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You bowled them over with your amazing wit and personality at the interview.

Now what?

We’ve been discussing the proper way to follow-up with a potential employer after an interview. You now know that follow-up is important, but standing out from the crowd becomes your next concern.

We’ve already discussed the need for follow-up notes to the interviewer(s). Despite this being a very necessary and well-known step for serious job seekers, few candidates use them. Your follow-up note can come by way of e-mail, a typed letter, or a hand-written note card. The form of the message is not as important as the message itself.

Hopefully, you learned something significant about your interviewer during the interview process. Something personal or unique, perhaps. Capitalise on this by making reference to it in your note. It shows the employer you listened and that you cared enough to take note of a special interest or off-hand comment.

Go the extra mile. Beyond the personal thank-you note, you may consider sending flowers. You can turn a simple thank-you note into an elegant but inexpensive display that will last for days, thus keeping your name on the manager’s mind for the week to come. I suggest having these delivered on a Monday, else they may be tossed in the trash before the full affect can be achieved.

I have also seen candidates who were so interested in a particular job prospect, they have spent the time and effort to purchase and send token gifts. For instance, a bottle of wine (not too expensive!) for the interviewer who has expressed such an inclination. Be careful with this technique, as wine tastes can be very particular. If the topic is mentioned, make sure you try to take a moment to discuss favourite or preferred labels.

You might also want to consider a fruit, cheese, coffee, tea or chocolate basket that the whole office can enjoy. Staff will consider it a lovely treat and your name will be on their minds, as well. Some may even have influence over the hiring decision, or be able to put a buzz in the decision maker’s ear if you become their preferred choice to work with.

You need not purchase or send a gift to stand out from the applicant pool, either. If you’ve learned that the interviewer is a huge fan of The Gunners, send a congratulatory note upon hearing of their next win, or send a news clipping in the mail of something of interest concerning the team. You can do this for nearly any interest you’ve discovered about your interviewer during the process. You can also forward the latest Internet story you’ve found via e-mail. These things show prospective employers that you are keen and truly sincere about obtaining a position within their company. It puts YOUR name in their minds and on their lips.