How to Sell Yourself in the Job Search: Follow-up
Unless you’ve gotten a job offer during your interview or you’ve been told that you’re no longer a candidate, you’re done applying the personal selling process after the interview ends and need only wait to hear if you’ve been selected, right? Wrong!
Although the conclusion of the interview – the close – marks the end of the “real-time” phase of seeking a job and the process becomes more passive, you still need to sell yourself. You’ve entered the final step in personal selling: following up with the interviewer with an email, hand-written thank-you note or phone call.
Here are links to additional articles in Rigzone's series on personal selling for the job search:
“The main reason why the follow-up is important is that the interviewer might be undecided, and you can help them see things your way,” said Jason Lavis, managing director of UK-based Out of the Box Innovations Ltd. and a specialist in energy marketing and recruitment. “Also, it takes a number of interactions to start to ‘get to know’ someone. It’s often on the second or third interaction that bonding starts to occur. This is simple human psychology.”
In addition, Lavis pointed out the follow-up is the culmination of a fully executed personal selling process.
“Following up won’t work if previous steps have not been completed properly,” Lavis explained. “If you haven’t prepared, rehearsed and given it your best, there are no clever approaches or phrases that might work.”
“Just like any high-level performer, it’s the preparation stage that’s most important,” continued Lavis. “With proper preparation, the rest of the path becomes a lot easier. This probably applies to the job role that you’re going for as well.”
Strike a Balance
Like previous stages of personal selling, following up requires a balance of assertiveness and restraint: you need to remind the interviewer(s) why you think you’re the best person for the job, but overdoing it can derail your chances. Asking the right questions during the tail end of the interview can help you to strike that balance, said Steve Benson, CEO of Badger Maps, a sales route planner for field salespeople.
“You can be too aggressive in the follow-up phase,” said Benson. “The best play is to ask what the process is and, if they don’t follow the process, then reach out for clarification.”
Benson acknowledged that the aggressiveness threshold differs by company and type of position.
“Some companies, especially ones that are seeking aggressive salespeople, will look for people to follow up more aggressively,” noted Benson, pointing out that various websites offer “insider” insights about companies’ interview processes. “All that being said, just like in sales you should follow up at an appropriate cadence – tapering with time – until you get a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’”
In regard to following up, you should also recognize when it’s time to cut your proverbial losses if you never get a response, advised Mike Smith, Founder of SalesCoaching1.com.
“If you don’t hear anything within the specified time, you probably are out of the picture,” said Smith. “Don’t keep hoping. Move on. Here is a little phrase to keep in mind: ‘You have to open a lot of oysters before you find a pearl.’ That means, in selling and searching, don’t get discouraged. Be focused and persistent.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- ExxonMobil Racks Up Discoveries in Guyana Block Eyed by Chevron
- Oil Market Sentiment Has Improved Significantly
- EU, US Eye Collaboration on Nuclear Materials
- USA Driving Activity to Increase to All-Time Highs
- TC Energy to Sell Prince Rupert Gas Pipeline Project to First Nation
- EU Electricity Export to Ukraine Up 94 Percent in Two Years
- China Coal Output Falls for First Time since Government Ordered More
- BP Pulse Buys One of Europe's Largest Truck Stops
- UK CCUS Plans Outdated: Think Tank
- North America Enters Rig Loss Streak
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- EIA Drops 2024 Henry Hub Gas Price Forecast
- EIA and Standard Chartered Offer Up Latest Oil Price Predictions
- Red Sea Region Sees Another Watershed Incident
- Chevron Oil Project in Kazakhstan to Cost $48.5B
- OPEC Voices Encouragement after IEA Affirms Support for Oil Security
- Biden Govt Bares Strategy for Freight Charging, Hydrogen Fueling Infra
- Ukraine Hits Third Russian Refinery In Escalating Drone Strikes
- Rystad Looks at the Buzz Around White Hydrogen
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Is Peak Oil Demand Close?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- JP Morgan, Standard Chartered Reveal Latest Oil Price Forecasts
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Rystad Forecasts Net Production of Top Permian Producers in 2024
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension