After a job interview, you should send a follow-up letter. This is basically a thank you note that lets the interviewer know you appreciate the time they took interviewing you, and how very interested you are in the position.

You want to be sure to include the following:

• Sincere appreciation for the time the interviewer spent interviewing you
• A reminder of some points in the interview that you really enjoyed
• The hope that you will hear from the interviewer soon

The point of this note is to be respectful and appreciative. It is NOT to beg for the job. It is NOT to remind the interviewer of your qualifications. It is NOT to ask the interviewer to contact you faster or give you the job.

The pupose of this note is solely to show the interviewer that you are extremely interested in the position, and that you are the type of kind, respectful individual they would like to have working for their company.

If you do not hear back from the company for a couple of weeks, you could always call the company to ask for the status of your application. Just mention that you are highly interested in the position, and since you hadn’t heard back, you were calling to find out of the position had been filled. If it has still not been filled, you could politely ask to speak to the interviewer and remind them how interested you are in this particular job, and tell them you’re ready and willing to start immediately if they wish.

If you still don’t hear back, you should probably just wait, and spend some time applying for positions at other companies. If you aren’t able to get the job after the follow-up letter and the phone call after two weeks, you probably won’t. You can’t afford to spend time waiting around forever.

There are a few key things the interviewer will be looking for:

• Confidence
• Explanations for any shortcomings
• Passion for your field
• Intelligence
• Responsibility
• People skills

You should work on these issues, especially one very important aspect. You need to be able to explain any shortcomings on your resume to the satisfaction of the interviewer if you want to have any hope of getting the job you’re applying for.

Let’s say you have plenty of experience, but no formal education. The interviewer is probably going to tell you that the company mostly hires college graduates, or they are going to ask you why you feel qualified for the position without an education.

You need to be able to explain why your experience, your drive, and your passion outweigh your lack of education. If you can convince the interviewer that you will be a valuable member of their company, your education won’t matter so much.

If you have a large gap in your employment history, you need to be able to explain why. Were you traveling around the world to get experiences that would prepapre you for the position? Were you taking some extra classes? Were you ill at the time, but better now? Whatever the reason, you need to be prepared to explain it in a way that will show the gap as a benefit, not something negative.

Finally, you need to be sure you can explain why you are no longer working at each of your former jobs. It is very common for interviewers to ask why you left your former positions. You need to be able to explain why, without looking like a whiner or irresponsible. If you were fired, say so. But give the interviewer a good explanation as to why you were fired and why you wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. Your honesty will be appreciated. You may have quit because you felt you weren’t happy with your prospects for advancement, or because you felt you could not learn anything more at your current position, or because you needed to move to a new area of the world. Whatever the reason, try to make it sound like a benefit.

It’s a good idea to wear something just slightly above the level of dress you would be wearing to work each day. If most of your coworkers would be wearing khaki pants and dress shirts, you might want to dress similarly, with the addition or a blazer. If most of them would be wearing designer business suits, you should dress this way for your interview. If you would be wearing jeans and t-shirts to work, you could wear slacks and a dress shirt to the interview. The only time you shouldn’t dress at or slighly above your potential coworker dress would be if you were applying for a specific type of job.

For example, if you are applying for a job at a tattoo parlor, you might not want to wear slacks and a dress shirt to your interview. You might end up looking stuffy or foolish. In a case like this, you would just wear whatever you would normally wear to work, just making sure that your clothes are clean and free of stains, rips, or other unintended damage.

Color is important. Red signifies confidence, and will give the interviewer a vibe that you are intelligent and strong. Blue is calming, and will help relax the interviewer and put them at ease with you. You don’t want to wear too much color, because it can be shocking and overpowering, but a tie or scarf in one of these colors can make a big difference.

Whatever you decide to wear, make sure it is in good condition. Your clothing should be clean, free of stains and tears, and ironed smooth if necessary. Pleats should be pressed, shirts should be free of wrinkles, and clothing should not look old or worn out.

The way you dress is going to have a big impact on how you are perceived. Be sure to give a great first impression, or it may be the only impression you ever get!