We have all be trained and prepped on what to do concerning interviews. You put in your research, the interview goes great, now it’s time for follow up. Here is where I find a lot of candidates have trouble. There are so many unique, fun, professional ways to follow up after an interview; However, it is unnecessary to do ALL of them. Yes, it is great to follow up after an interview but one thing I find many candidates do not realize is that there are professional boundaries that you must follow. Assertive is good, pushy is not. Below are a few Do’s and Don’ts on post interview follow up.

Reconnecting vs. Badgering

Do – Reconnect with your interviewer to keep your name at the top of their mind. Feel free to leave a thank you note, call or email your interviewer thanking them for taking the time to interview you and ask for next steps (if you didn’t already in the interview). Do ONE or maybe TWO of these things over the span of maybe a week but not all at once.

Don’t – Badger your interviewer or their assistant/secretary by calling constantly, leaving multiple messages, or wait for them in the parking lot (yes, I have had to address stalking the interviewer before). If you’re unsuccessful getting ahold of them on your first attempt, they may actually be busy. Interrupting their day with multiple calls or showing up unannounced will not impress them, it will annoy them. Keep things professional so they remember you for the interview and not for the constant badgering afterwards.

Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Contact

Do – Reach out specifically to the person that you interviewed with and those you have been given permission to contact. For example, if you interviewed with multiple people or was told by your interviewer that you can reach out to her assistant for information. Keep your contact within their set protocol.

Don’t – Email or call your interviewers supervisor, an employee or another manager to inquire about the position. Even if you know them personally, it is extremely unprofessional to go above your interviewers head or contact someone within the company that is outside of the hiring process. This will likely just anger the hiring manager and put a bad taste in their mouth about you.

Classy vs. Sassy

Do – Stay classy in your communication concerning the position. Give the interviewer time to respond to your follow up email or call you back before getting upset. They have very busy schedules and may be waiting on approval or an update from their boss before they respond so they have information to give.

Don’t – Assume they are not getting back with you because they do not care. Remember, there may be a lot going on behind the scenes that doesn’t necessarily involve you. If it has been a few days and you have not received a response, DO NOT clap back with a sassy “thanks for nothing” type email or voicemail. You may or may not have been the one they chose, but after a sassy response you definitely will not be.

As you can see, when following up after an interview, there is a fine line between assertive and pushy. It is absolutely okay and even expected to reconnect after an interview but you must understand professional boundaries. I know it can be nerve racking waiting on a call back, but take an extra minute and decide if it’s too much before you reach for the phone again. Are you going to come across assertive or pushy?