After the Interview

• After each Interview
• Thank You Letters
• Deciding Between Offers
• Accept/Reject Letters

After Each Interview

At the conclusion of each interview, it is appropriate to ask what the next steps are and when you can expect to hear back from them. Most likely, an on site follow-up interview will be involved. When an offer is made, don't be afraid to ask for time to think about it. A minimum of two weeks is generally acceptable. Do not hastily accept or reject on the spot.

If the date given to decide conflicts with other second interviews already scheduled, tell the company representative right away and ask for an extension. If the conflict is apparent, address the date issue immediately. Extensions may or may not be given by companies. Most companies are open to it and understand you are interviewing with others. Some companies have tighter deadlines and may not grant the extension. It is not acceptable to accept an offer and continue to interview with other companies if the company would not provide you an extension. Nor is it acceptable to renege on the offer you accepted because "a better one" came along.

When a firm employment offer is received, reply by the due date given. You have three options:

1. Accept the offer over the phone and discontinue interviewing. Then, if you want, write a follow-up thank you note to the recruiter.
2. Over the phone, tactfully reject the offer. It is in your best interest to write a follow-up thank you note to make sure there are no hard feelings because of your rejection of their offer.
3. Call the recruiter and ask for more time to consider the offer. Be fair to other students. Do not hold offers you are not seriously considering.

Follow Up with Employer (3:43)
CareerSpots.com ©
Download Cheat Sheet (PDF) 

Writing Thank-you Letters

You should send a thank you letter within a day or two of the interview. Research shows that most employers (76%) recommend new college graduates send thank you letters after interviewing with recruiters on campus and after a company-site interview. According to employers, this is an important gesture when applying for a position. A thank you letter makes a good impression and helps the recruiter remember the candidate. Employers agree when the hiring decision is close between two people, the thank you letter could be the deciding factor.

For samples of thank you and other types of letters, use the Sample Letters Book. You can view it online or check it out for 7-days at the BCC counter.

How to Decide Between Offers

When a firm employment offer is received, reply promptly. You have three options:

1. Accept the offer over the phone and discontinue interviewing. Then write a follow-up acceptance letter to the recruiter.
2. Over the phone, tactfully reject the offer and write a follow-up rejection letter.
3. Call the recruiter and ask for more time to consider the offer. Be fair to other students. Do not hold offers you are not seriously considering.

Although salary is often considered the focus of job offers and negotiations, a number of other components collectively make up the total offer package, such as insurance, bonuses, days off, and special work arrangements- for example, flextime and telecommuting. Be sure to consider what is important to you and what your overall feeling of the entire company and position is.

Salary Statistics are published monthly by the BCC to help you evaluate job offers that you receive. We ask that you fill out Job Offer/Acceptance forms for each offer that you receive, so that we may supply the most complete information. Job offers and salary data you report will be kept private, and salaries will only be reported in aggregate.

Writing Acceptance/Rejection Letters

While it is important to accept or reject an offer over the phone or in person in a timely manner, you may still want to write a formal acceptance or rejection letter.  

The acceptance letter is may be necessary legally, as many employers ask that a letter be on file before you may begin employment. This letter is a good opportunity to reaffirm your excitement about the job and your commitment to the employer.

A tactful and timely rejection letter is a courtesy for two important reasons. First, it allows you to maintain a relationship with the employer, which is important since you may one day interview with this employer again. Second, it helps other students in that it enhances the professional image the employer has for the School of Business and its graduates.

For samples of acceptance, rejection, and other letters, use the Sample Letters Book. The online version is available here, and hard copy is available for 7-day checkout at the BCC counter.