You were finally able to get an interview for your dream job with one of the top companies in the hospitality industry, but now what should you do? All the signs were there but you want to make sure you don’t mess up by simply doing nothing.

Even if you nailed the interview, failing to follow up properly could knock you down a rung or two, something you definitely want to avoid, so here are a few tips to ensure you can keep the ball rolling and get called back for that next interview.

What Did You Miss?

Even the most seasoned manager can get sidetracked a little bit during an interview. You may have forgotten to ask a question you wanted to ask or after the interview, you thought of some questions for which you still needed answers. Write all these questions down so you can ask them during the next round of interviews.

Contact Information and Thank You Notes

Whether you met with one manager or five, make sure you obtain all their contact information to send out a quick note after the interviews are over. If they did not give you a business card, you can probably get their information by calling the hotel or looking them up on LinkedIn.

As soon as possible after the interview, preferably within 24 hours, thank you notes should be sent out to everyone you interviewed with. If you have their work email, contact them through that email. If not, consider sending them a note via LinkedIn or other social media profile if you were able to find their information.

Put Your References on Alert

If the interview went well, there is a very good chance your references are going to be called before your next interview. If you have not put your references on alert yet, you better start making phone calls and sending out emails. Every reference should also have a current copy of your resume to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding achievements and the role you played while working for them.

Prepare for Next Round

The second round of interviews is going to be far more intense than the first round. To be successful, you are going to need to do even more homework than you did for the first interview. If you were smart, you asked the HR manager some of the challenges the company is facing during your first interview. As part of your second interview, you should be prepared with ideas that can help address these concerns.

The second interview will be much more in-depth, so you will also need to be ready to focus on your listening skills. This is your chance to impress your direct supervisors, so make sure you listen intently and ask the right questions to better understand exactly what your role will be if you get hired. This is also your opportunity to impress them with your knowledge of the company.

Remember, this round is also going to be about the culture of the company as well as if you are an ideal fit, but this goes both ways. While the position may be ideal, you need to ask questions of your potential supervisors to ensure the company is as good a fit for you as they believe you to be for them.

Are you having problems finding your dream job? If you are among the top talent in the hospitality industry, JDI can help. Joseph David International is regularly ranked as one of the top hotel recruiters in the country because we work hard to find the perfect fit for both the company and the candidate.

For more information about our recruiting services for candidates, click here.