University of California Berkeley Career Guide - Flipbook - Page 44
After The Interview
You should always send a thank you email to everyone who interviewed you within 24 hours of your interview. Not only
does this convey your professionalism, but it can also help make that extra push to enhance your candidacy. Depending
on the organization’s culture, you may email or mail your thank you letter. Your letter should summarize what impressed
you most about the organization and position as well as highlight your experience or skills that appeared to interest or
impress the interviewer(s). Be sure to also include any additional information that was requested (e.g., transcript, writing
sample, references).
A week after sending the thank-you, you may contact the employer to show your continued interest and ask if there is
any additional information you can provide.
If the employer does not respond within the expected time frame, you may phone or email the person who interviewed
you to ask about your status.
Sample Thank You Letter:
Dear Ms. Brown,
Thank you for the opportunity to spend last Thursday at your manufacturing facility in Sunnyvale.
The discussion we had was very informative, and I really enjoyed the tour of your plant and the
informal conversation with your engineering staff. I was impressed with the effective manner in which
Consolidated Engineering has adapted the management-by-objective system to their technical operations. This philosophy aligns well with my interests and training.
The entire experience has confirmed my interest in joining the team at Consolidated Engineering, and I
look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kristina S. Hernandez
Every interview is a learning opportunity.
After the interview, ask yourself these questions to prepare for your next one:
• How did it go?
• Did I feel at ease with the interviewer after any initial nervousness?
• How well did I highlight how my experience and skills would fulfill their requirements?
• Did I ask questions which helped me clarify the position and showed my interest and knowledge?
• Did I take the opportunity to mention my strengths and show what I have to offer?
• Was I positive and enthusiastic?
• How did I make myself stand out?
• What did I learn that I can apply to my next interview? How can I improve for next time?
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