Whether you are preparing for a job interview, a research conversation, or a professional meeting, the opening and closing of an interview matter as much as the substance in between. First impressions are formed quickly. A strong introduction puts both parties at ease. A well-timed follow-up keeps you memorable and maintains the relationship after the conversation ends.
This guide covers what to wear, how to introduce yourself, and how to write a follow-up that is professional rather than generic. There is also a section at the end for those running the interview rather than participating in one.
What to wear to an interview
The most reliable principle is: dress one level more formally than the setting you expect. If the culture is casual, wear smart casual. If smart casual is the norm, wear business casual. If business casual is standard, wear a suit or equivalent formal attire.
When in doubt, more formal is almost always safer than less formal. You can always dress down if you arrive and find the environment is more casual than you expected. Arriving underdressed is harder to recover from.
By setting
Corporate or financial services: Business formal is the safe default. For men, this means a well-fitted suit in a neutral colour, a pressed shirt, and a conservative tie. For women, this means a business suit, a tailored dress, or a blouse and trousers combination at a similar level of formality.
Professional services or consulting: Business casual to business formal depending on the specific firm. Research the firm's culture beforehand; most have a visible dress code from their website, LinkedIn presence, or glassdoor reviews.
Technology or startup: Smart casual is usually appropriate. Clean, well-fitted clothes in muted colours. Avoid anything that looks as though you have just come from the gym.
Creative or media industries: Smart casual is usually fine, but this is also a setting where distinctive personal style is more accepted. The goal is to look intentional, not underdressed.
Academic or research contexts: Smart casual. The standards are lower than in commercial settings, but looking presentable matters.
Practical rules that hold across settings
- Clothes should be clean, pressed, and well-fitted. Poor fit undermines any outfit.
- Avoid strong scents. In a small meeting room, perfume or aftershave that works outdoors can be overwhelming.
- Keep jewellery and accessories simple.
- Shoes matter more than most people expect. They should be clean and in good condition.
- If you are interviewing remotely, dress from the waist up as you would for an in-person meeting. Appearing polished on a video call requires at least as much attention as in person.
How to introduce yourself
A strong self-introduction does three things: it tells the other person who you are, it gives them a context for why you are in the room, and it creates an opening for conversation rather than closing it down with an exhaustive monologue.
The structure that works
Who you are + what you do + what connects you to this conversation
- "I'm [name]. I've been working in [field] for [time period], most recently at [organisation], where I worked on [relevant area]. When I saw this opportunity, I was particularly interested in [specific aspect] because..."
- "I'm [name]. I study [topic] at [institution]. My research focuses on [area], which is what brought me to this conversation about..."
- "I'm [name], and I lead the [function] team at [company]. We've been thinking about [problem area], which is why I wanted to speak with you."
What to avoid
Too long. A self-introduction should take 30-60 seconds, not five minutes. If someone needs to know more, they will ask.
Too modest. "I'm just a..." or "I don't know much about this but..." undersells you and signals insecurity. State your experience and position plainly.
Too much jargon. Introducing yourself with acronyms and technical terms assumes the other person shares your context. Lead with plain language and let the conversation establish shared vocabulary.
Reading from a script. A rehearsed-sounding introduction is off-putting. Know the structure and practise the content until it feels natural, but do not memorise sentences word for word.
For video and remote settings
Remote introductions often have an awkward first 30 seconds of audio checks and joining delays. Expect this and plan for it. Have a brief, friendly opening ready for after the technical setup ("Great to have you, I'll let the others join and we can get started in a moment") that bridges the gap before your formal introduction.
How to follow up after an interview
A follow-up message serves multiple purposes: it confirms your continued interest, it gives you an opportunity to address anything that went unsaid, and it demonstrates the kind of attention and professionalism that is often what separates similar candidates in a competitive process.
When to send it
Send within 24 hours of the interview, ideally the same evening or the following morning. The window is short: if you wait two or three days, the message loses its connection to the conversation.
What to include
Address the person by name at the top. If multiple people interviewed you, send individual notes rather than a group message. Each person should feel addressed specifically, not copied.
Thank them for their time. Keep this brief and genuine. "Thank you for the conversation this morning" is sufficient. Extended gratitude reads as filler.
Reference something specific from the conversation. This is what distinguishes a genuine follow-up from a generic one. "I found what you said about [specific topic or project] particularly interesting" or "The question you asked about [X] made me think further about..." shows you were listening and that the conversation stayed with you.
Reinforce your interest and fit. One or two sentences connecting your background to a specific aspect of what you discussed. "The challenge you described around [topic] is something I worked directly on at [previous role], which is part of why I'm particularly interested in this position."
Close cleanly. "I look forward to hearing from you" or "Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions." Do not make this section elaborate.
A template to adapt
Dear [Name],
Thank you for the time this [morning/afternoon]. It was an insightful conversation.
I particularly enjoyed discussing [specific topic]. [One sentence connecting it to your interest or experience.] It reinforced my sense that this [role/project/organisation] would be a strong fit for what I'm looking to do next.
I look forward to hearing how the process develops. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any further questions.
Best regards, [Your name]
This should take no more than three to four short paragraphs. Longer than this, and the follow-up begins to read as a second application letter rather than a genuine note of thanks.
If you are the interviewer: running the session well
Most of this guide addresses the interviewee. But many people reading it are on the other side of the table: conducting job interviews, running research sessions, or managing stakeholder conversations. The same principles apply in reverse.
Dress to the standard of the role you are representing. The interviewer's dress signals the organisation's culture to the candidate. Consistency with what you would expect from people in that role is the goal.
Introduce yourself and the purpose of the conversation clearly. Candidates and research participants alike perform better when they understand who you are, what your role is in the process, and what the conversation will cover. A brief orienting statement at the start ("I'm going to ask you about [area], and we have about [time] for the conversation. Please feel free to ask me questions as we go") reduces uncertainty and produces more open responses.
Take structured notes or record (with consent). Memory-based assessments of interview performance are unreliable and susceptible to first-impression bias. For research interviews, systematic recording and transcription is essential for analysis. For job interviews, structured scoring sheets or note templates that require you to assess the same dimensions for each candidate significantly improve the fairness and quality of the evaluation.
Follow up promptly. Candidates who do not hear back feel disrespected, and it damages the organisation's reputation as an employer. A clear communication about next steps and timeline at the end of the interview, followed by an update even if the update is "we're still deciding," is the professional standard.
For HR and research teams running structured interview programmes
If you are conducting multiple interviews for research or assessment purposes and need to synthesise findings across many conversations, the analysis challenge is significant. For HR teams running exit interviews or engagement surveys, and for market researchers synthesising customer discovery interviews, see how to analyse exit interview data and how to synthesise user research for the analytical workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is it appropriate to send a thank-you note after a research interview as the researcher?
Yes, if the participant gave up significant time (a 60-minute in-depth interview, for example) or shared particularly sensitive or personal information. A brief, warm note that thanks them and lets them know when results might be shared is appreciated and supports ongoing research relationships.
What if I forgot to mention something important in the interview?
The follow-up note is a natural place to add it. Keep it brief: "One thing I forgot to mention during our conversation was [X], which I thought might be relevant to [topic you discussed]." This is more professional than trying to work it into the follow-up at length.
Should I connect on LinkedIn after an interview?
For job interviews, wait until you know the outcome. Connecting immediately after can put pressure on the process and may read as presumptuous. After a positive outcome, connecting is entirely appropriate. For research or professional networking conversations, connecting on LinkedIn at the end of the conversation or in the follow-up note is standard practice and welcomed.
How long should I wait before following up if I have not heard back?
After sending a post-interview follow-up, give the timeline the interviewer communicated. If no timeline was given, seven to ten business days is a reasonable interval before a polite inquiry. Keep any chaser message brief and tone it as a genuine inquiry rather than pressure: "I wanted to check in on the timeline for next steps, as I'm still very interested in the opportunity."
Running interview-based research and need to make sense of many conversations at once? Try Skimle for free and see how structured AI analysis turns your interview transcripts into a coherent, comparable picture of what your participants said.
Related reading: Good interview questions to ask | Exit interview questions and how to analyse the results | How to conduct effective business interviews
About the authors
Henri Schildt is a Professor of Strategy at Aalto University School of Business and co-founder of Skimle. He has published over a dozen peer-reviewed articles using qualitative methods, including work in Academy of Management Journal, Organisation Science, and Strategic Management Journal. His research focuses on organisational strategy, innovation, and qualitative methodology. Google Scholar profile
Olli Salo is a former Partner at McKinsey & Company where he spent 18 years helping clients understand the markets and themselves, develop winning strategies and improve their operating models. He has done over 1000 client interviews and published over 10 articles on McKinsey.com and beyond. LinkedIn profile
