Towards the end of your interview you should have asked the key question about what happens next. Something like “How soon will you make a decision on whom you plan to hire?" This will have given you a time frame; you want to appear enthusiastic but not annoying. If they expect to make a decision within the next week, you need to follow up in a couple of days; for a longer time it is best to wait a week.

到面试结束的时候,你应该询问的一个重要问题是:接下来会怎么样?比如说,“你们决定录用一个人的时间要多长?”问这类问题可以给你自己一个时间范围,而且你体现了你的满腔热情,而不是满心焦急。如果面试公司会在下周内做决定,你需要在接下来两三天内保持跟进;如果面试公司需要更长时间,那你的跟进时间差不多在一个星期左右。

One thing you should do, immediately after the interview, is send a thank you email or letter. Send it the same day or, at the latest, on the following day to the person or persons who interviewed you; remember to ask for business cards before you leave the interview. It is a good idea to do this even if the job doesn’t really interest you. In it you should show your appreciation for the employers’ interest in you and stress your interest in them.

面试结束后,紧跟着你就需要做的一件事,就是发出感谢信,用邮件或信件方式都可以。在面试的同一天,最迟第二天,要寄到面试官手中;离开面试考场的时候,记得向面试官索要名片,以确保得到正确的邮箱地址。哪怕这份工作不是你最理想的,寄出感谢信也是不可缺少的一个环节。在信中,需要流露感激之情,原因是雇主对你感兴趣,同时也要强调,你对他们也很期待。

Remind them of your qualifications, mention anything important you might have forgotten in the interview and give them any follow up information they might have asked for. These thank you letters can be typed, handwritten or emailed. The most formal is a hard copy, typed letter and it will make you stand out among the other applicants; remember to use standard paper with a matching envelope.If the employer is less formal a hand written note is more personal.

让他们注意到你的资格证书,提及一切你在面试过程中忘记说到的重要信息,写上他们需要的跟进信息。感谢信可以用打印稿,手写稿,或电子邮件的方式寄出。最正式的,是电子打印稿,打印稿会使你在一堆申请人中脱颖而出;记住要使用标准信纸和规格相符的信封。如果和雇主不是那么正式关系的话,手写的感谢信会显得更亲切一些。

Post it quickly or even have it hand delivered; faxing is another possibility but make sure you have your interviewer’s correct fax number. Email is fine, especially if this is how you have been contacting up to now or you know a hard copy wouldn’t get to him or her in time. It is advisable to write the note in your word processor, where spell and grammar check will get rid of any typos. Then copy and paste it to your email. Whether you use regular mail, fax or email depends on which medium you feel is best for each interview situation. If you receive a job offer before you have had a chance to send a note; thank the employer for both the interview and the offer. You can also accept or decline the offer.

写完后,尽快寄出,或者直接亲手递交;传真也是可取的方式,首先要确定你有雇主的传真号。如果你一直用电子邮件方式和对方联系,发电子邮件也是可以的,或者当你则认为打印稿不能及时到达雇主手中,这个方式是不错的选择。在word文档中打出感谢信是个好方法,这样可以避免拼写错误和语法问题,然后拷贝粘贴到电子邮件中。使用常规邮件,传真,或者电子邮件,取决于哪种方式最合适当时的情况。如果在你发出感谢信之前,你就得到了工作,你需要在感谢信中向雇主表达对面试和工作的感激之情。当然你可以选择接受或者拒绝工作邀请。

Your follow up phone call depends on the time frame you deduced from your interview question. Let’s say five days after the interview you decide to call. Ask to speak with the person who interviewed you. You should be polite and professional, restate your interest in the position but don’t sound desperate! Ask if they need any further information and if you are still under consideration. Find out when you can expect a final decision.

什么时候该打跟进电话询问进展呢?这取决于你从面试官那里得来的答案了。比方说,面试后五天,你打算打个电话询问情况。你需要求和面试官通话,态度礼貌,措辞合理,不要流露出焦急的情绪。询问他们是否需要更多信息,问清楚目前你是否在就职考虑之中,以及多久能得到最终答复。

It’s possible the company may have specifically asked you not to contact them but to wait for them to come back to you. In this case ask when you can expect to hear from them. If you have heard nothing, wait a couple of days and then call or email the interviewer. Ask politely about the status of your job application.

公司也有可能会让你不要再联系他们,而是等他们给你答复。这种情况下,问一下什么时候可以得到他们的通知。等两天之后,你可以再打电话或发邮件询问面试官,礼貌的询问你的状况。

Glossary

核心词汇

Time frame (noun)          Period of time during which something occurs

时间范围

Appreciation (noun)        Expression of gratitude

欣赏,感激

Hard copy (noun)           Printed copy, especially from a computer or word processor

打印稿

Handwritten (adj)           Written by hand, not typed or printed

手写的

Typos (noun)                 Errors in typing, typographical errors

拼写错误

Restate (verb)                Say or state again
重申