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After the interview: what happens next?

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The interview is often viewed as the be-all and end-all of the job application process, but as soon as it’s done and dusted, you may find yourself wondering, “what happens next?”.

From following up with the employer or recruiter, to knowing how long you can expect to wait for an outcome and whether to continue your job search in the interim, here’s everything you need to know to help you navigate the post-interview process with ease.

Following-up post-interview

Many job applicants assume that once the interview is over, it’s best to just sit back and wait for a response—but that’s not always the case.

While every dealership is different and will have their own ideas about what level of communication is appropriate, it’s almost always appropriate to send a quick email a day or two following a job interview to quickly thank the employer or recruiter for taking the time to meet with you and offer to provide any additional information if needed.

This is advantageous for several reasons. Not only does it express your gratitude, but it also shows that you’re still interested in the role. It’s not uncommon for candidates to lose interest in a position following an interview, so sending a quick follow-up email is a great way to reaffirm your level of enthusiasm.

It’s important to keep your email concise, but it can also be a good opportunity to briefly provide any additional points you forgot to mention during the interview that could be of interest.

While the employer may respond to your email, don’t be disheartened if they don’t—they may simply have a lot on their plate.

How much contact is too much?

While sending an initial follow-up thank you email is generally a good idea, it’s important not to get carried away. Even if you’re very keen on the role and want to express that to the employer, be mindful that there is such a thing as too much communication.

It’s just like when you first start dating a prospective partner—calling or emailing every day can be a major turn-off. In most cases, it’s best to leave the ball in their court and wait for them to initiate contact when they’re ready.

Or if you’ve applied for a role through a recruiter, it’s best to follow them up for an update instead of the employer. This can get you the updates you need, without contacting the employer directly.

How long should you expect it to take to get an outcome?

How long is a piece of string? Unfortunately, the amount of time it takes to complete the hiring process can vary significantly from as little as a couple of days to as long as several months.

The length of the assessment process will largely depend on:

how many candidates the dealership is interviewing
the complexity of their internal recruitment processes
whether they wish to conduct additional interviews or testing with top-performing candidates

While most smaller dealerships tend to be able to finalise recruitment decisions relatively quickly, larger corporate dealerships with formalised assessment and approval recruitment processes may take longer to reach a final decision.

Ultimately, the best way to gauge how long it’s likely to take to get an outcome is to ask during your interview. Simply asking the interviewer what the process will be going forward from the interview or how long the assessment process is likely to take is sure to provide some valuable insights and give you an idea of what to expect.

If you haven’t heard back from an employer after the period they specified during the interview, it should then be appropriate to give the contact person or your recruiter a quick call to check-in and see how things are progressing.

Keeping your options open

If after the interview you feel like you’ve found your dream role and think you’re in with a good chance, you may be questioning whether it’s worthwhile continuing to apply for other roles.

The answer to this is two-pronged; while it’s in your own best interests not to “put all your eggs in one basket” so to speak, it is also advantageous not to adopt a scattergun approach, limiting your other applications only to the positions which genuinely interest you.

Limiting your applications to two or three active applications at a time will make it easier for you to track the roles you’ve applied for and help you do a better job selling yourself if contacted in response to any of your applications.

Teamrecruit is Australia’s most established recruitment agency specialising in truck, earthmoving and agricultural machinery dealerships in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. Find out more about Teamrecruit and how we support employers and candidates in the dealership industry.

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