Short answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
People wonder what to do after the job interview . I just read a recent comment from one of my readers who said “I still haven’t heard back from them after my job interview and they stopped answering my weekly follow up calls and emails so I just assume they don’t want me. I think that’s rude not to respond to me, but oh well. I will continue applying for more things!”
Of course my heart goes out to her, but I almost jumped out of my skin when I read how often she was following up with both phone calls AND emails after the job interview. I get she was just eager to know “Did I get the job?”, but there’s good reason not to do what she was doing. What you do after an interview can count as much as before or during!
While I well understand the agony of waiting to hear back after the interview – and do love her positive attitude about moving on to look for the right job – I worry some of you, including this reader, may actually hurt yourself badly with an overly zealous approach. Bugging a potential employer week after week – no matter how wonderful a hire you might be – is not going to get you the job. In fact, too many phone calls or e-mails can totally turn off the very people in the company you want to impress.
Avoid weekly follow-up calls and emails after an interview
Sending all those e-mails and making all those phone calls does not help your case with the company – and in fact only irritates HR folks and other hiring managers, many of whom have inboxes full of e-mails all demanding immediate attention. An occasional polite post-interview e-mail or phone call can be a good thing…but after that, believe me…if they are interested, they’ll remember you!
Unless you have something you absolutely need to tell them or maybe a new Pulitzer Prize you just won and want them to know about…less is more is a pretty good rule to follow when it comes to contact after the interview. And if they aren’t getting back to you – as annoying as that can be – just assume they have a good reason and do your best to focus on other things…like continuing to look for a great job!
(If you are waiting to hear back, you might find some helpful hints here: 12 Ways to Stay Sane After a Job Interview)
What about phone calls or email before an interview?
Speaking of following up…here’s a post from Kerry over at Clue Wagon that generated some great discussion. Basically, she tells us be wary of online experts who advise us to call or email after sending a resume (before any interview):
Calling to Follow Up? Hand Me a Fork.
(Kerry, a former HR person, is not one to mince words you’ll notice.)
Seriously…unless you have a contact there or a very good reason to call or are in an industry where this is ok (as Kerry also advises in 3 (Possible) Exceptions to the Do-Not-Call Rule), you are probably not helping yourself one bit by calling before an interview to follow up on your resume. Employers sometimes get a hundred or more resumes for one job posting. Believe me…they do not want a hundred or more calls or e-mails for each job they post! (Hmmm…maybe we should call anyone who suggests you do that?)
Of course, for every rule there are exceptions. And I will admit I may have helped myself get to a couple of interviews by using the send-resume-then-make-polite-follow-up-call technique – but then again, it may have been my particular circumstance. And I also might have gotten there anyway based solely on my resume and strong cover letter. (That’s what a good cover letter is for.) So please…if you do try this, just tread gently.
Nuff said.
So what’s your take on how often to follow up AFTER an interview? How have you handled your own post-interview follow-ups?
I didn’t see a reply after your last response to me, but there have been interesting developments and I wanted to let you know. As you suggested, I called after it had been just over a month. She said she had been meaning to call me, and that she was not going to be able to offer what I was asking. She didn’t come back with a counter-offer, but rather she said she didn’t think she would be able to offer me enough to come work for her and I said “You never know until you try”. She then said that before making an offer, she would like me to come take a tour of their facility and talk to some of their people.
When I arrived, the person I was supposed to meet had some personal issues so I met with their Production VP for the tour, and the CFO and Chief Talent Officer for the second part of the visit. When I left they said that I was who they have been waiting for and they would be making an offer after they had a chance to talk amongst themselves. They came back with an offer today, and it was just under what I was asking. In all, I will be making 8k more than I currently do, which is only 2K less that what I was asking for. I received the formal offer letter tonight.
One of the things that impressed them was that I took the initiative to contact them, which is EXACTLY what you told me to do! Thanks!
Oh, John, that’s WONDERFUL news!
Thank you for sharing “the rest of the story” – continuing the narrative of what happened when you reconnected. Excellent work – congratulations on a great recovery from her initially negative position! So, your instincts that this was THE job for you were right all along. GREAT!
You are very welcome for any assistance I provided! You just made my day – probably the whole week!
Cheers!
Susan
No, thank YOU! This event is life-changing for me in so many ways (I’ll not elaborate, because I know that I have a tendency to ramble), and without your advice it would likely not have ended this way. You have made my year! YOU ROCK! THANK YOU!
You are VERY welcome! My pleasure!
Cheers!
Susan
Hello,
I went for an interview a week ago,and it seemed to go well (in fact I answered “yes” to all the questions in the “How To Tell if a Job Interview Went Well” article). But I have not heard back. I know a week is not long, but the employer mentioned that they need someone immediately since they were short staff members. So I was wondering if I should send a follow up email or not? (I did send thank yous after the interview). Thank you.
HI Michelle,
While they may certainly have meant that they wanted someone to start “immediately” – “immediately” means after they’ve made up their minds, gotten all the approvals (particularly in a big company), and completed all the paperwork. So not hearing for a week is not necessarily a bad sign.
So, if you can, wait until the end of this week to check in with them and see what is going on. Be polite, confident, and friendly, not anxious or angry. Ask them what will happen next, if they need anything more from you (references or ?), and when you can expect to hear from them again. Then, ask who to stay in touch with for the status, assuming you are still under consideration.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi. Thank you for what you do here it’s very helpful. Okay so here’s what has been driving me crazy. I interviewd for a job on the 3rd and was told that I would be informed by the 10th whether I’d been selected for 2nd round interviews. After I hadn’t heard back I sent a follow up email kindly asking about the status of the opportunity. She responded Monday evening that “they’re currently contacting ppl for 2nd round interviews and someone should be contacting you to set that up shortly.” I’ve heard nothing yet am I just getting the run around? Thanks!
Hi Kim,
You could be “getting the run around,” but my guess would be that you are not. You are probably under consideration and will be contacted by early next week. If you haven’t heard from them by next Wednesday, I’d reach out again to see what’s happening..
It seems that the hiring process, particularly when an organization has more than 50 people in it, always takes more time than anyone thinks it will or should. The the whole process – approvals, signatures, schedules coordinated, calls made, and so on – all takes time and attention and a certain amount of luck.
So, keep looking for other opportunities, just in case this one doesn’t work out. But, I bet you hear from them soon.
Good luck!
Susan
Thanks for your response. I guess I ultimately have no choice but to be patient but I just thought that it was strange considering that up until that point they’d been responsive eg. I applied Friday evening they responded the following Monday morning. Also, they interviewed me quickly. So I got a little perplexed why I hadn’t been contacted for a 2nd interview even though she said I’d be contacted “shortly” to set it up. And let me just say I hate the ambiguity in the word shortly.
Hi Kim,
Yes, being patient is usually the most appropriate option. The early part of the hiring process, particularly for the first few people interviewed can go very quickly. Then, for the second round, things can get bogged down. As more “important” people become involved in the process and the number of people involved may increase, coordinating calendars internally can become a nightmare or at least a major project. And that can slow everything down, even if it’s only one person who is the one with the tightest schedule.
There is so much ambiguity tied into so much of this process, unfortunately. I think it’s fear of hurting feelings and also fear of legal issues. Hiring anyone, particularly in a large organization, is not a simple thing to do.
Keep working on your job search so you have other things in your pipeline, in case this one doesn’t work out.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan. I’m glad you recommended being patient. I woke up this morning to an email extending me the opportunity to come in for an in person interview! I guess it really does just takes more time than the average job seeker would like to get things together! Thank you and take care! Kim
Thank you for the update, Kim!
Yes – time flies when you’re on the hiring side of the equation because you’ve got so many other things to do, but it drags an inexorably long time when you are the job seeker.
Good luck!
Susan
I had an interview on 2/17 thru networking. It seemed to go ok. I asked about the next steps and when they look to make a hiring decision. The said they had two more individuals to interview. One scheduled for the week of Feb 20th and another the week of Feb 27th. Does it seem a little odd that they would be spaced out like that? Do employers say things like that if they don’t feel you are a contender?
Hi Ashley,
They might make a statement like that if they don’t feel you are a “contender.” They might also make it because it is the truth. Employers also have work that needs to be done, in addition to finding someone good to fill a job, and it could be that this employer is so busy that things got stretched out. People travel on business, have vacation time scheduled, and other things impact scheduling.
So, don’t take it personally. Your networking contact may help you understand what is going on.
Get back in touch with the employer the 2nd week in March – after that 3rd person is interviewed. If you haven’t already, send a thank you to each person you interviewed with on the 17th.
And, keep looking – it doesn’t feel like this job will be filled very soon.
Good luck!
Susan
I interviewed for a position on February 13, 2012. I sent my thank you notes early on the morning of February 14, 2012. Interviews for the position were scheduled for February 13-14, 2012. I am pretty certain that I am the only candidate who was flown in for the interview. The other candidates were local. It was a panel interview with four individuals, and I did well during the interview. However, I walked out not knowing when the company anticipates making a decision and also not knowing the point person in terms of future contact (the interview was set up by a HR representative located in a different geographic region). While I understand that it takes some time to make a decision about which candidate to hire, I also do not want to appear disinterested by letting several weeks go by without following up. I have read some articles that say that a candidate who does not follow up runs the risk of appearing disinterested, and that can cost them the job. When do you suggest that I follow up? Do you recommend that I follow up with the individual who scheduled my interview or the HR representative at the location where I interviewed? Finally, do you recommend that I follow up via email or via telephone? Thank you.
I had a interview on Feb 3rd and all went very well. The Vice President that was interviewing me did explained that she could not make a job offer due to the job being open, and Interneal canidates can still apply. She states please allow until after Feb.13th after the job closes. I called and left a message on Feb 20th. I have not got any response back. What should I do? If I should do anything? Thank You.
Hi Nikkia,
Vice presidents can be very busy people who are often well protected from “distractions” like job seekers. Was there anyone else you spoke to – an HR person or a recruiter? Or the VP’s assistant? It would probably be more productive to try to reach one of them, since you haven’t heard from the VP. Tell them who you are, when you spoke with the VP, and the job you discussed with the VP.
Be sure to be business-like, polite, and confident in your conversations. Ask for the current status of the job and what the next steps in the process will be, assuming that the job is still open and you are under consideration.
If you get no response from the staff the next few days, you could reach out to the VP, perhaps via email this time, to see what is happening with that position. Don’t expect that the VP will remember who you are or the job you interviewed for. Simply state the facts: the job title, the date of the interview, and that she recommended to you get back in touch later in the month. Then ask the status of the job, as above.
If you still get no response, I’d give up and move on.
Good luck!
Susan
Its been just 3 days after my interview .i noticed that they ate not looking for that position.but they did not convey me anything.on the other hand person who interviewed me hinted that I would their tem member in the conversation.don’t exactly know what to do.
Hi Swetha,
The short answer is “it depends.” There are many variables – the level (entry level vs. management) and “sensitivity” of the job, how much time they have to make the hire, the size of the staff, and the number of people they need to check references for.
Typically at least two or three references are checked; more are checked for jobs involving handling money or confidential information; fewer may be checked for jobs that have high turnover.
Good luck!
Susan
It’s hard to tell what is going on with so little information, but I would wait until next week to contact them to see what is going on.
And, I would keep job hunting, just in case…
Good luck!
Susan
Good afternoon!
I had submitted my resume for an IT Specialist position on the 6th of Feb 2012 with a company that has nearly doubled in size since Nov of 2011. After not hearing anything, I stopped by the office on 9th of Feb, just as a polite “Checking on the status of my resume” which turned into an somewhat an on the spot interview with the HR Manager. That went very well and she advised me the CEO was on travel and not due back until the following Monday the 13th of Feb 2012. I received a phone call the day after I met with the HR Manager requesting an interview for Tues Feb 14 2012 with the CEO, Controller and HR Manager. The interview went very well, I answered all of their questions in a concise, confident manner and we even exchanged several laughs together. I decided to wait a few extra days and hand delivered 3 separate interview thank you letters addressed and enveloped to each of the interviewing managers on Friday the 17th of Feb 2012. I was told during the interview that I should hear something back by the 7th day and it has been 8 now and so far no word. My first thought was to continue the trend of personally paying the office a visit but thought it might seem desperate and overly anxious. I am leaning towards sending an e-mail thanking them once again and asking politely for an update on the position.
At present I have not reached out to them for a status update and I am rather uncertain as to the best to do so. Again, I do not want to seem over zealous but this position would be a life changer for me. I am currently working, but it is a 192 mile round trip 4 days a week which has put a strain on my relationship with my three daughters (I am a single father) and ever so difficult to get them to all of their sporting/school events. The position I am hoping to gain is roughly a 20 mile round trip with an increase in pay!
Any advise you could afford me would be greatly appreciated.
Joe
Hi Joe,
This sounds like a big improvement for you – I hope it works out for you!
These things always take longer than anyone expects or hopes, particularly the job seeker. I bet that something got in the way of a timely decision – travel, illness, or some other crisis typical with a company growing so quickly.
You’ve done the up-close-and-personal several times now, and you don’t want them to think you’re a stalker. So, I would follow up via phone or email with the HR person on Friday of this week.
Note – if you don’t get this job, don’t give up on this employer! Send (don’t drop off) a thank you for taking the time to interview you, to each of those very busy people. Tell them it was nice to meet them all, and you look forward to speaking with them about another job in the future.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan!
I had my 3rd interview (a technical interview) on Feb 3rd where I was told I did a great job and that they were looking to make a decision within two weeks. I had not heard anything back so I reached via voicemail out last Thursday and asked if she could share an update. She responded that afternoon via email and thanked me for my follow up and that they are still looking into a few things and she is sorry to keep me waiting so long. She hopes that she will be able to get back with me early this week. I have not heard back yet and Its been a week since our last conversation. Should I just move on or reach out to her again?
Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
The hiring process always takes longer than job seekers want or need it to take. I hope that you have heard from them by now. If you haven’t, I’d try another email, since she emailed you in response to your voice mail the last time you reached out.
I would definitely keep looking. SO many things go on inside an employer before an offer is made, and so many things can slow down the process (people out sick, on vacation, traveling, etc.), and they may not finish that process in time for you.
Good luck!
Susan
Here’s something I;ve never encountered before, so I wonder if anyone else heard of this practice, or if it’s a “new standard” nowadays…I have been interviewing with a small, but well-known well-established non-profit company for a director-level position. First phone interview with HR went well, I am invited to meet the hiring manager and his peer. This meeting goes well too, I am invited (that same day!) to meet with the company’s CEO, EVP and other senior level folks, as well as a second meeting with hiring manager. I go into this meeting, everything is great, even discuss a department’s 12 month strategy with the hiring manager…3 days later I get a call from HR. I am thinking they are calling to make me an offer, as she starts the converation with, “so how did you like the team?” and “are you still interested in working for us?”, that sort of thing. I reassure her that I loved everyone I’ve met with and consider this job the best fit for me, etc. etc. Then she drops the bomb on me, saying they identified several (!) top candidates and cannot decide on a single one to chose for the job, so they want everyone who made it to the top of their list to come over to the office and deliver a presentation (with deck and everything) on the topic of their choice to the hiring manager and his team….and would I be interested in doing this, or would I prefer to drop out? I said I would, and she stated that she will e-mail the presentation topics & guidelines sometime in the next week, and schedule the presenation shortly thereafter (no dates were given, just some very vague timelines). What do I make of this???? My HR contact there never once mentioned this before, when she and I were discussing the interviewing process and timelines.
Hi Alina,
It’s not exactly standard, but it is definitely not uncommon. I do know people who have been through this and “won” the job.
It does feel a bit like bait-and-switch, or (in my more paranoid moments) a way to pick the brains of some very good people without paying for it. But it is one way for an employer to get an idea whether or not the potential employee is as good as they seem, see how candidates react under pressure, and also see how high the level of trust is. So many people do a fabulous job in the interview process, but are disappointing after they’ve been hired. This sounds like a variation on the “fishbowl” interview method explained in this Job-Hunt article – Handling Case Method/Fishbowl Interviews.
Interesting that they had so many good candidates at the director level that this is the only way they can pick out the “winner.”
I would say go for it!
Good luck!
Susan
I had an interview on 2/8 and then a second face-to-face on 2/10. Both interviews went really well, they said they wanted to make an offer by 2/24 but have not heard anything. I sent my thank you notes after each interview and on 2/19 I just dropped the hiring mgr (who had been directing the interviews) an email saying hope he had a nice weekend and look forward to hearing from him soon. Now he didn’t respond and still have heard nothing – you think this is a bad sign? Should I send him an email since i didn’t hear anything on 2/24?
I did write a follow up email after 1 week of the onsite interview, which in my opinion went perfect. The HR replied to me that they are deciding up on final steps of the feedback and added that team members really enjoyed interacting with me. What exactly does that mean? Can I be hopeful of something good to happen?
Hi Sstaggers,
This is a good sign that you are still being considered. So, probably more steps to go through, but this is a good sign.
Good luck!
Susan
Hello Susan!
As you said probably more steps to go, do you think should I follow up her every week still? She did say that she will contact me after final feedback.
Hi SStaggers,
I would ask her if it’s OK to check in every couple of weeks. If she says OK, that’s what I would do. If she says no, ask her what time frame would be better.
Good luck!
Susan
Susan,
Sorry it’s taken a few weeks to update you. I received the job offer this morning!!! Let me back up, I did take your advice and followed up via email on Sunday night January 29. I heard back from HR on 1/31 again apologizing for the delay and that they were glad to hear from me. I actually received a call from the VP on 2/6 apologizing again for the delay and she asked if I would be available to come into the office and meet on 2/7. She apologized for the short notice. Well I assumed that I would receive the offer on 2/7. I did not. She brought me in to meet with her and the HR manager for an update regarding some leadership changes and to ask additional questions. The meeting ended with her stating that she will follow up with me in a few days with an update on the decision making process. I was disappointed and decided at that point that I would not focus on this particular position and would focus on my other available job opportunities. I actually had an interview on 2/9 with another company and proceeded with that interview. It went well and I had a 2nd interview the following week. Well I was offered the position with the second company last week and proceeded with the background check and drug testing. I was contacted this past Friday confirming that I was cleared to start in 2 weeks. I accepted the offer…. Well this morning I get the offer from the other company I’ve been waiting on since mid November!!! The second position is more of an entry level type sales position (not in my field so I would need to learn the business) with the potential for growth but the first position is a senior management position – I’m just concerned about the amount of time it took for the offer. I’m somewhat concerned about the leadership changes as well. However, I would still like to accept the offer but have already accepted the other job offer — I’ve never been in this situation – I’m very grateful that the job offers are finally coming – I’ve been unemployed for 6 months– I’m nervous because of what I had gone through with the layoff — do you I play it safe and take the entry level sales position or take a chance and move forward and accept the Regional Business Development Manager position. And if I take the position how on earth do I tell the other company after I’ve accepted their offer? Thanks again for your input!
Hi Nancy,
I assume you have written offers from both employers. I wouldn’t make any major decisions, accepting or rejecting either offer unless it is in writing.
Assuming you have the written offers, I would probably stick with the job I had already accepted, personally. But I know that people successfully back out of acceptances often.
I’ve worked in companies with “new leadership” and things are crazy for a while. Sometimes the corporate culture changes, too, and the company becomes a much less appealing place to work.
On the other hand starting at the bottom in a new field is risky, too, although I would think that “business development” and sales are fairly closely related fields.
If you decide to go ahead with your acceptance of job # 2, I would send employer # 1 a very nice rejection letter thanking them for their interest and the offer and reiterating your interest in working in their organization some day.
Regarding backing out on job # 2, I would tell them the truth – that a job you wanted, and had interviewed for before you applied for their job, came through unexpectedly, and you are rescinding your acceptance. I would be very surprised if they didn’t have other people qualified for that entry-level job who are readily available to fill the slot, but, if they get cranky, you might need legal counsel.
I have always been somewhat fatalistic about this kind of situation. If job # 1 was really meant for you, that offer would have come in first. But, it didn’t – maybe a sign from “the Universe” or maybe just bad luck.
Good luck!
Susan
Hello,
I interviewed with this one company about three weeks ago. The interview went well. The HR person does mention that it will take at least two weeks before I can hear anything back from them.
About a week ago, I got an email from the HR person who told me that the management have not made any decision yet and they are still interviewing.
From the internal sources, I got the news that they (the people I had the interview with) do like me and recommended me for the position.
Still, I do not yet hear anything from the company.
Should I call the interviewers? What should I ask? Also if I do not get them on the phone, is it a good idea to leave a message? Some people are not very good answering the messages on the phone.
Should I also follow up with an email after leaving a message on the phone? How soon should I do it after leaving a message on the phone.
Hi Bob,
The great news is that you have “internal sources.” Excellent! And the news they have for you is positive. Also excellent!
If your internal sources are correct, it sounds like there is some sort of hold up somewhere else in the organization. MANY things, most having nothing at all to do with you, can cause delays – approvals or sign-offs from people traveling for business, sick at home, on vacation, or too busy with some other crisis.
I would follow up with a phone call late this week or early next week to check the status. Remind them, politely, of who you are and the job you are waiting for a decision about. Give them a couple of days to respond to the phone message, and send an email. Also check with your internal sources to see if they can get an idea of what the hold up might be.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi,
I had an interview on 17th feb. it goes well. after my thank you letter they asked for reference letter in the last week.
now i have sent all the required info since Friday and till now i don’t have any update.
Should i ask for update now if so what should be the contents of this mail???
Hi KS,
I would wait at least a week before I contacted the employer again. They have a lot to do on that end of the transaction and it always takes more time than job seekers think it should.
Have you heard from your references that this employer contacted them? If they haven’t been contacted yet, I would add another week to the delay before contacting this employer.
If your references were contacted, ask how they thought the discussion went. Who called them? When? What did they ask about you? Did they share anything about you – that they liked you a lot and were hoping to hire you soon or that they had some concerns about something in your experience or background?
The best advice I can give you is to be patient. This is not a fast process!
Good luck!
Susan
Thanks.
Yea They contacted to my references on the same day and get a for filled. They also ask me to send them my pay slip which i send along with other documents on the same day.
In simple they have gathered everything about me since last weekend.
Ok I am waiting as per your advice.
Regards,
khurram
Hi KS,
Sounds like they do have all the documentation they need. Next week would probably be a good time to “touch base” with them to see what the next steps are. There may be additional interviewing with higher management to get “buy in” from those higher up the organization. But it could be almost over.
Keep job hunting, just in case…
Good luck!
Susan
Hi,
I interviewed for an engineering position out of town one week ago today. It seemed to go very well and they stated that they would be in contact, but did not give an exact range of time. They did state that they wanted the chosen applicant to begin work by April 1, which does not leave a lot of time. I sent a thank you email the day after the interview and have not heard anything. Would it be appropriate to inquire about the status of my application, or do I need to wait until 10+ days have passed? If offered the position I will need to provide my current employer with 2 weeks notice, and will also need to make moving arrangements for my family, so I am anxious to find out.
Hi K,
Yes, waiting the 10 days is what you should do before contacting this employer again.
I wouldn’t stress a lot over the April 1 starting date. For the right candidate, they will wait an extra week or two. I would definitely not cut down on the notice to my existing employer.
Good luck!
Susan
Thanks Susan. Without contacting them, I received an email from them today that the head engineer is on a business trip and they will be making their decision early next week. They also asked about whether I own or rent my home (I assume that this is a question that relates to the relocation assistance that they offer.) Should I take this question, and the fact that they took the time to contact me, as a good indication?
Hi K,
Yes, very good indications! But, keep looking in case something happens (job cancelled, business closed, etc.).
Good luck!
Susan
I just received a call from their secretary to set up a conference call for tomorrow with the HR manager and head engineer- should I be prepared to negotiate an offer and details of relocation assistance at this time??
Hi K,
It always pays to be prepared for those discussions, but don’t assume that’s what the call will be about. View it as another interview, and prepare for that, too.
It does sound very promising though!
Good luck!
Susan
Hope I can get your opinion on this. I had an interview on 2/10 and it went very well. I was told a decision would be made on or before 2/17. I sent a thank you not immediately after the interview. I waited until 2/21 and sent an email. I got an auto response from the director (my interviewer) saying she would be out of the office until 3/1! I called on 2/22 and was told by the receptionist that a decision had not been made but assured me that I would hear shorty. So tomorrow is the day when the director comes back. Do you think I should call tomorrow of I haven’t hear by 3:00 or so or wait till Friday. Is that unreasonable based on what they told me earlier? This is a small place with no HR department or large bureaucracy . Thanks for any help you can give me to ease mind.
Hi Chris,
These things always seem to take much longer than anyone expects. So, even though they have missed their own deadline, I would back off. If the director is just getting back into her office today, she has a lot to catch up on, and I’m betting that filling this job is not her highest priority right at this moment, particularly in a small place without a lot of employees to help her.
So, let the woman get things under control in her office before you contact her. I would recommend waiting until Monday, March 5, before you contact her again.
Good luck!
Susan
Thanks so much for the quick response. I’ve read all of your blogs and trust your judgement. Even though the waiting is excruciating, I’ll keep sending out resumes and finding ways to pass the time till Monday! My biggest fear is that I didn’t get the job and they didn’t feel the need to inform me, I would hate to know I was going through all this stress for nothing but I’m hoping that they simply haven’t decided yet.
Hi Chris,
That’s exactly the problem. Employers are very bad at letting people know bad news, so people end up wasting time waiting for offers that never happen.
Hopefully that won’t happen to you, but I’m happy to read that you are continuing to work on your job search – just in case.
Good luck!
Susan
Hello
I would like your opion on my situation. I relocated to a new area and was blessed to interview for a postion much like the one i held for the past three years in my home town. I had applied three times prior too with the same agency and for other postions but I came to understand later that they hired internally for each of these and it was not a reflection of my qualifations ( I called to inqurie and that was the response) During that phone call the ED of the agency had me to email her my resume and she then infomred me that another positon would open soon and I should apply. That brings us back to now…I applied for that positon and was interviwed for it on 2/10. After the interview which went great I was taken on a tour of some of the agency, introduced to other staff that worked on the floor, and infomred on how to work the elevators!!
I asked during the interview when a desicion would be made and I was told two weeks but hopefully sooner. Tomorrow will be three weeks. I have heared from the person that interviewd me once. A week after my interview I emailed my thank you letter. She responed with the salary offer of the position asking what my expecations were and inquired if I had left references. My response to the salary offer was that it was somewhat lower than I expected the hiring salary to be however that does not deter me from wanting the position I also offerend to send offer refferences. She replied that she would check with HR to see if they recived my list of refferences but it would help her out alot if I just emailed another copy–which I did. To date none of my refferences have been contacted. Do you think the salary answer hurt my chances of the job. I thought her responses were still pleasent afterwards but you just never know. I have only called once this week and left a message wihch has not been returned at this point.
Hi Caydence,
A good sign that you were asked for your references, but not a good sign that they haven’t been contacted.
It’s hard to tell how they took your response to the salary offer, but it sounds like you gave them a good, honest response, and indicated that you were still interested in the position.
Since it has been a couple of weeks since your last contact with them (right?), I think it’s appropriate for you to reach out to her again to see what is going on now. Remind her of the job you interviewed for (with job requisition number or whatever their internal identifier is, if you know it), who you interviewed with, and when you interviewed. Then politely ask for the status or when you can expect to hear from them again.
If I were a betting person, I would bet that this was another internal hire, but I could easily be wrong (that’s why I don’t place bets), and it would be good to know for sure.
Good luck!
Susan
Thank you. I appreciate your response! It has actually been a week since my last contact with them. That was via email in regard to salary and refferences, but a total of three weeks has passed since interview. I called once this week and left a voicemail which has not been returned! I am not sure what this all means I really had the impression they were very interested and wanted to hire soon. In fact when they walked me to the elevator I was told that i WOULD be hearing from them followed by a very assertive handshake!!
Hi Caydence,
They may very well be interested in hiring you. But “work” can get in the way of doing things as quickly as they think they will be done. People go on business trips, get sick, go on vacation, etc. MANY things can hold up the hiring process, and most of them have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the candidate or the need to fill the job. It’s one of the things that drive HR people crazy.
Since you didn’t get a response to your voice mail this week, I would definitely wait until late next week to try again.
Meanwhile, stay in touch with the people you gave as references, without driving them crazy. Ask them to let you know when they hear from this employer. That will be a very good sign that things are moving forward.
Meanwhile, keep looking! I’m sure that handshake was well-intended, but…
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan
I had an interview at a very small company with the owner two weeks ago and went very well. I sent a thank you letter, next day to him and to his assistant. During the interview he mentioned that he will contact me. I have not heard back from him, and I really would like to take that job, since I think that I have all the skills and experience that he is looking for. Should I email him?
Thank you
Deb
Hi Deb,
If it has been more than two weeks ago, I think you are safe to contact him. Be sure to remind him of when you spoke and the position you spoke with him about. Don’t expect him to remember you. If there was a particular point that seemed to resonate with him during the interview, you should probably mention that as well.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I had a job interview for a great company back in November 2011. A friend of mine that works in the company passed along my resume. I followed up via email about 2 weeks later and received a response that the position was on hold until after the new year, and to keep in touch because I was still in the running as a candidate. I sent an email follow up mid January, and did not receive a response. All of the contact has been with the recruiter. So my question is should I contact the hiring manager instead of the recruiter to check on the status of the position? Or should I move on?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah,
Can you do both – follow up, and move on?
Since you have a friend who works there (and who may receive a cash reward for referring someone who is hired), ask your friend if he or she can figure out what is going on. Perhaps your friend can contact the hiring manager.
My gut instinct says if they were going to hire someone, they would have posted the job by now.
So, have your friend check to see what’s going on, but definitely move on.
Good luck!
Susan