Good day, dear friend!

A common mistake many candidates make is inaction after an interview. They told you “we’ll call you back”, you wait. Meanwhile, the promise to call back is more of a ritual with nothing behind it.

You can, of course, speculate about the professional ethics of recruiters and managers, but this is nothing more than hot air. Therefore, we will proceed from reality. And the first thing we will do is answer the question: how to write a letter to an employer after an interview, an example will be at the end of the article.

Then your job search campaign continues. The interview is only one of the stages.

Experienced sellers say that selling expensive products and services “head-on” almost never works. The transaction is completed after several “touches”. The buyer “ripens” as his trust in you grows. The letter after the interview is another “touch”. His goals:

1. Remind yourself once again, light up
2. Focus on the benefits of cooperation with you and show your interest.

Well, that's enough reasoning, let's get down to business.

At the interview, do not forget to talk about further contacts and ask for a phone number and email address.

Form and content of the letter

The first task that needs to be solved is to make your letter want to be opened, and not thrown into the trash or spam.

1. Sender's address

Put yourself in the shoes of the person you are writing to. He will open letters from addresses [email protected] or something like that? Maybe it will if he receives 3-5 letters a day. But a worthwhile leader gets much more. The author of these lines received 60-100 letters a day.

2. Theme

Thank you for your interest in the article. I would appreciate your comment (at the bottom of the page).

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Have a nice day and good mood!

How to find out the results of the interview

The interviewer promised to call back after the interview, days pass, but the long-awaited call never comes... But it seems to you that you passed the interview successfully! What's the matter? First, let's analyze the interview process.

. Analysis.

"We will contact you"
“We will call you” or “We will contact you” - many interviewers end the interview with such phrases. This is usually said to all candidates and these words themselves do not mean anything. But if the recruiter didn’t just tell you “I’ll call you,” but gave an approximate day for the call and mentioned that they were interested in your candidacy, then the result will most likely be positive. And if, in addition, you passed the professional knowledge test successfully and the HR manager interacted with you friendly during the interview, then the chances that you will be hired for the desired vacancy are very, very high. Be patient and wait a few more days.

Deleting a vacancy
A sign that you are suitable for this position is the removal of the vacancy from the employment site after the final interview with you. When you return home after the interview, go to the website: if the vacancy has been deleted or has stopped being updated, then most likely the company has decided on a candidate (or several) for this position. If the advertisement continues to be updated, then management has probably decided to look at other candidates.

Comparisons with the ideal candidate
Typically, during an interview, the interviewer lists in detail the qualities of the specialist the company is looking for, his knowledge, skills and abilities. If during the conversation you notice that the recruiter involuntarily draws parallels between you and the ideal specialist, then you will most likely get a positive result. Also good sign The fact is that during the interview the recruiter gives you a positive assessment.

Communication style during an interview
If the conversation at the interview flowed smoothly, freely, in the form of a dialogue and did not turn into a monologue (first yours, and then the employer), if the recruiter did not get by with just standard questions, then communication at the meeting was successful and you, most likely, had a successful interview.

How to find out the results of the interview. Applicant behavior during an interview.

And yet, it’s a very unpleasant thing to sit and wait every minute phone call from a company employee. In addition, not all recruiters notify applicants that they have failed an interview, and candidates wait in vain for results, refusing other offers. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to how to behave during the interview itself in order to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Usually at the end of the interview the recruiter asks if you have any questions. This is the moment when you should politely ask how your further communication will be structured. As a rule, the recruiter in response to such a question says that he will contact you and inform you about the results. In this case, check the date of the call and ask if you can call yourself if there is no call. The recruiter will most likely answer positively to such a question. Although there are cases when the HR manager reports that the company does not accept calls in case of refusal, in other words, the absence of a call is a sign of a negative response.

If the interview was conducted by several company specialists at once and you did not have time (or simply got confused and forgot) to agree on further communication - no problem! There is also a way out of this situation. Count 4-5 days from the date of the interview and call the HR manager yourself, or write him a letter asking him to clarify what your status is for this vacancy. In addition, your demonstrated activity will be your advantage when considering other candidates.

How to find out the results of the interview. What an applicant should not do:

Call or write to the HR manager before the announced deadline;
- Come to the office to clarify the result, referring, for example, to the fact that you cannot get through by phone or there were no contacts for communication (you can always find out contacts through the company’s website or through other open sources);
- Find contacts of your immediate superior in open sources and call or write to him to find out your status, or even send him your resume.

Such actions will in no way speed up the process of considering a candidate; moreover, they can be interpreted by a potential employer as incorrectness and intrusiveness. And they can even serve as a reason for refusal, despite positive impressions at the interview.

If the HR manager informed you about the refusal by phone or e-mail, then if you wish, you can clarify the reasons for the refusal. Typically, recruiters are understanding and easily communicate this information. You will not only find out what specific competencies you lack in order to occupy the desired position, but you will also establish yourself as a goal-oriented, result-oriented person. And this often leads to the candidate being offered another vacant position, or being stored in the database for the future.

Information for the applicant (those looking for a job): Post your resume so that the employer can find you: create a resume | post your resume online for free

Note to the employer: To increase the efficiency of searching for candidates who meet the requirements of the vacancy, it is imperative post a vacancy:

So, you have been invited for an interview. Do you really want to work in this position and are very afraid of not passing the selection? Then you need to gather all your willpower and prepare for the conversation: think about your clothing style and rehearse your speech, taking into account likely questions.

11 basic interview questions and smart answers to them can be found here. How to answer complex and non-standard questions to please the employer? What questions the recruiter will ask depends on what position the employee is being hired for, however, as a rule, there is a standard set of questions that are asked to all applicants, which will be discussed below.

Before conducting an interview, the employer usually invites the applicant to fill out a special questionnaire, a sample of which can be viewed.

IN Lately Situational questions are very popular, when the employer describes the situation and asks the applicant to choose the correct behavior in this situation.

11 main interview questions with answers

1. How to answer the question - Tell us about yourself at the interview.

When answering this question and other questions from the interviewer, remain calm and speak in a confident tone. Tell us what will be important for the employer to hear: place of study and specialty, work experience, knowledge and skills, interest in this particular work and personal qualities - resistance to stress, learning ability, hard work. This point is discussed in more detail in, where an approximate story of the applicant about himself is given, as well as recommendations on how best to answer.

2. What to answer at an interview to the question - Why did you quit?

When answering the question why you left your previous job, do not talk about conflicts at your previous job and do not speak badly about your boss or colleagues. You may be suspected of conflict and inability to work in a team. It is better to remember the positive moments from past experience, and the reason for leaving is the desire to fully realize one’s abilities, the desire to improve professional level and wages.

3. How to answer the question - Why do you want to work for us?

Start with the positive aspects of the company's work - stability and a professional, well-coordinated team, interest in the field of activity, and then add what attracts you to the position and work schedule, proximity to home, decent wages.

4. Why do you think you are suitable for this position?

How to answer the question - why should we hire you? Here you must prove very clearly and convincingly that you the best specialist in this area. Tell us about the work of the company and the industry in which you are going to work, do not hesitate to praise yourself, tell us about your achievements.

5. How should you answer a question about shortcomings at an interview?

The question of shortcomings is quite a tricky one. It’s not worth posting your disadvantages as best you can. Name such “disadvantages” that look more like advantages. For example: I’m picky about my work, I don’t know how to distance myself from work. And it’s best to say neutrally: I, like everyone else, have shortcomings, but they do not in any way affect my professional qualities.

6 secrets for a successful interview

6. What strengths do you have?

• communication skills;
• learning ability;
• punctuality;
• diligence.

These are standard examples of advantages that are included in almost every application; they do not carry any special significance for the employer, and do not distinguish the applicant from others in any way.

It is better to talk at an interview about professional advantages that will be useful and interesting to the employer:

• I have experience in negotiations at various levels;
• easily conclude important agreements and contracts;
• I can organize my work day rationally, etc.

Such answers will attract attention and stand out among other answers.

7. What salary do you expect?

The services of a good specialist cannot be cheap. There is an option - name an amount higher than the average salary, or focus on the salary you received at your previous job and inflate it by 10 -15%. Stick to the golden mean, otherwise they may think that you are either a bad specialist or too ambitious.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

Persistent and purposeful people set long-term goals for themselves and plan their personal and career growth. If you haven't thought about this question yet, do so before your interview. Focus on your desire to work in the same company, but during this time climb the career ladder.

Do not hide your previous place of work; be prepared to give the phone numbers of former colleagues and managers. If, when answering this question, you hesitate or completely avoid answering, then the employer may believe that you want to avoid negative feedback.

10. Are you ready for professional workload?

The employer can hint at overtime in this way. In this case, ask how often they are possible: how many times a month or for how many hours. If you are ready for such conditions, then confirm your readiness for stress.

11. Do you have any additional questions?

It's time to find out the details future work: starting from the schedule and social. package, to the requirements for company employees. A person who does not ask questions after an interview shows disinterest. So there must be questions, and it is best to think through them in advance.

Examples of excellent, good and bad answers to interview questions:

Video - awkward interview questions

An interview is like a game, a mixture of poker and chess: both parties sometimes need to think through their actions many steps ahead and maintain a “poker face” at the same time. Towards the end of the interview, the applicant struggles to understand - what opinion did the employer have about him and what decision did he make? Or haven't you accepted it yet? What does "We'll call you" really mean? RJob asked recruiters and employers to share the hidden signals they give to candidates who fail an interview. After all, if the candidate realizes in time that something has gone wrong, maybe it’s not too late for him to change his behavior strategy?

Sometimes during the interview it becomes clear that the candidate is not suitable for the position, but you don’t dare tell him about it directly. Instead of throwing a resume in the trash and abruptly ending the interview - after all, the person spent time on this meeting - polite recruiters change the course and mood of the conversation using special phrases or gestures. Here are a few markers by which you can read the thoughts of your interlocutor about your fate in this company.

• The recruiter speeds up the interview, trying to complete it under any pretext ( urgent call to management, you need to call urgently, etc.). Interview time is reduced from the planned 30-45 minutes to 10-15.
• The interview takes on a formal character, without stories about the structure of the department, the company, potential managers, or immediate tasks.
• A small amount of standard questions in a standard sequence. You are not asked about the nuances of your previous job, about other areas of life, family, hobbies.
• The interview takes on a question-and-answer format, without “selling” the vacancy. You don't get praised by the company you're with Not you will work.
• Avoidance of “thorny”, controversial issues, the discussion of which may cause controversy.

Polina Trifonova

expert, Legal Service 48prav.ru

Such an interview is similar to a “short, sweet chat” with routine questions and the same routine answers. Rather, it is a tribute to the fact that the candidate took his time and came to the meeting.

• You are not offered a test task.
• You are suddenly presented with qualification requirements that you cannot confirm.

Tatiana Lavrentieva

HR Director of PRO-VISION COMMUNICATIONS LLC

We always try to openly inform the candidate in a polite manner that, for a number of professional qualities, he does not correspond to the vacancy for which he is applying. Sometimes we even give advice: what to work on, what areas in the industry and what vacancies to pay attention to. But sometimes it’s really impossible to refuse a person outright, and then there are several ways to “hint” about it. An astute person will understand that he is being asked not to count on a vacancy and to continue searching.

Finally, you can resort to the technique of leading questions that will clearly show the candidate what exactly he is incompetent at. Often, the applicant quickly realizes that he cannot cope with the responsibilities and is ready to give up the position.

• The recruiter no longer asks clarifying questions about experience and motivation, but before that, in the first part of the interview there were enough such questions and he was keenly interested in everything you said.
• The recruiter does not ask you whether you are in competition for positions at other companies, whether anyone has made you a job offer, or when you need to make a decision, that is, they are not interested in your current job search status.

Svetlana Kataeva

Managing partner of the personnel company AVRIO Group Consulting

As a rule, candidates decide whether they “failed” or not, not by the behavior and words of recruiters, but by their personal feelings, which, of course, are subjective. Professional recruiters will never show a candidate during an interview that he is completely overwhelmed. After all, the candidate is assessed after the interview, in comparison with other applicants for this position.

I would like to give an example when candidates do not understand that they failed the interview, but the recruiter does not show this. One candidate had a final interview with a manager for the position of his personal assistant. Before that, she successfully passed an interview with a recruiter, and formally, based on her experience, she was quite suitable for this vacancy.

In the final part of the interview, the manager invited the candidate to ask the 2 most important questions, in her opinion. The first question: how long can you expect a salary increase, the second: how long will you need to work personal assistant. The manager smiled, politely answered both questions and said this wonderful phrase “We will contact you if the decision is positive,” but, as you understand, the interview was a failure.

• The recruiter clearly loses interest - he rearranges the papers, simply looks around or at his watch.
• The recruiter often interrupts the interview by actively answering calls or texts.

Olga Nikitina

Head of the recruitment department at Biplan

I try not to convey negative information to my interlocutor directly. There have been cases when we returned to a “dubious” candidate after some time. Mainly because everyone else turned out to be a little worse. One of the details you should pay attention to if you are interviewing with us: tea or coffee. About 15 minutes after the start of the interview, I ask the secretary to bring me one of the drinks. When I feel comfortable and the conversation is interesting, I choose tea. But if I'm really bored and need to cheer myself up, then I choose coffee.

• A recruiter looks at a resume too often, as if seeing it for the first time. A good recruiter will prepare for the interview and review all your documents in advance.
• The time of the next contact is not specified.

Alla Martynova

expert of the Russian School of Management

It is worth highlighting three situations, depending on who is being interviewed. This could be a representative of a recruitment agency, an internal company recruiter, or a direct supervisor.

The situation is similar when interviewing a direct manager, although in this case, oddly enough, a candidate who is not quite suitable may have a greater chance of a positive answer - the manager, conducting the interview, is based not on formal characteristics, but on the general impression and does not strive to make a decision right away, but wants to “look at everyone,” listen to his inner voice and carefully weigh everything. And this takes time.

In any case, refusals (especially if they are justified) are an opportunity to adjust your behavior, expectations for the position and remuneration, and decide on a truly suitable vacancy.

Code phrases that accurately signal failure

• We are reviewing a few more resumes and a decision will likely not be made soon.
• It seems to me that you won’t be interested in us, it will be a step back for you.
• The search for this vacancy is currently suspended because there is a finalist candidate.
• Unfortunately, this position has become irrelevant, but we will keep you in mind as soon as the need for such a specialist arises again.
• You need to consult with your colleagues. (Of course, some positions require a collegial decision. But if your candidacy is going to be defended, then you will never hear these words.)
• Phrases with "if". “If the director is interested in your candidacy, then I will invite you,” “If by the time of the next stage you are still free...”. "If" means doubt.
• Agreeing on the final candidate takes quite a long time.
• We want to find the candidate with the most extensive experience in this field.

Galina Evtyagina

HR director of the consulting company "KRAM"

It happens that a fairly trusting relationship is established with a candidate during the interview, and then there is a desire to give something in return for his wasted time. Then you can conduct a brief audit of his resume and compare the text with the candidate’s goals - after all, for some reason we invited him on the basis of his resume, but he still didn’t suit us... Candidates are grateful for this, although it’s a small help in finding the right one work.

What does the phrase “We will call you” mean?

There is no point in relying on this encouraging phrase. It can mean anything, even its complete opposite.

• You are interested, but there are still candidates for the position who they want to look at.
• You are the best candidate, but the company takes the position that you need to collect Additional information and recommendations, after which you can take the next steps.
• You are the only qualified candidate, but the company wants to convince you otherwise and is taking a time out to save face.
• No one will call you, and this is just a routine phrase that relieves the recruiter of the burden of direct refusal here and now.
• They will actually call you.

Lisa Potemkina,

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We hesitated for a long time to take on this topic - it’s somehow not customary for us to particularly write to HR after you’ve gone to an interview. In the West, this is a common practice and, it seems to us, for a reason.

It's like a calm zone when you need to lie low and wait for the verdict. But in fact, this is a good opportunity and sometimes another +1 chance to prove yourself. It seems to us that the tradition of follow-up letters is really good because it is human. and inhumane recruiting is generally not viable, so we are in favor of people saying “thank you” to each other. Even if it is one-sided gratitude. Here are our arguments in favor:

Firstly, a letter allows you to remind yourself once again. If HR talked to a dozen candidates, and they received a letter from you, then this is just an additional “bell”. Believe me, they definitely won’t write all 10!

Secondly, this is a chance to get rid of understatement, joke or simply say something that you forgot to say or were unable to say.

Thirdly, it is simply polite to thank a person for a pleasant conversation, for a chance. Or maybe you really enjoyed the conversation and want to get a feedback - what went wrong, why and what you should work on. Then, of course, you should give it time and send it in a few days.

// Here are the templates. Let's start with #1.
Good afternoon/evening, [name],

It was very pleasant to talk with you today, despite my excitement. I would like to thank you for the time you devoted to me, for your answers to questions and your attentiveness.
If you still have any questions for me, I will be happy to answer them!
I am attaching to the letter [the portfolio] that you asked me to send.
Thank you again for the opportunity [to visit the company’s office and meet the employees, learn more about the team’s values].

Sincerely,
[Name]
+ contacts

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And pattern #2:
Good afternoon/evening, [name]!

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to discuss the specifics of working at the [name] company in the [name] position.
I truly believe that my skills, professional experience and personal qualities will help me become part of the team and prove myself.
In any case, thank you for your time - it was nice to visit the company's office and get to know its work better.
If you have any other questions, I am always in touch and will be ready to answer them.

Sincerely,
[Name]
+ contacts

And another template #3:
Good afternoon/evening, [name],

I hasten to thank you for the interview and the opportunity to look at the work of the company [name].
In addition, after everything I saw, I wanted to become part of the company even more.
Thank you for your attentiveness, your time and conversation. I will be glad to hear from you again.
I still have one question regarding [subject + question].
I'll be waiting for your answer!

Sincerely,
[Name]
+ contacts

// What mistakes can you make when writing a letter:

- Excessive politeness / try to limit yourself to at least two thanks (thank you) and no more, otherwise it will look stupid /

Flattery / don’t drive it crazy, don’t praise the company and HR, it’s inappropriate /

Excessive emotionality / you shouldn’t talk about how much you want to work there and you are now in trouble right in one place - they said that they are generally inspired by this idea and that’s enough (this must be honest, otherwise everything will get boring in six months :)) /

The desire to say everything that you didn’t have time to say / this is not always good idea, since the essence of such a letter is gratitude, but if you really want to indicate something important or send something that you discussed at the interview, go ahead /

Pity / under no circumstances put pressure on the person on the other side of the screen - don’t say that this is your last chance or that you’ll just go crazy for the sake of work, it’s better to be more modest /

Confidence that you will be hired / “I’m really looking forward to continuing” - everyone understands that you didn’t just come to hang out, but want to be offered a position, but if this does not happen, you still need to be grateful for the time, the opportunity to practice interview skills and etc/