Dear Work Coach,
I am from Taiwan and found your website by google. My background is engineering, and I focus my job hunting on those positions in the high-tech industry. Currently I stuck in the waiting game after my 2nd interview. My situation is like this.
I went to the 2nd interview of a large high-tech company on April 17, and I wrote thank you note and follow-up letters after the interview to all the interviewer, but I did not hear anything from them over the past month. Therefore, I called HR last Monday for their decision.
She responded my job application is getting approval, but she does not know which candidate would be selected (It sounds weird). She assumed the approval process would be done by the end of last week and would give me call.
Until now, I still have not received her call. Is there still hope to get this job? I am very desperate for this job, cuz it is what I really want. Could you give me some opinions?
Thank many for your help.
VL
Taipei, Taiwan
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Dear VL,
So glad you found my blog. Welcome. I love having guests from other parts of the world. I’ll try my best to help you.
There’s no way for me to know for sure what they are thinking, but as of this moment, there is still hope. Sometimes, after a second interview, companies need to run your application through a variety of processes before they can even consider an offer, and those processes can take a long time. It sounds like you are one of several candidates, but she gave you no clue as to whether you’re the number one choice as of this moment.
All you can do right now is wait and think positively. (It never hurts.) Even if you aren’t number one, the person who they offer it to may already have another job or may say no. So many possibilities. But without a crystal ball, I can only tell you…there is still a chance – even though it’s past the deadline she gave you.
I wish you much luck, VL, and hope you do get this job. But just in case you don’t, take that positive energy and don’t give up until you get the job you want!
Good luck! Please let us know what happens.
Ronnie Ann
Related Work Coach Cafe posts:
After the Job Interview: Why Haven’t They Called Me Yet?
Hi,
I am facing the same situation here. I’ve gone through 2nd round of interview and to me, it went pretty well. I followed up with thank you note. However, it’s been a week since I sent the thank you note and I’ve yet to hear anything. During the 2nd interview I was told that I was one of the shortlisted candidate. I logged on to the job application website and noticed that the job status is now “No longer accepting job submission”. The job was advertised since July this year and right after my interview, it is now closed. I am really curious as to whether I will get an offer soon or they’ve already found the right candidate?
Hi,
I’m having a tricky time trying to work out what to do. I have had a second interview for a high level position mid way through last week and I thought the interview went very well. I have also been offered another role for which I needed to accept or decline by the end of last week. In the second interview it was understood (as HR had told the interviewer of my prospective offer) that I would need to be contacted by the close of business on Friday if they wanted to proceed with my application. The interviewer said that she was going to do her best but that there were a number of annual meetings being held over the following few days and that it may be difficult to get all those needed in the decision making process together. I was contacted by the close of the week to be told that they were unable to come back to me as they had not gotten together as yet. I put off the other job offer until this week as I would much prefer the job I am waiting to hear back on. It is now a week from the second interview and i have heard nothing. Knowing that I have another job in the wings I would have thought may have encouraged them to get back to me sooner but it would seem not. I am not sure whether to keep waiting at the risk of annoying or potentially losing out on a position or simply let it go and accept the other offer even though it is less desirable. I cannot work out whether the interview went as well as I thought it had …. on reflection perhaps it didn’t. Should I contact them again or simply leave it be ?
James,
If you feel you have a good relationship with the HR contact, you may want to have a frank conversation explaining your situation and asking for direct feedback on the chances for this job coming through. If you are honest with the employer hopefully they will be honest with you. Please remember, it may be unfortunate but the timeline of the hiring process of the employer may not match the timeline you need. Good luck!
- The Work Coach Cafe Team
I am an experienced professional who has spent the last 2 years interviewing. I would like to save you needless pain and heartache. You are a very lucky person. You have an actual job offer. Accept the job you were offered on the date you said you would give your decision. Call the other job and tell them exactly what you are going to do, that you understand their situation and even sympathize but you have had to move ahead on yours. If they want you, they will convene a special meeting any way they can. It is a waste of time to have a discussion with the HR contact. The HR person often has NO control over these things.
Please take this seriously. I have recently found a job (finally!) and I truly truly feel your pain. Don’t lose the job in hand.
Hi,
I’m in sort of a similar situation and am not sure what to do. I interviewed for a job a few weeks ago, and had a second interview on Nov. 24th. The second intervew went really well, I met with everyone I would be working with, and was there for about 2.5 hours. The hiring manager told me it was between myself and one other candidate, who had come in earlier that day for her second interview. I did a test with HR, and the HR rep said it would take 3-5 business days to run a background check, so he said I should get a call by the end of the following week. Unfortunately, I never specifically asked the hiring manager when he would let me know their decision.
I sent a thank you/follow up email that evening, just thanking them for their time, and clarifying one question they had, and now I’ve been waiting. Since my interview was on the Wednesday before thanksgiving, I figured the background check timeline may have been thrown off a bit, so I have been waiting patiently. Now it has been ten days since the interview, and I haven’t heard anything back. Is it too soon to ask about their decision? What should I say in the email? Would it be annoying to email the hiring manager and ask when they would be making their decision, since I never technically asked him?
I am mostly concerned because I am now out of a job, and this job opportunity is in a new field for me. I really really want this job, so I am hesitant to apply for other jobs in my current field as a nanny because I know I could get one of these jobs very easily, but I’d really like the new job(it pays a lot more and is more secure).
Any advice would be very appreciated!
Thanks!!!
Try to move on. You may be selected and you may not. It is very difficult to feel that such things are so outside your control. But they are. No matter what happens, try not to let it affect your belief in yourself. And don’t ever get trapped into thinking that this job is the be all and end all and your life will be ruined if you don’t get it. Believe me, I’ve been there and done that.
Kelly,
Best of luck in this time anxious time looking for a job. You may want to wait a few more days to hear back from the employer. If you don;t hear within a couple days you may want to call or send a quick e-mail checking on the status. Don’t take the follow up as an opportunity to clarify answers, just express your desire for the position and check on the progress.
- The Work Coach Cafe Team
Had first interview on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2011. The second interview was on Friday, Jan 6, 2012. I sent thank you notes for each round of interviews and telephoned on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 to see if they made a final decision. I was told that she had been out of the office for a few days and I would hear from her by the end of the week. Needless to say I didn’t hear anything. Should I call again or move on?
Hi Allie,
If she had been out of the office for a few days, she probably has many things to catch up on, and filling this job is not her highest priority yet. If you haven’t heard by Tuesday, I’d check in again.
I concur with Debbie and your own instinct. Maybe this will work out for you, and maybe it won’t. But, continue looking so if you don’t get an answer you won’t have lost much time.
Good luck!
Check in with them but in your mind, MOVE ON. You will only cause yourself pain by hanging on emotionally. I know. It took me almost 2 years to get hired. When they wanted me, I knew it and they knew it and it happened. Without pain. Best of luck to you. Persevere in general, you will get employed.