So the interview is over – and you are just left hanging.
It’s a strange feeling and one that some people are just not prepared for. It’s like a date that seems to be going well, but you just don’t get that follow up call or maybe the kiss. But why?
The interview is over – why do I feel so strange?
Here is the backstory. Journalists have been given a list of stories to deal with in their day. They want to get the very best out of each interview and so they spend time building rapport with the person they are about to interview (which they call ‘the talent’). Years of media best practice has shown reporters that they will get the best interview if the talent is relaxed and feeling friendly with the reporter before the real interview begins. (Just know this….the interview always has begun the minute you meet the reporter. So stick to your message even before the cameras roll, the mic is switched on or the pencil hits the paper!)
Once the interview is over, that reporter needs to move onto the next item on their list. There is nothing personal in this – they just have to quickly refocus and work on building rapport with the next talent. It is not that they don’t care about you or your story, they just have a job to do and they have deadlines to meet.
Things to do when the interview is over
Here is a list of things you can do at the end of the interview.
Thank the reporter/photographer etc quickly for coming to cover your story (or for their time in studio).- Ask the one question – ‘Is there anything I need to send you to help you with the story?’ This could be photos, graphics etc. Make sure you fulfill any request ASAP.
- Once the story appears in the media, its super nice to send a quick thank you to the journalist. They are hard working people are get a fair amount of criticism…so I nice thank you card when a job is done will is always appreciated.
Here is some other thoughts about what you can expect after an interview