![[CNBC] The No. 1 thing you should do right after a job interview, from an ex-Google exec: It ‘shows that you’re going above and beyond’](https://media.nbcchicago.com/2025/03/108110749-1741116058870-gettyimages-2180253874-dsc01160.jpeg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=320%2C180)
[CNBC] The No. 1 thing you should do right after a job interview, from an ex-Google exec: It ‘shows that you’re going above and beyond’
When it comes to ways to stand out during the interview process, former Google executive Jenny Wood recommends tactics like writing a LinkedIn post about the company within days of your interview so your prospective employer sees your eagerness to work for them.
Wood shares various strategies for career success in her forthcoming book, "Wild Courage," out March 25, as well as her bi-weekly newsletter, Big Small Things. She has tips for how to impress people after the interview, too.
Here's what she recommends doing immediately after you've said your goodbyes.
Go beyond a 'boilerplate "thank you"'
When you're done with your interview, the first thing you'll want to do is write a thank you note. But don't just send them a couple of lines saying it was nice to meet them.
"It's so easy to just copy and paste your boilerplate 'thank you' note," says Wood, "if you feel like there's something else you could add to a question they asked, that's a great thing to put in the thank you note."
Could you expand on an answer about how to move the company forward or about problems they need help solving on the ground? Whatever element of the role you expand on, take three to four sentences to do that.
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That kind of thinking "shows that you're going above and beyond," she says, "and it shows that you care deeply about the business, the content, the objectives."
Send that note 'within one hour'
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While many career experts recommend sending that thank you note within 24 hours of the interview, Wood would recommend doing it even sooner.
Send it "within one hour," she says, "because people pay attention to speed." In the workplace, there are people who get things done quickly and those who take a bit more time. When you shoot them an email that fast, "you are sending a signal about how you work," she says.
Plus, when it comes to how candidates behave in the interview process, you want to pleasantly surprise your prospective employers. Sending that note within "24 hours is expected," says Wood, "within the hour is less expected."
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