How to Follow-up without Being a Pest
So, you made it through the first interview without hyperventilating. Great! Now it’s time for you to follow-up. Once again, another crucial step in a multi-tiered stage that can make or break you. It’s a delicate balance for applicants to show they are genuinely interested in the job but without seeming desperate. Whatever you do, don’t start bombarding them with phone calls, emails, and letters after the interview. I have seen people do this over and over again. If you are too aggressive, it’s over.
One of the ways top-level talent agents decide whether or not a potential client is ready for the "big-time" is by how the actor, or writer, handles their initial dealings with the agency. I’ve been told on many occasions that talented actors and writers were not signed with a big agency because they acted too desperate before, during, or after an interview. Again, always err on the side of caution.
After the interview, either send an email or a short letter thanking them for their time. Do this right away. Handling this small but simple task is going to help separate you from the other candidates, some of which are inevitably going to be better qualified. Time and again, I’ve seen candidates drop the ball when it comes to the little things like this. If you’re represented by an employment agent, don’t contact the client directly without discussing it with them first.
On more than one occasion, I’ve hired less qualified assistants because of their ability to outshine others by handling all of the small things, like a thank you letter. It seems so simple, yet so few people do it properly. It doesn’t matter how stellar your resume is if you don’t impress the interviewer with your ability to handle the small things. They will just assume -- whether it’s true or not -- that you can’t handle the big things.
One of the ways top-level talent agents decide whether or not a potential client is ready for the "big-time" is by how the actor, or writer, handles their initial dealings with the agency. I’ve been told on many occasions that talented actors and writers were not signed with a big agency because they acted too desperate before, during, or after an interview. Again, always err on the side of caution.
After the interview, either send an email or a short letter thanking them for their time. Do this right away. Handling this small but simple task is going to help separate you from the other candidates, some of which are inevitably going to be better qualified. Time and again, I’ve seen candidates drop the ball when it comes to the little things like this. If you’re represented by an employment agent, don’t contact the client directly without discussing it with them first.
On more than one occasion, I’ve hired less qualified assistants because of their ability to outshine others by handling all of the small things, like a thank you letter. It seems so simple, yet so few people do it properly. It doesn’t matter how stellar your resume is if you don’t impress the interviewer with your ability to handle the small things. They will just assume -- whether it’s true or not -- that you can’t handle the big things.