6 Steps on How to End a Job Interview as the Interviewee
Getting to the end of your interview might be the only thing on your mind, but letting your attention slip in the last moments may be letting you down.
As an interviewee, the impression you make consists of more than just knowing the answers. Your employer will be searching for a candidate that appears professional and trustworthy. The moments before and after the interview are most vital for getting your personality across.
With these six simple steps, you will have complete confidence to get through your next interview. End on a strong note, and you can leave knowing you did everything you could to secure the position of your choice—all the way to the last moment.
1. Strategize Your Closing Strategy
Closing an interview is like closing a deal—in the business world, it means creating a final impression that helps you attain your goal.
How you close the interview will determine how attractive you come across to your future employer.
With many strategies available, it’s important to strategize your “closer” wisely. Here are three approaches:
Final Statements
Interviewers usually conduct several interviews a day and may look at more than hundreds of candidates for your desired role. If you choose an active close, making an impactful final statement may create a resounding memory of you as a potential employer.
An effective closing statement could include making a direct comment about the position, showing your preparation, or expressing how much you want the job.
Remember! Practice and confidence are key to this choice. An awkwardly phrased or badly-timed statement could backfire if not handled with care.
Cover Weak Spots
On the more passive side, you could take the chance to make up for a missed opportunity.
Interviews are tough, and even experienced interviewees make mistakes. Clarifying an answer to a question you weren’t happy with or covering a gap in experience before finishing up could help your employer make a decision.
Be careful to choose your answer before speaking. Rambling or making the same mistake twice could damage your interview or make you appear defensive.
Last Questions
Preplanning a solid question to finish the interview can make a lasting impression.
It’s likely your employer will cover most of the information about the role of the job. If not, try to handle these questions throughout the interview beforehand, and the closing question should not be that kind of question.
Instead, the closing question should make an impression, so think of it as an opportunity to show some evidence of research you have undertaken. Impress your employer and show them your investment in the company.
2. Confirm Your Interest & Restate Your Qualifications
An interview is not just about passing a test or answering questions correctly. After receiving new information about the position and making an impression, the last part is letting them know that you’re genuinely interested in the job.
There’s nothing an employer finds more off-putting than an interviewee on autopilot. Actively listening to details of the role will help you construct a short statement about what draws you to the position.
This final affirmation is also a perfect opportunity to quickly cover why you are the best match for the position. Think of this moment as a question/answer format. Concisely repeat the employer’s needs, reiterate your skills, and finish by confirming your interest.
3. Perfect Your Handshake
A firm handshake helps differentiate between making a lasting impression and a forgettable interview. This simple parting gesture is a perfect opportunity to denote your confidence and experience.
After waiting for your interviewer to initiate, take their hand firmly and remember to make direct eye contact. Practicing will help perfect this motion, and nailing it will send your future employer a clear message that you are serious.
A handshake is a professional courtesy, and it is a non-verbal way of communicating trust, reliability, and genuine appreciation.
When your employer sees a well-practiced handshake, they know they have an interviewee that has prepared to impress.
4. Thank Your Future Employer
Thanking an interviewer for their time is a given, and you may not question this for a moment. Saying thank you in a professional environment is typical, but it’s vital to ensure your delivery is not automatic.
Being sincere is often about paying attention. Unlike in social situations, thanking a potential employer should be a serious statement. You should feel you are present when speaking.
In potentially stressful situations like job interviews, it can be surprisingly difficult to give full concentration throughout the entire conversation. Practice at home to release some pressure. Try short, polite statements like, “Thank you for taking the time with me today.”
If you can, follow up with a comment on something you genuinely appreciated about the experience that made an impression on you. Interviewers are just as invested in creating a sound first impression, and your acknowledgment of that when giving thanks is an excellent way to leave on a positive note.
5. Know Your Next Steps
Knowing your next move will show your employer how eager you are and help you be proactive in securing your job.
The interviewer will most likely cover this information during the interview, but it can be easy to miss. Once the pressure of the interview process has come to completion, it can be easy to stop paying attention.
Avoid this situation by restating the next steps, including knowing the communication method and point of contact. It will help you remember them and make an impression.
Confirming the next steps is also necessary if the interviewer neglects to provide this information. In that case, ask some short questions to determine what happens next.
6. Thank You and Follow-Up Email
Thanking your interviewer again for their time is more than just a nice touch. When your future employer concludes an interview, this is a perfect opportunity to make a final impression while also helping them remember you.
Sending an email will also make way for another post-interview technique. Already making a polite and justified entry point with your employer will be the perfect introduction to your follow-up message.
After ensuring an appropriate amount of time has passed, sending a concise email restating your interest, has been proven to make a difference. Indeed, it’s how some recruiters sort candidates who proceed to the next stage from those who don’t.
How long you should wait will largely depend on the position. After following the previous step, you should already have some idea about when the employer will make a decision.
Get in Touch With ScoutLogic for more information!
Interviews are not easy, and preparation is vital to building confidence and ending on a strong note.
Knowing that you are already clear with your potential employer is a great way to take the pressure off. At ScoutLogic, we can help you discover how employers get their information and the information that will come up when they screen for employment background. All your answers are here!
Have more questions? Reach out to our team.
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