7 years ago
September 5, 2017

5 Best Practices to Follow After a Sales Interview

So, you’ve just finished a sales interview for a job you have always wanted. You’ve put a lot of time and effort into making the best impression possible. Now all…

Claire McConnachie Recruiter
Claire McConnachie

So, you’ve just finished a sales interview for a job you have always wanted. You’ve put a lot of time and effort into making the best impression possible. Now all you have to do is wait for the callback, right?

Actually, no. Following up after a sales interview is a very important part of the job search process. It is also one that many sales professionals take lightly and overlook.

1. Actually Follow Up After Your Sales Interview

Following up after a sales interview is a must. It is important to not only show your gratitude to the hiring company for considering you as a candidate, but it also shows that you are interested in the opportunity. Companies often spend weeks to hire. Following up ensures you are top of mind when they are narrowing the list for second interviews and comparing candidates.

2. Choose the Right Type of Communication

The type of communication medium you use to follow up is important. While most will default to email, which is perfectly fine, the key is to use the channel of communication that is preferred by the hiring company. Often, it is the last form of communication used – phone, social media, text, mail. Choose the one that makes the most sense.

3. Choose the Right Timeline

When to follow up is important. You don’t want to do it too quickly. You also don’t want to wait too long. “A great approach is to ask about their timeline for making a hiring decision before you leave the interview. This will help you to properly time your follow-up attempts. In addition, a quick ‘thank you’ [email] is always a nice touch,” says Sharlyn Lauby on Mashable.

4. Don’t Follow Up Too Many Times

Avoid following up so much that you become an annoyance. Following up after the interview to say thank you is great. It is also okay to follow up again after the company has provided you with a timeframe and failed to contact you. But don’t keep on contacting them and asking if they have made a decision. This is a good way to get disqualified as a candidate.

5. Know When to Move On

Not all companies will follow up. Therefore, it’s important when to know when it’s time to move on. Remember, just because you had an interview doesn’t mean you should hold out. Take other interviews and continue your job search until you hear back from the company.

Get more sales job search tips by reading these blog posts:

4 Resume Optimization Tips to Get Noticed by Sales Headhunters

3 Ways to Ace a Sales Interview

5 Tips to Dress Fashionably for Sales Interviews


SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.

Claire McConnachie Recruiter

Claire McConnachie

Claire has 4+ years of experience in sales and recruitment. As a Director of Client Services, her main objective is to connect great people to great companies by building strong relationships with both top clients and candidates in the sales industry. She specializes in sales roles of all seniority levels for both enterprise and start-up clients North American wide. When Claire isn't networking with top talent, she enjoys being outdoors, traveling and spending time with friends & family.

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