Job searching is stressful and interviews particularly so. Maybe that’s why job seekers so often slap their heads after interviews, having suddenly remembered some key detail they meant to impart. The next several hours are then spent groaning and asking, “Why didn’t I remember to say that?!”
If this has happened to you, take heart: You’re in good company. Everyone seems to do it.
Luckily, the remedies are as simple as the original oversight. You just need to reconnect to provide the missing information. The only question is, how?
There's a variety of answers, but to simplify things, here are the three solutions I most often advise:
1. Call. This is probably the action least likely to be taken in this situation, but it’s worth noting for its very simplicity. The reason it’s no one’s favorite? It’s hard enough to talk directly with employers without having to start the conversation, “I forgot to mention ...”
One argument in favor of the phone call is the possibility of a two-way conversation. You just might capture the other person’s attention. Of course, it’s also possible to phone at a busy moment and hence reap no more than, “I’ll note it in your file.” Which is why people wishing to avoid a potential brush-off will choose to call after hours and leave the missing data on voice mail.
2. Send a letter. Since time is of the essence, at least when an interview has occurred, this should be done via email. The subject line might say something like “Missing data from our interview on Wednesday” or anything that seems both accurate and compelling.
Once inside the body of the email, the reader should encounter a formal letter that begins with a thank-you and an impression of excitement about the job and the company. Then relate the missing points.
Keep the additional information on-point. To wrap up the letter, simply express interest in participating in the next level of the hiring process and invite the employer to contact you if he or she needs more information.
3. Make a project list or mini-resume. This is a bit more complicated but can be very effective. Imagine the interviewer asked you to describe when you had been a supervisor. Now imagine that you only got part of the answer out before the conversation took another direction. Yikes!
This situation can be resolved with a one-page document describing your relevant experience. Start at the top with your name, then skip a couple of lines and type: “Resume Addendum: Supervisory Experience” or whatever the appropriate header would be.
Enter your information and then decide how best to format it. Perhaps you’ll choose to list each of the past three or four jobs, then give the relevant data about your supervisory duties.
As always, time is of the essence, so don’t linger too long on this document.
As you can see, if you forget something important in a key conversation, all is not lost. In fact, one could argue that you’re in a slightly better position for using the opportunity to reconnect with a meaningful message. With luck, you’ll have reinforced an impression of thoroughness and not one of forgetfulness, while staying top-of-mind with your potential employer.
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55102.
About the Author
