How to Follow Up After an Interview—and How Not To

Navigating your first job search is no easy feat. You have to craft your resume, apply to jobs, research prospective employers, and, of course, ace job interviews—but you probably know you have all that on your plate. Asking, "Should I follow up after an interview?" is going to come up at some point. Here's the fact of the matter: Interview follow-up matters—almost as much as the interview itself. You need to know how to follow up after an interview if you have any chance of getting hired.

Here are seven things to avoid doing after a job interview. (Psst: If you're fresh out of college and looking for more job-search advice that can preserve your dignity, head over to Monster's grad site for all the tips you need.)

Do: Send a Thank-You Note.

Do Not: Rush Your Thank-You Note

A thank-you letter is a must, however, some job candidates fire off an interview thank-you email right away—as in, from their smartphones the minute they exit the building.

It’s a misstep for a couple reasons. A rapid-fire thank-you gives the impression that you haven’t taken the time to reflect on the interview. It could also indicate that you wrote the thank-you email beforehand and just pressed send on your way out the door.

Another reason you don’t want to rush your interview follow-up: You need a second pair of eyes to check your note for spelling or grammatical errors, especially when the stakes are high, your adrenaline is pumping, and you’re applying for a job that you really want.

Do: Follow Up Promptly

Do Not: Follow Up Too Often

Learning how to follow up after an interview requires you to decipher a slightly fuzzy scenario. Figuring out when—and how often—to check in with a hiring manager is tricky, since it depends on the interviewer. Definitely send a thank-you email within 24 hours and then give it about 10 business days to check on status of your application. At that point, ask the employer when the best time would be for you to reconnect with them.

Do: Follow the Company on Social Media

Do Not: Connect to the Interviewer on Social Media

Sending your boss a friend request is one thing—and it’s a decision you shouldn’t make lightly. Trying to add a job interviewer on social media? Bad idea. Social media sites are still regarded as personal rather than professional platforms. Boundaries are a key part of how to follow up after an interview.

Though social media can be a great networking tool, don't send hiring managers requests to connect. It's just awkward.

The exception? Recruiters. You can connect to them before you get a job offer, because their job involves seeking out potential candidates for their open positions. Still, it’s good business etiquette to check with a recruiter via email before sending a request.

Do: Debrief With Friends

Do Not: Talk About the Interview on Social Media

You're through the interview and you need to tell all your friends how it went. Great! Do it, but keep it offline. If you're the kind of person who tends to post about every single moment of your life—and you know who you are—restrain from doing so when it comes to your job interviews, even if things went well. You can't be 100 percent certain that your message won't be somehow misinterpreted and won't make its way to an employer while they're perusing your account after the interview. Just…don’t.

Do: Give Yourself a Post-Interview Assessment

Do Not: Obsess Over Your Performance

Even when job interviews go well, some candidates will sweat over what they said (or didn’t say) during the audition to the point where they email the interviewer to explain their statement. However, after you’ve interviewed for a job, what comes next is out of your hands.

That being said, if you really feel the need to clarify something you said and are afraid might have been misinterpreted, work it into your thank-you email. For example, if you got the dates of employment at a past job incorrect because you were nervous, correct that before the employer runs a reference check.

Do: Pat Yourself on the Back

Do Not: Slow Down Your Job Search

You aced the interview—now it’s time to sit back and wait for the hiring manager to offer you the job. Wrong! There are zero guarantees that you will get a job offer. A company's hiring needs can change and budgets can disappear—these are things you can neither foresee nor control.

That means your job search isn’t finished. Keep checking ads and submitting your resume to positions that appeal to you. Don't slow your search until you have a job offer in hand.

Keep Your Job Search Going Strong

Knowing how to follow up after an interview is critical to a successful job search. Need some help? Make a free Monster profile today. We can hook you up with recruiters in your industry, send you custom job alerts, and provide you with career advice. It's so easy to get started and the benefits can really pay off.