind regards will definitely win brownie points", he says, "especially as many candidates won't have taken the initiative to do so themselves".

In the Forbes article, Prossack says you should thank the interviewer for the opportunity and their time, and "personalise it as best you can". She adds that a thank you note has two functions. "One, to express your gratitude, and two, to stay at the top of the employer's mind", she writes. You could include a few key takeaways from the interview “to refresh the interviewer’s memory and highlight your strengths”, mention something you'd be excited to work on or how you feel about the company's culture, she adds.

In an article for Harvard Business Review, Art Markman, a professor of psychology and marketing at the University of Texas at Austin, gives an example of what a short thank you note might look like:

Dear [manager],

Thank you so much for your time yesterday and for giving me the chance to share my interest and qualifications for [job]. I particularly enjoyed learning about how your company has a training program for new employees that gives them an overview of different units and career paths.  

I look forward to hearing from you.

The follow-up

In addition to a thank you note, you will also want to follow up with the interviewer. "The intention of [a] follow up is to check in with the interviewer and to put your name at the top of their inbox," writes Prossack in the Forbes article. If the timeframe for receiving a decision has passed, you could follow up with a note letting them know you're still interested in the role and offering to give them any further information they might need, such as examples of work, she says.

Markman, in the Harvard Business Review article, says if you don't hear back by the date they gave, don't send a follow-up immediately. "It is possible that you weren’t the first choice for the job, but you’re still in the running. They may make an offer to someone else, and that person may not take the job. Give them a little time to work things out," he writes.

He recommends putting a note in your calendar to follow up a week after the date has passed if you haven't heard back.

When you send the note, keep it concise, and send it to the hiring manager you have previously dealt with. Markman gives an example of what this might look like:

Dear [manager],

I wanted to follow up on my interview on [date] for [position]. I was wondering if you had news to share about the position. I enjoyed our discussion and getting to know more about [company]. Of the companies I have engaged with during my job search, I was particularly impressed [by] your commitment to training and development. I felt that this growth mindset was a good fit [for] my career aims.

Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide. I am excited about the opportunity to work with you at [company].

Stay positive

Job hunting can be difficult, so try and keep a positive mindset, Cheary says in the Reed article, especially if you find out you didn't get the position. "Maintaining a positive mindset will be a great ally for every role you apply for moving forward, especially when it comes to interview time," he says.

Markman echoes this in the Harvard Business Review article. He says that it can take longer than you'd hoped to get a job and if you're unsuccessful in an interview, it's "normal to be restless and tempted to send notes to hiring managers, even if it's just to feel like you're doing something". He suggests channelling your energy into something productive such as applying for more jobs and signing up for networking events.

Requesting feedback

In the Reed article, Cheary says asking for feedback is a vital part of the post-interview process. "It might be just one thing you're getting wrong, but if no one tells you what went wrong, you're unlikely to improve," he says.

Markman, for Harvard Business Review, says not all people will take time to give feedback, but you might get a "specific tip that can improve your chances on the next round". He offers an example of what this email requesting feedback could look like:

Dear [manager],

I was disappointed to learn that I did not get an offer following my interview on [date]. I enjoyed our conversation and am impressed with the work that [company] does. Because I am new to the job search, I was hoping you could give me some feedback on my interview. I would like to ensure that I present myself as effectively as possible in the future. Any suggestions you could give me would be appreciated.

Send a thank you, send a follow-up and always ask for feedback – these things will be invaluable to your career development and only take a few minutes. And always stay positive.