Can You Ask If You Got the Job?

Posted January 23, 2017

After a job interview, not following up to see if you got the position is like not going to the doctor when you have a stabbing pain in your side.

You think: Maybe it'll all work out if I just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

However, you should actually be proactive in both situations, and since this isn't a medical blog, we'll just say following up on an interview shouldn't damage your chances of landing a job. In fact, sometimes, it can help a lot.

Here are a few reasons you should not be afraid to send out a follow-up email to a potential employer you want to hear back from.

It gives you one less thing to worry about

Sometimes the unknown can be more stressful than finding out what's actually going on.

A recruiter or hiring manager will often let you know you'll hear back by a particular date. If that date has gone by and you haven't heard anything, you may start to worry. However, a delay likely says more about the recruiter's schedule than your prospects as a candidate. There might be contending priorities, someone on vacation or other interviews taking place. There's even a possibility the recruiter simply didn't remember to update you on the status of the process.

Give it four or five business days after the date you expected to hear something to avoid being irritating, and then send a quick email to find out what is going on.

It gives you a chance to enhance your impression

While you can't really fix your interview mistakes in a follow-up email, you can use the correspondence to remind your interviewer of your strengths and drive those strengths home. Use your follow-up correspondence to mention a great idea or give another example that demonstrates your skills.

A follow-up note is also a great way to show the company the job is still on your mind and you're thinking about how you can contribute to the organization's success.

If you are going to follow up this way, start your email by asking for an update on the hiring process, and then mention your idea, example or potential contribution.

It can give the manager a nudge

While hiring managers generally operate on their own timelines, a follow-up can, in rare instances, cause a person to make a decision they have been putting off, waffling over or just plain forgotten about. If this is the case and a decision is about to be made, your email can bring you back to the top of someone’s mind.

At Ambassador Personnel, we help job seekers with every part of the hiring process, and we also connect them to the opportunities that best match their skill set, experience and workplace outlook. If you are currently looking for your next professional opportunity, please contact us today to work with a full-service staffing agency.