Don't call us, we'll call you: Following up with the employer after your interview

Q: My interview was two weeks ago, and I still haven't heard back. (I sent a thank-you e-mail after the interview, of course.) I would really like to work there! I want to show my excitement, but I don't want to look desperate. Should I call or e-mail and say, "Hey, remember me?"

NICK'S REPLY: That depends on whether you have other options. It's all about leverage: Do you have any? Without options, you have little leverage because you have nowhere else to go.

On the other hand, if you have developed other good opportunities, then you're in a position to try to speed this up. For example, "I want to work for you, but I have other opportunities pending. Is there anything else you would like to know about me? It would help me to know when you will make a decision."

As long as you are reasonable and polite when you ask for a decision schedule, a good employer should be candid. If they aren't helpful, it's possible they don't know what they want. That should influence your desire to work there. Remember that interviewing and hiring are business interactions. All parties involved deserve respect and candor. If your own schedule isn't respected, it may be time to walk away.

So what should you do at this point? If you're in a real hurry, you should absolutely get in touch with the hiring manager, reiterate your interest and ask for a decision date. If you want the job, say so clearly. This is no time to be coy. In fact, you should be assertive. Ask the manager to "grade" you: "Did I show you that I could do the job and do it profitably?" It's a powerful way to stand out.

Never leave an interview without getting a clear time frame from the hiring manager. That gives you something to refer to when you make this follow-up call.

There's a bit of a risk in this approach. But I think there's a bigger risk in sitting around waiting.

THE HEADHUNTER TIP:

How to deal with headhunters

Nowadays, "headhunters" call people at all levels of experience, not just executives. But not all are who they say they are. The way to deal with headhunters who call out of the blue is to use common sense.

• Find out exactly who you're dealing with, or don't work with him.
• Check the headhunter's identity. Look him up online and confirm his business. Unfortunately, the business attracts shady people.
• Check references. A good headhunter has a good reputation and protects it vigilantly. You should turn up no surprises.
• Protect yourself by protecting your personal information. Some of it may already be on the Internet. You needlessly expose more of it.
• Treat headhunters like you'd treat any salesperson. Judge whether they know what they're talking about and what they're doing.

Don't let your enthusiasm supersede your judgment. Know who you're dealing with.

Copyright 2009. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.