So you just had a job interview and you did everything you could. From sprucing up your resume to making sure you looked your best- you did everything to the best of your abilities. You took the time out to sharpen your professional skills before you even applied for the job. You were prepared for all the interview questions and came across as confident and trustworthy. It ended with ‘Thank you, we’ll get back to you’. But it’s been an hour since you left the interview room and patience is running out by the minute. Come night time, and you can’t sleep thinking about what you should and shouldn’t have said.
You might feel tempted to get up in the morning and call or email your interviewer asking if you got the job. But you worry if they don’t reply, you might end up being even more stressed out.
What you need to do, first of all – is calm down! The truth is, you gave it your all, and your interviewers might be busy. You’ll probably get that job; remember that it could all take longer than you expected. And of course, we all know ‘good things come to those who wait.’
But if you’re thinking what the heck you’re supposed to do while you wait, we’ve got your worried back.
Read up on our top tips to handle the anxiety and do something productive with your time while you wait to hear back from your job interview.
1. Don’t stop looking for the next job interview
The not-so-easy to accept truth of the matter is, your interviewer might be doing the same thing. They might have a couple of interviews lined up (yes, even after YOU showed up). And they will come to a decision only when they’ve gone through all the job interviews with the shortlisted candidates.
Instead of constantly worrying about and praying to hear back, you should keep applying to and exploring other job opportunities. If finances are the main worry, you should also look for side hustles to stay safe and get another source of income as soon as you can. This might even distract you from the previous interview since you’ll be busy looking at other company profiles and preparing for interviews with them. Plus, the more interview questions you answer, the better you get at it!
If you fear your skills might soon be outdated, take this time to improve your skills. It’s never too late to sharpen your professional skills!
2. What job interview? Read that fat book.
While a job is essential to survival, it’s not the end-all and the only purpose of life. There’s a vast world out there waiting for you to engage your curiosity. If you’ve been putting off a great book that you always wanted to read but had no time for when you were working – NOW is the time!
If you come to like the book, you’ll easily be distracted from the anxiety of waiting to hear back from the job interview. Apart from killing time, reading a good book will help you transcend into another reality that might have vast knowledge to offer on the way. And maybe, it’ll help you prepare for interview questions the next time around.
If you need some help, here’s a great list of books you can check out!
3. Play hard to get
Okay you’re done with the job interview and the million different interview questions. Now, it’s a good idea to send your interviewer an appreciation email for taking out the time to meet you. Just resist the urge to send multiple follow-ups, which can end up annoying your prospective employer.
So it would work best for you if you don’t email or call them repeatedly or check-in immediately. Play it cool. (even if you aren’t)
4. Commence online detective work
If you’re eagerly waiting to hear back from a job interview, and there’s nothing else you can focus on, put your time and energy into researching the company. After all, if you are daydreaming about getting a positive reply, you should know how to respond when that call finally comes in.
So after you sigh at your daydreams, be the digital Sherlock Holmes you are and uncover whatever you can about the company: its employees, its products and services, and whatever else you stumble upon. Plus this is a great way to sharpen your professional skills. If your profession is being a world class spy.
This research will help you determine where and how you fit into the company and whether you would indeed be happy if you were to join.
5. Meditate
Calm down your anxious mind with meditation. Whenever you feel tempted to refresh your email app a zillion times or check your phone every minute to see if they’ve responded, deny yourself the panic-stricken joy. Lie down in a dimly lit area in your house and focus on your breath. Let the thoughts come in and go as they please. Choose not to interact with them. You’ll find a much-needed sense of calm and sail through with lesser effort that panic requires you to put in. You’ll also find that meditating helps sharpen your professional skills. It’s magical!
Here’s a list of meditation apps that could be really helpful for beginners!
D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers keep calm while waiting to hear back from a job interview? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!
