In a recent exchange of comments on How to Tell If a Job Interview Went Well, the subject of how soon and how often to call an employer after the interview came up. One of my wonderful readers, CE (who recently got a job herself), was helping comfort someone anxiously waiting to hear whether she got the job.
Speaking specifically to the question of how often to call, CE wrote:
I once got a job because the hiring manager said they would hire me if I quit calling them all the time. They said I was persistent, and they hired me! While I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone, I would recommend that you call the prospective employer back to check on the status. Anyone else agree with this or do you have another opinion?
Glad you asked, CE. I covered this a while back in After an Interview: Can Weekly Follow Up Calls and Emails Help Get You the Job? But since this question comes up so often, I figured it was worth discussing post-interview follow-ups again in a new post.
What You Need to Know about Post-Interview Follow Ups
Here’s a quick summary of salient points I hope will help ease at least some of the waiting pain:
- Thank you notes are a great first follow-up step. While I have hired folks who never sent one, it is a good positive initial follow-up contact and leaves a nice impression. (Although there was one time when it didn’t.)
- Show you have patience and professionalism by waiting at least a week – or better yet two (depending on the type of job) – before you follow-up after the thank you note.
- When you do follow up, make it short and sweet unless you have something new and relevant to add – and keep that short too.
- Some of the very folks you are waiting to hear back from get over a hundred e-mails a day – many requiring immediate action – so if they don’t respond right away (or at all)…it’s NOT about you.
- Some companies take weeks just to interview the first round of candidates – plus there are internal decision-making processes that take lots of time.
- Some companies have policies about not responding at all to follow-up contacts (there are legal implications such as when responses are misconstrued by the candidate), and so these companies wait instead until an offer was made and accepted. Again this is not about YOU.
- After the thank you and additional follow-up, wait at least 2 weeks before checking your status again – unless they tell you to call on a specific date or to just wait until they get back to you.
- If there is even a chance you might get the job, the employer remembers you – really! If there’s no chance…no amount of calling will help, and it may hurt your chances next time there’s an opening. So please resist trying to remind them every few days. There’s a fine line between persistence and stalking!
Hope that helps. Feel free to add your own thoughts about follow-up frequency. And thanks again CE and all my other readers who so kindly pitch in to help those with the post-interview OCD blues.
And last but definitely not least…congratulations on your new job CE! I’m happy to report she’s not the only reader who has recently gotten a job. There is indeed light at the end of the long interview tunnel! 
Posts to read while waiting to get that post-interview call:
How to Tell If a Job Interview Went Well
After the Job Interview: Why Haven’t They Called Me Yet?
Stuck in the Waiting Game After 2nd Interview
12 Ways to Stay Sane After a Job Interview
I Got the Post-Interview Temporary OCD Blues
Hello
I interviewed with a company on Jan 23. The interview seemed to go well. Followed up with a thank you not on thursday so they would get it that friday. I emailed them on Jan 31 to see where they were in the hiring process.
I got a response the same day saying:
The feedback that I heard on your interview was that it went really well and that you are very smart and they did like you but their only concern was that you may not have as much experience as they are looking for in filling this particular position.
The job was asking for a 4 year degree and I am about to finish my masters. I dont want to push to much on this and am not sure of a proper time frame to reconnect with my hr contact.
Any advice?
Hi Christopher,
Hmmm… Interesting situation. The good news is that they like you and think you are smart. Smart people catch on to things quickly, making the lack of experience not such a big deal, unless we are talking many years of experience (5 or more).
I think that tomorrow, the 8th, could be a good time to try reconnecting, since it will officially be “over a week” since your last contact with them. If possible, connect by phone with your HR contact to see what is going on.
If they haven’t hired someone else but are still hesitating about hiring you, ask about alternatives they might offer or consider. The conversation could be quite interesting and informative.
Before you call, think about options you could offer if they don’t have any alternatives, like:
* Early performance reviews, like every month or every 3 months, with specific and achievable goals for you to accomplish. These will keep you on course, and show them you can do the job.
* A 6-month (or 3-month or ??) contract to see if your perceived “lack of experience” is really an issue. Not ideal, but income for you and no gap in your resume.
* Perhaps a lower-level job and/or lower salary with a 3-month (or 6-month) mandatory review with a promotion and salary increase based upon hitting specific (achievable!) goals. Maybe make the promotion and/or salary increase retro-active, if all went well? Kind of a high-risk strategy, but…
* Some sort of paid – NOT free! – qualification test (bring in a new client or complete a sub-set of a larger project or whatever is relevant).
* Additional references who could attest to your qualifications.
* Any paper or other research you have done during the course of your schooling which could demonstrate your depth of knowledge.
* Anything else you can think of.
Or, hold your ground, and see if they will decide you are worth the risk.
It could mean that this employer would be a stepping stone to the next employer where the job would be at the right level and salary, after you finish your master’s degree. Which, unfortunately, means another job search in a year or two.
I’m not sure what the best idea is in this situation, frankly. Keep looking to see if there is a better fit for you out there.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi there-
Like many of the viewers here, I am stuck in the treacherous “waiting game” post-interview. I have had two interviews so far. Job #1 interview was January 12th. It went well, very well. I was told I fit what they wanted. One of the two guys interviewing me said I would probably be their candidate. However, I was the first person to be interviewed for the position. I live nearby, so not bad of a commute (which was made aware to them). The other guy was someone I’d be working with and he happened to be a graduate of the same college as myself. I felt there were those good connections made, but I still have not heard (after sending their HR a forward-along TY email and follow-up email a week after that). I know I was the first candidate to be interviewed, so it will take a bit of time, but I’d love some feedback, especially after such a promising interview.
Job #2 interview was January 17th. It also went very well. I was interviewed by 3 people, at the same time. They are a smaller company than job #1. The position is for a job I feel I fit the qualifications for, but they are working on developing a solid idea for the project they need this candidate to work on. Not to mention I live five minutes away (which they were made aware of). I was made aware that they had already been interviewing other people, but same as job #1, not sure when they were going to have a decision made by and when they would finish their interviewing process. I was not given a timeline. I was given a tour of the factory inside the building/office and was given the low-down on everything. I piped in with ideas and relevant comments to build convo and to show I had the familiarity and knowledge. After the interview was over, one of the three guys who was interviewing me stopped to talk with me more at the door, and we spoke back and forth for what felt like a solid 5-8 minutes, before actually parting ways. The main guy said he would email me some questions after the interview, but didn’t say when. I still have heard not a peep from the company, even after sending a TY email and a follow-up email expressing my continued interest a week after sending that. I felt such a great connection with this job but I have heard nothing whatsoever from them since the interview.
I am trying my hardest to fight off the feelings of hopelessness and telling myself that the hiring process can take time and patience. I have recently graduated from graduate school, moved back to my home state (NY) and am looking for my first professional job venture. I have a lot of talent and enthusiasm and I can’t wait to start putting my talents to work. These jobs I’ve interviewed for are looking for someone “entry level,” so I’m not running out of my league, but I understand someone with no professional experience yet can be scary. But I am always “myself” in my interviews and they understand I have to begin somewhere.
What I don’t understand is why, after such a positive experience, I feel like I get the silent treatment. I hope they haven’t forgotten about me, and are still considering me.
I am headed to an interview at job #3 today, we’ll see how it goes. Overall, though, I am gunning for job #2. It is close to home, and would be the best use of my talents and had a great atmosphere.
This site has been a great resource to help calm myself down. I realize this sort of thing happens more often than we might like, and I am not alone in this fight!
Hi Diana,
You are definitely NOT alone in this fight! Everyone goes through it!
It sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing in interviews. The positive experiences you are having are VERY good signs, and the fact that you have interviewed for 3 different jobs in less than 1 month is excellent. That’s a great “batting average” that many would be very pleased to have! So, you are really doing very well, even if it might not feel that way.
On the other side of this experience, hiring someone is a scary thing to do, so it always takes more time than most job seekers feel is necessary. People need to do their jobs every day in addition to interviewing, discussing, and trying to figure out who would be the best person for the job. Then, people get sick, go on vacation, get tasked with some sort of “emergency” job, and many more things. It all takes far too long, and none of it has anything to do with you, personally, or your qualifications!
My recommendation would be, if you can, to call the HR people or your other main contact at each job. Sometimes emails do not get through, and sometimes they do get through, but get “lost” in inboxes too full of urgent messages. So try reaching out with a phone call and ask what is going on.
Don’t sound too discouraged. Don’t sound angry. Do remind them of your name, the job you interviewed for, the date you interviewed, and who spoke with you.
Then, politely ask them the status of that job. If the job is still open, ask them when they think they will call people in for a second round of interviews, and what will be next after that in their process. See if you can get information about how you stand in the competition. Ask for permission to call again in a week (or whatever seems appropriate giving what they’ve already shared with you).
Don’t give up, and don’t lose hope. You are doing VERY well, and you will land a job soon!
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan:
A few days later after my original post, I got an interview request from a company I applied to. I did so well during the interview, less than two hours after, I got a job offer via email. I started on the 15th. It’s been going great so far, and lots to learn as it’s my first professional job venture post-college.
Thank you for your helpful words and blog and good luck to others out there job hunting. Just keep Arty out, something will give!
EXCELLENT, Diana! Thank you for letting us know!
Hope that you love the job and work there happily for many years!
Cheers!
Susan
Er, not a few days after my original post. The interview was actually the same day as that original part.
Hi there,
I had an interview last week that lasted two hours with a CEO of a company. He was impressed by my CV to the point I was told to select which job would I like the most from the two vacancies they are currently having and match my experiences. At the end of the interview he requested some supplementary documents from me, and told he will be sending me an offer for the position I’ve selected and will wait for my reply. I went home, prepared all the documents and send them via email the following day with a well formulated thank you letter. He told me he will be sending me the offer two days after the interview.
6 days have already passed and I haven’t received an email for the offer or a reply email to the one I’ve sent. I’m really lost here, and don’t know if I should call him to follow-up, ask if everything is okay with the documents I’ve sent or should I just wait and be patient.
Hi Jamal,
It sounds very promising, but I wouldn’t wait much longer to call them.
First I would check to be sure that they actually received the documents you sent (share the date and time you sent them).
Then, I would ask if they have everything they need.
Finally, I would ask what the next steps are and when you will be hearing from them.
At the start of the call:
* Tell them your name.
* Tell them the job you interviewed for.
* Tell them the date you interviewed.
* Tell them who you interviewed with (CEO)
Be polite, businesslike, and confident.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi, I had a job interview today. I felt it went well. She stated that I was “just what they were looking for” and that she needed to speak to the regional manager. She stated that she would get back to me shortly after doing so. I am really excited about this opportunity, but I felt a little nervous during the interview. Would it be a good idea to send a thank you email a few days after interviewing? Thank you!
Hi Sophie,
Do NOT wait a few days to send thank you notes – to everyone you interviewed with! Send them as soon as you can!
Good luck,
Susan
Hi all,
I had a phone interview in the middle of January for my dream job. The phone interview went well and I was called in for a panel interview. Before the panel interview, the phone interviewer (who would be my direct supervisor if I got the job) emailed me a few times to provide info on the panel interview, the company etc. – in other words, we established a bit of a rapport. However, she did also tell me that they were at beginning of their interview process. The panel interview surprisingly went well. I say surprisingly because I thought I was bombing it. However, at the end of the interview, they asked me for references. The same day after the interview, I emailed them my references and a thank you email. My prospective direct supervisor responded to my thank you email saying it was nice to meet me and that she had emailed the references.
The next day, i got an email from one of the references saying he had a lengthly conversation with the supervisor and that he spoke highly of me. he also said, the company seemed very impressed by me. But then I did not hear anything from the employer for a week so followed up. I sent an email to the supervisor asking whether she had been able to contact the other references and re-expressed my interest in the position. She responded with an email later that day saying that she has now contacted the second reference andjust had a conversation with her. She also said they expect to make a decisision on a candidate by the end of February — that things are moving a little slowly since some of the decision makers are travelling. The second reference also emailed me to advise that she has spoken with the supervisor and that they seem impressed by me.
It is now 9 days since my follow up email and I have heard nothing. SHould I follow up again? wait until the end of February? Send an email to ask whether they had contacted the third Please help! I am so anxious – I feel good knowing that they have contacted my references…but the wait is driving me crazy!
Also, I told them in the interview that I have only begun to seriously think about switching careers and make a concerted effort to find another job…which is true. However, I did sporadically apply to jobs in the past, including with this company (which is a huge company) but in a different department. I forgot about it until just recently and I am now worried that if they find out they will think I lied to them. The previous job application totally escaped my mind…should I do anything about this??
Hi Ambrea,
I wouldn’t worry about that application to a different department a while back. I doubt that anyone would connect those dots, and I don’t see how it would adversely impact you if they did – unless it was a seriously unpleasant situation with personal accusations and law suits mentioned or implied.
They have already told you that things are “moving a little slowly” since some of the decision makers are travelling. All the signs so far are very positive, so I would back off. They also said they’d make a decision “by the end of February,” which is more than a week away. In my experience, that’s usually an optimistic guess, particularly since it was made 10 days or so ago. And, it could take longer!
So, if it were me, I wouldn’t contact anybody until the end of next week (24th), at the earliest, or even the 27th or 28th, if you can possibly wait that long. The process can get messed up by travel and people not being available at the “right” time for things to move ahead smoothly and quickly, the travel schedules may be conflicting, people get sick, and so on. All kinds of things, mostly having nothing to do with the candidate, get in the way.
So, my recommendation is to back off. Keep job hunting, and try not to obsess about this one. I bet you get the offer. Keep us posted.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi there,
I interviewed w/ a Fortune 500 company last week. My first interview w/ the direct manager was two weeks ago, and the 2nd interview w/ last Thursday w/ the GM. GM told me that he is the “tie breaker” breaker. Currently, the position I interviewed for is being considered by one other candidate. The direct manager (1) interviewed me, so he’s “rooting” for me, while the other direct manager (2) interviewed the other candidate, so she’s “rooting” for him. GM stated that he really does not want to decide since he won’t be the direct supervisor; so he’ll list to the managers pros and cons in hope that they will decide. I asked the GM when they’d made a decision by and he stated most likely tomorrow, Friday. I have yet to hear from them and I don’t know what is the proper way to follow up. I was advised by my friend to send an email to the direct manager (2) to let this manager know the following things: 1) enthusiasm for the position, 2) that I gladly welcome the opportunity to be interviewed by her.
Today is Monday. Would it be too soon to follow up w/ the manager that interviewed me by email? Would be too soon? Although the GM said a decision will be made by tomorrow. Lastly, What are your thoughts about me sending an email to the other manager (2)?
If you ask me, the smart thing they could’ve done was to have both managers interview the candidates. I don’t know why they didn’t do that because it led me and this other candidate to come back for a 2nd interview w/ the GM to be the “tie breaker”.
Regards,
Adriana
By the way, thank you letters were emailed to interviewers w/in 24 hrs of my interview w/ them.
Hi Adriana,
Frankly, this is a very odd way to fill a job. As you mentioned, why not have everyone interview everyone? That makes much more sense!
This feels to me like a very strange way to run department, and I’m not sure I’d want to work there, in all honesty. Sounds either dumb, poorly managed, or an extremely political group. Perhaps there are more rational parts of this company to work in?
If you want to be pro-active (perhaps what they are looking for), I would contact the GM or, perhaps, the manager you interviewed with to do what your friend suggested – ask if you could interview with the “other” manager. I don’t think it would be a good idea to go directly to that other manager – you don’t want to offend your ally. I would let the GM decide if it’s appropriate for you to speak with the other manager.
Tough (and strange) situation, though.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I took my friends advice and emailed the “other” manager w/o thinking that it could offend my other ally. The “other” manager never replied. However what you said makes sense and I will definitely keep that in mind for the future.
They ended up giving me an offer. I sought to negotiate my offer by telling them my research. I took their offer (which I’ve read online, most employers give you the low-ball w/ the expectation that the prospective employee will negotiate) and told them that the range was between their offer (i.e. at $0) and $20K more. I told them that I aspire to be at that higher range, which is at 20K rather than their initial offer. They came back to me and gave me an offer at 4K more from, and I took it. I tried to negotiate other non-monetary benefits, but they were firm on their offer. I was already happy w/ they initial offer because I’m essentially “crossing over” from a boutique not-for-profit company to a Fortune 500, so anything above what I’m getting now is great! So here’s my dilemma:
*Did I set myself up too high? They’re going to know me as the person that aspired at the 20K mark, but ended up at the 4K mark.
*Any tips for having a male manager? All of my managers have been females
*Any tips for those “crossing over” from not-for-profit to for-profit? (ie. what to expect, what’s similar, what’s different, etc)
Hi Adriana,
CONGRATULATIONS on the offer and the acceptance! Good for you!
Enjoy it for a few minutes!
Don’t worry about the “20K mark” – I’m sure they expected you to negotiate a higher rate, and probably would have been a bit disappointed if you hadn’t. I doubt you could have gotten $20K more. That sounds like a different level job.
In my experience, there’s not that much difference between male and female managers. I’ve had managers of both sexes who were excellent and who were also terrible.
I’ve worked in higher education (Harvard University), but not in non-profit, so I’m not sure exactly what the “cross over” from non-profit to F500 will involve. I think your biggest shock will be in going from “boutique” to Fortune 500 company. Big companies do most things in a BIG way – big budgets and big organizations. Jobs tend toward specialization and specialists as opposed to smaller organizations where people act more as “generalists.”
I worked in a Fortune 30 company for over 10 years, and it was both fun and crazy. You should see much more focus on the bottom line, and probably a lot of attention on the current price of the stock. I remember that the end of fiscal quarters and, particularly, the end of the fiscal year, as somewhat crazy times.
I also remember that most of us focused on expanding our internal networks inside the company in order to do our jobs better. That was a handicap when the layoffs happened because we didn’t have good external networks. Hopefully, with LinkedIn, etc. it will be easier to retain and grow your external network.
Check to see if other employees, like your boss, are on LinkedIn, and then act accordingly. Do NOT openly job search when you are ready to leave, and don’t write nasty things about the company in social media (as your Mother told you, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”). If no other employees are on LI, see if there is a social media policy banning it. Doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. F500 companies know how useful LI is for recruiting…
Look for an employee handbook, social media policy, and some sort of internal job posting distribution for everyone.
Don’t make the mistake so many people make in assuming that covering “costs” is enough. Covering costs pays the bills for a company. Particularly in a Fortune 500 company, profits are what make stockholders and, thus, management happy. It’s also where the budget for raises and promotions comes from. And, most F500 companies are managed to keep the stock holders happy.
The F500 experience will probably always look good on your resume, will be valuable experience, and will give you a nice big network, so enjoy!
Good luck in your new job!
Susan
Hello,
I had an an interview on February the 10th, with four different hiring mangers, in groups of twos. The feedback I received during the interview was very positive, as I was told I had done an excellent job on answering the questions and that my previous work experience was directly in line with what they were looking for.
At the end of the interview one of the mangers told me I would be hearing from the company by the middle of next week. Well, the middle of last week passed and I did not hear from them, so I phoned one of my HR contacts for the company that Friday the 17th and left him a message, however he has yet to return my call. I was planning on following up with my other HR contact via email explaining what has taken place and if they could tell whether or not I am still being considered for the position.
I’m looking for some feed back as I am not sure if I am contacting them to soon. I really want this position, more than any I have interviewed for and don’t want to be forgotten. Thank you for your help.
Hi Akemi,
So, you waited exactly 1 week after the interviews before you called them. Now, I would back off and not contact them this week at all.
If you can’t stand it, send that email on Friday. Reference the comment made about hearing back from by the 16th, and ask – politely – when you can expect to hear from them. Do indicate that you enjoyed speaking with all of them, have heard good things about this company, and look forward to the opportunity to continue the interview process because you really want to work in their organization.
Wait until Monday to send that message if you can manage to be that patient.
The interview and hiring process always takes longer than people on the hiring side expect – and always longer than the job seeker feels is appropriate. I’m guessing that the person who told you “middle of next week” was an optimist or trying to be encouraging, and I bet something got in the way – a crisis of some sort or just regular work.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I interviewed for a job on February 13th. The interview went extremely well. They even went so far as to explain the desk/cubicle situation where I would be sitting to me and what their benefits were etc. The next day I sent my follow up Thank You email to my HR contact since I had been interviewed by a board. Later that afternoon, I got two calls from two of my references letting me know that they had been contacted. The company did express in the interview that the director with the final say on hiring would be out of the office until February 17th. I was wondering how long I needed to wait to make a follow up call on the position status? Would calling tomorrow be too soon since the director hasn’t even been back in the office a full week yet?
I was really pumped when I heard they contacted my references but now I’m fighting the discouraging emotions that come with the waiting game. I just want to make sure I don’t come across too aggressive.
Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Sarah,
Don’t be discouraged! This does sound promising, but I do think you are right to follow your instincts and wait a full week before getting back in touch.
The directory probably had much to catching up to do once back in the office, and, most likely, filling this position is not at the top of the agenda. That’s the sad reality – it is very seldom as urgent on the hiring side as it is on the job seeker side of this process.
When you get back in touch, don’t expect them to remember you or the exact situation, particularly if it is a large organization. Tell them your name, the job your interviewed for and the date of the interview, and who you interviewed with. Then, ask if the Directory has had a chance to review things and make a decision? If not yet, when do they think the decision will be made? Thank them for their time, and ask when (not if) would be the best time to touch base again.
Good luck!
Susan
I applied for a particularly attractive job through my university careers service. I sent my CV through with a well-written cover letter. I was quite suited to this role as I had a relevant degree and good internships. I got an email from the company saying they were very interested in my background and asking whether I could come down to meet them. Because I was currently living in a different city and traveling was expensive, I asked if it was possible to do a phone interview. They didn’t respond even after I sent two emails. Then I finally got a message saying they didn’t do phone interviews and they were not interested in pursuing my application.
I then replied saying if that was the issue I was happy to come down to their office and meet in person if they were willing to reconsider. They haven’t responded despite me calling up their office and leaving a message and sending a follow-up email. I know they’re still looking for people as they’ve reposted their initial advertisement. Is there any point to pursuing this or should I just give up?
Hi Victor,
I think at this point I would give up on this opportunity and back off for a while. You might find another opportunity at this company that may be a good fit for you in the future, and you don’t want to create a “bad name” for yourself with them now, when they’ve made their lack of interest pretty clear.
Now, look for other employers in the same industry, even competitors of this company. If this company needed someone with your skills and degree, probably other similar companies do, too. Figure out who they are, and then see if there is a way to find an “insider” you can connect with – someone already working in a target company. LinkedIn is excellent for this – the company profiles have a phenomenal amount of information attached to them. And, of course, you can leverage your LinkedIn network to connect with people inside your target companies.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi,
I applied for a particular legal position in a company. I had an interview with them on Wednesday, 22 February 2012. The interview went well, and I was apparently the only candidate for the position. I was interviewed with senior legal counsels (no HR involved at all). They gave me the offer on the spot, however, it has to wait for the approval from the HR people.
One of the Senior counsel said to me that someone from HR will e-mail me by Friday at the latest, but she hasn’t sent anything to me. I had sent a thank you letter, etc. What should I do? Should I wait over the weekend and call the HR person on Monday or should I call her ASAP?
Thanks for the help
Hi Jessica,
This process always takes more time than a job seeker thinks it should because so much is happening “behind the curtain.” And 99.9% of what is happening has nothing to do with the job seeker.
So, no, do not contact the HR person today. Don’t even call on Monday. The earliest I would do it is March 1st – a week after your interview.
If I were guessing (!) what is happening inside this company, I would guess that:
1. – These people have many other things going on!
They have their jobs to do AND take the time out of their schedule to discuss and evaluate a new hire. Or…
2. – Having only one applicant is not good. They would rather have interviewed and considered more than one person, particularly in today’s job market.
So, they might be pondering the expense and practicality of trying to find more applicants. Or they may have found them and are in the process of evaluating them and setting up interviews. Or somewhere else in the middle of that process. Or…
3. – The senior counsel who gave that “deadline” to you could have been offering only his or her opinion, based on incomplete information.
It may have been what the counsel hoped would happen, but perhaps not really practical given workloads, travel, sick days, vacations, etc.
So, assuming you have sent your thank you notes, continue your job search, take up knitting, train for a marathon, paint your bathroom, write a short book, or whatever you need to do to get your mind off this situation – not easy, I know!
If you haven’t sent your thank you notes, do that now. Here’s some help – Did I Screw-up My Job Interview Thank You Letter? which has excellent advice on writing good thank you notes.
And, just “chill” for a few more days. I know you can do it.
Good luck!
Susan
Dear Susan,
Thanks for you tips
. I should elaborate a little bit of my situation. I am currently employed with other company. The Legal Counsel that interviewed me last time asked me when could I start work with the new company on the interview. This should not be a problem for me, as I could give a 2 week notice at any time.
The issue is, I don’t want to give my notice without an offficial offer given by this new company. In the other hand, I don’t want to leave my current employee in bad term, by giving a sudden notice without helping them to find a new person who are going to fill in my position. So what should I do, shall I wait to call after 1 March? The Legal Counsel wants me to start on mid-March, but advertisement provided by the HR stated that the vacancy will start on mid-May.
So I’m a bit worried and confussed at the same time. It would be good if you could help me.
Thanks a lot
Jess
Hi Jessica,
Great instincts! You definitely do NOT want to give notice without an official offer LETTER from the new company. Your new job title, starting date, and salary – in writing on letterhead of the new employer – must be in your hands before you give notice.
I think I would reach out to the Legal Counsel indicating your time-crunch issue with giving notice in order to start by mid-March, and let her or him handle the issue with HR. The Legal Counsel should not expect you to hand in notice without the official offer in your hands, and s/he should respect your need to give your current employer the standard 2-week notice.
There’s always a chance your current employer could respond that you don’t need to stay the whole 2 weeks. In fact, they may show you to the door the day you give notice.
BTW, if you are shown the door the day you give notice AND you can afford a couple of weeks without pay, take the time off to relax and recharge before you start that new job. I was only able to do that once between jobs, and it was wonderful!
Good luck!
Susan
Hi,
I applied a job earlier this month which has been my dream job for many years, but did not hear from them till last Tuesday. So, i decided to find the contact details of their MD on there website and wrote him a letter and asked is this role still available. 20 mins later, he replied and told me it is open and he has forwarded my email onto someone in charge of recruitment. So again, I found this manager’s email and wrote him a long email to express how much I want this job and Why I think I am perfectly suitable. 5 mins later, he replied and asked me to join a interview second day. Really Happy!
The interview was going well. I met the manager and also informally met the MD. All standard interview questions and at the end the manager said he still need to finished the first round of interview and give us candidates a fair opportunity, but will talk to me soon for second interview. I see this as a good sign. This was last Wed. And I wrote him and MD a thank you note and said I like the company culture and believe I am a good fit. No one reply…
Yesterday (Monday), I added the manager into my linkedin contact and he verified from another side after 15 mins. Then, I wrote him a message (not email) through linkedin to make it less formal about my status and also tried to discussed a political question with him as I know he has a interest, but did not hear anything from him.
I know it’s still less than a week, so do not want to push him to hard. Also, he told me in the interview, if I have any question or any comment, i can write him a email which he preferred as he is normally in meetings.
I think I did everything I can. I think I have a look impression on the MD and also the manager. what do you guys think ? is there anything else I can do? or did I do anything inappropriate? Really want that job
Thanks for any comments.
William
Cann’t help asking, is it a good idea to contact the manager directly? I have submitted quite a few applications with no responses at all. Very Depressed.
Hi Nancy,
I’m not sure how you are submitting your applications – through a job board like CareerBuilder or Monster, or through the employer’s website. Sitting at a computer and applying for jobs over and over IS depressing.
Try getting away from your computer and looking for jobs by going to the business and asking if you can complete an application. Big employers may send you to the web to apply, but smaller employers may be very happy to have you complete an application in person. Dress well, and ask if you can speak to HR or who ever does the hiring. Bring along a few copies of your resume, too, to hand to the HR or hiring person.
If you are applying through one of the big job boards, you can try calling the hiring manager or the HR rep. If you are applying through the employer’s website, I think you’ll have more luck calling someone directly.
Good luck!
Susan
Dear Susan,
I went on an interview on Friday, Feb. 24th. the interview went very well. I met with a man and a woman. I did not get a business card or any follow-up information. I received an email from HR recruiter to schedule my interview. Is it okay or appropriate to call the HR person to ask for names and email address so I can state my interest and find out status. I was told that other candidates were being interviewed and give it a week or so to hear back. I want to call so bad. thank you
Hi PBG,
It would be very appropriate and a good personal marketing move for you to send thank you notes to the people who interviewed you. However, it’s awkward to ask for their names and contact information now.
If you can remember their first names and the department or office they were from, call the main number for the company to see if you can verify the spellings of their whole names and to get the address to send the notes to (via “snail mail” not email).
If you really can’t remember their names, I’m not sure I’d try to follow up with them. You are not going to impress the HR person by asking for the names of the people who interviewed you.
In this case, I don’t recommending contacting the HR person until the middle of next week.
In the future, remember that it is your job to get their names. Addressing people by name is an important part of “connecting” with them during an interview. I would even ask for business cards at the start of the interview when people are being introduced or when you hand the interviewers copies of your resume. Then, repeating the name out loud – “Nice to meet you, Mary” – helps you remember it.
Don’t stop your job hunt waiting to hear from this employer. Keep looking. You’ll get better at job hunting and interviewing the more you do it. “Practice makes perfect” as they say.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi,
I have a similar situation that I thought I’d share. I applied for a job, with a very large company, in the beginning of December through an internal referral. My contact at the company told me that due to the holidays and personal vacations, they would not be conducting interviews till mid-January. I got the call, and went for my panel interview on January 20th. It went well, the hiring manager said that they’d hope to have this wrapped up in a couple of weeks. They did not want to bring people back for multiple rounds of interviews. I sent a thank-you note the next day and waited to hear back. About 1.5 weeks later, I received a follow-up call from HR. They wanted to ask about my background some more, and see if I was still interested. I once again said that I was very interested in the position and that I thought it was a great fit for my skills and background. The HR person said that they hoped to chat with the hiring manager in the next few days and make a decision. I also sent her a thank you email after our call and waited to hear back. I heard nothing and then about 1.5 weeks later, noticed that the position had been reposted on their website. I followed up with the HR person to check and see what was happening with the decision making process. She thanked me for the follow up and said they hoped to have a decision by the end of that week. It’s now been an additional 2.5 weeks since that follow-up and I am unsure as to what to do. I have been told by my internal contact that the fact i was contacted by HR meant that I had been shortlisted and they can’t figure out why the process is this slow. I should add that this company has a notoriously slow hiring process, but this seems to be excessive. As for the repost, he can’t figure it out. He thinks it may be a system generated auto-repost but is not sure. Any advice on my next steps? I don’t know why they just don’t cut me loose if they don’t want me….so frustrating.
Hi nkj,
Yes, very frustrating not to hear, and particularly to see the job posted again, but not uncommon. The good news is that you have an internal contact!
The bad news is that they already have a reputation for an extended hiring process. And, oddly, in this bad economy, data seems to show that many employers are taking longer to fill positions, being pickier about “fit” and “chemistry” with the company. They seem to feel that the job market has so many good people in it that it doesn’t matter if one good one gets away because there are so many more.
I would try to reconnect with HR and reiterate your interest in the position. Ask about the current status of the opportunity.
Frankly, I would keep job hunting, looking for other opportunities with employers who hire more quickly. Don’t give up on this one, but do move on. Whether intentional or not, the re-posting of this opportunity will probably re-start the process of bringing in people, interviewing, etc.
Good luck!
Susan
Checked in with their HR. Apparently the hiring manager has been on a lengthy business trip and just got back. HR is going to try to connect with him soon. It’s pretty vague but at least a partial explanation.
thx.
Hi nkj,
And, most likely, the person who just returned from a business trip will have a lot of catching up to do before s/he will turn their focus to hiring someone, so prepare to do more waiting.
In another week or 10 days, check back in to see what the status is.
And, DO keep looking!
Good luck!
Susan
So I checked back 2.5 weeks later. The HR manager got back to me a few days after that – the hiring manager is moving forward with another candidate. It’s sad but at least I can close the book on them and move forward.
Thanks for your insights!
There’s a better job waiting for you!
Good luck!
Susan
I went on a job interview the 14th of March for a major hospital, I thought the interview went well the HR manager said I was a very good candidate, I even met some of the other employees for what they call a peer session and that seemed to go well also. After I was finished the secretary of the department that I had interviewed for said they would call me they were still interviewing. I asked how long it would before I hear back from them she replied about a week, but seemed unsure . I was just wondering do I call them and follow-up or do I wait a little bit longer and see, would it hurt my chances of getting hired if I call? The suspense is killing me, like my husband says anticipation. Usually when something happens(either good or bad) I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach, not sure what it means in this case. What should I do?
Hi bsp,
These things often take much more time than anyone anticipates, certainly much more than the job seeker wants them to take. Most of the time the reason things take so long has nothing to do with the job seeker. So, “chill” if you can. Keep yourself busy looking for other opportunities for yourself.
On the 28th, it will have been 2 weeks since your interview and peer session, so I think it’s appropriate for you to reach out to them. Calling is the surest way to connect, usually, so go for it..
Remind them of who you are, the job you interviewed for, when you interviewed, and who interviewed you. Then ask them the status and next steps.
Good luck!
Susan
Hi.
An interesting role was presented to me by a headhunter.
I had an interview yesterday and for the most part, I think it went well. I met with the company’s HR manager followed by meeting with two personnel from the actual department I applied to. The entire interview lasted about for an hour (4:00pm – 5:00pm). The overall atmosphere during the interview was smooth and I definitely felt connection while speaking with the interviewers. When asked “what is the next steps in the interview process?”, the director told me that they are still interviewing other candidates and expecting to finalize and let me know in 2 weeks. Anyway, I sent thank you notes via e-mail to 2 of the 3 people I interviewed with. While I should have sent all three emails, I didn’t send to the third person simply because he was more of a junior employee and not a major decision maker in the department. What I’m curious is, when a prospect tell you “2 weeks”, does that really mean as a promise or a nice way of gesturing “We’re not interested in you”? It’s only been a day and I am patiently waiting for a feedback from the headhunter.
Hi Terry,
“Two weeks” is probably nothing more that a hope that they will be through this process by then. It is not a nice way of saying they are not interested. I’m sure that in 2 weeks (probably more), there will be another round of interviews.
DO follow up with a thank you to the “junior employee.” EVERYONE can have input into the hiring decision, and you need all the allies you can get.
That headhunter is your “secret weapon.” They can get more information from the employer and HR that you can. Stay in touch with the headhunter.
And, KEEP LOOKING! Don’t wait for this one to work out (or not).
Good luck!
Susan
Hello!
I just had a question for you Susan that I thought you could give me some insight about. I applied for a position recently with a company and made it through the initial recruiter interview. I got a call from the hiring manager who just so happened to be the person I would be riding along with on my ride along interview. I was the first of three to do a ride along interview and there was a serious of problems he had to attend to(he still is conducting business) and I kind of felt like I was chasing him all over. I tried to be as willing to be involved as possible. He said there would be 2 more candidates applying for the job, one last week and one this week. He also said he wanted to have his position filled by the first week in March and I haven’t heard from him. He said all the candidates would get a final interview with his bosses and a decision would be made. I haven’t heard back from him and he didn’t return my call today. Could being told that all 3 candidates would get a final interview be a ploy to “get rid of me”? or do you think it is just taking time to get back to me and move forward in the process? This is a position I would love and I want to make sure they know I am interested and this job is for me. Thank You!
Hello Paul,
That sounds like a very aggressive schedule, and, frankly, an unrealistic one unless the interviews with “the bosses” were 10 minute phone calls. Interesting that the person hired was expected to begin work immediately. Everyone interviewed must have been unemployed or expected to have no loyalty to the employer they were leaving.
Don’t assume a rejection that hasn’t happened. Assume being very busy with end-of-month and start-of-month activities.
I would contact the recruiter. Don’t expect them to remember you or the job you interviewed for. Explain it all – the job title, when you interviewed with them, the person in the ride-along interview, the dates of both interviews, and what the manager told you about the schedule. Then, ask for the current status.
And, keep looking for other opportunities, just in case…
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan (I believe),
I had an interview for an internship that I REALLY want for the summer last week on Friday. The interview was supposed to be from about an hour, but I took around forty minutes, is that bad
I sent thank you letters to them the next morning, within 24 hours, and the interviewers sent my a reply saying thank you and that they would follow up with me once they had reviewed and interviewed other candidates as well. Is that bad? HOW LONG will this take? I am very nervous…
I really want the job! What can I do next? Wait it out or send another followup email soon? Or call maybe?
Hi Donald,
Everything sounds perfectly fine, so far. What you need to do now is “chill” so you don’t blow this opportunity for yourself.
Depending on how many applicants they had and how much time they can devote to interviewing, it could be weeks before you hear from them – even if they want to hire you.
Please understand that the people who do the interviewing and have input into the hiring decision also have their daily jobs to do. Hiring someone is in addition to their regular work , so it’s not often their top priority. Nor it is easy. If they recommend hiring the wrong person, that can have a negative impact on their career and also make their own jobs harder. SO, IT TAKES TIME!
Now, you need to put this opportunity on your mental and emotional “back burner” and look for other opportunities, in case this one doesn’t turn out. Because, no matter how much you want this job and how perfect you feel it is for you, it might not work out.
So, keep looking!
Good luck!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I’ve enjoy reading your responses to all these “anxious” job seekers out there. I am actually an “anxious” job seeker’s spouse and been waiting with my husband in his job seeking journey.
He recently had an interview on 2/14 and thought he did well in it. The job interview lasted the whole day til 5:30pm, so I took that as a good sign. He came home feeling well but did mention that there’s about 7-8 people interviewed for the job. After the interview he followup with a thank you email to the perspective managers and then waited a week. After that week, he then follow up with an email hoping to hear about their decision.
On 2/26, he called HR corporate recruiter hoping to get some kind of response from them. The HR lady was nice and apologized for making him wait and said she is going to follow up with the hiring manager. My husband also mention the HR lady seem to know who he is when he called, which he took it as a good sign?
Finally on 2/27, he received a call from HR telling him that they want to proceed to the next part of the hiring process and want to check his references. (We took that as a good sign?) The big company now use online reference checks like Checkster; where you would send emails to your references and ask them to fill it out and email it back to the employer. HR lady mention that she hopes to finish the references in 1-2 days and if references check out well, then ask for funding and then extend offer. She did explain that process to him.
So, my husband asked for four references and on the same day all four references completed their questionaire form and emailed it back. He then email HR to let her know he completed that part and HR replied to let him that she closed the reference check and sent the report to the hiring manager.
My antsy husband then called HR the next day to ask for progress and skirted around the question that if he was the only canadiate they check references and she didn’t answer. (I know that was probably a bad move on his part, but I can’t blame him since this is the 2nd time he’s unemployed due to workforce reduction) She did however told him, he’s still in the running.
So, Susan, what can we take from this development? Do they really have more then one canadites they are looking at? If that’s the case, why do HR personally call him and told him the whole hiring procedure? Are we getting excited over nothing and jump to the gun too fast?
I work in helathcare and in my field, when they employer is checking references, usually job offer will come after. What about this situation?
I’ve been trying to coach him to calm down (eventhough I’m a nervous rack too!), just trying to keep some sanity through out this roller coaster ride, hoping for some of your insights. Thank you in advanced for your time.
A concerning wife.
Hi Cindy,
Yes, it sounds like all is going very well. The issue is probably getting “funding” so they can extend the offer. Depending on the employer, the size of the employer, their processes, and the size of their bank account (and budget), the process may be a long one. So, the wait for an offer will be a long one.
I hope you can convince your husband to “chill” for at least a week before he checks back in with HR. I understand how anxious job seekers are, having been one many times, but the process always takes longer than the job seeker wants it to take. It should be hard for him to derail it by being a pain-in-the-*** for HR, at this point, but it is probably possible. So he needs to back off and give them time to go through their processes.
Meanwhile, I hope your husband is keeping himself busy looking for other jobs, just in case funding is not approved for this one.
Keep us posted.
Good luck!
Susan
Susan,
Thanks for your reply. The question about funding was asked by my husband when he first got the call from HR about references check. HR lady told him everything look good so far but she can’t guarantee or forsee the future. So, yes “funding” may be of an issue but it’s not presented as an issue first. But, I think my husband is more concern about the possiblity that there’s still 2-3 top canadidates for them to select from. Then, that would mean, the race is not over.
When he called HR yesterday, the HR lady gave him some insight by saying the hiring manager usually is fast in responding but he has been nonresponsive for the last 2 days. I have however, kept my husband sane today by not calling her, so hopefully I can keep him posted for another 2-3 days before he bugs her again. One good thing is that he has another interview next week, so hopefully that could turn into something. Thanks again for your time!
Hope it turns out well!
I’ve been interviewing for a position I am really interested at a nonprofit but there is already a temp in the position who is also interviewing. My interviewees wanted to make the process fair and so that’s why they are reaching out and interviewing candidates. What can I do or say to convince them that I am the right candidate and not the temp or the other candidates interviewing?
Hi Kimberly,
Unless the temp is doing a very poor job OR the employer doesn’t want to pay a fee to the temp agency to do a permanent hire, the temp probably has “the inside track” for this job.
However, often employers do not want to pay the temp agency’s fee to permanently hire the person the agency sent them. My guess is that’s the reason they are interviewing other candidates.
To stand out, be as professional as possible.
I hope that you very promptly sent thank you notes to all of the interviewers (you are the “interviewee”). If you didn’t send the thank yous, do it ASAP – a separate, unique one for each person who interviewed you.
* Be sure to remind them of the job you interviewed for and when you were interviewed by them.
* Thank them for their time and attention.
* Tell them how much you enjoyed meeting them.
* Try to remember something you said in the interview that they seemed to like or something you wish you had said differently, and make a reference to what they liked or offer a “clarification” of what ever you wish you had said differently. Or, add something that you forgot to tell them that is relevant to the job or to that person.
Then, demonstrate your interest in their “cause” and your skills in doing this job, if you can. Do some online research or something else someone doing this job would be expected to do, creating your own “work sample.” Be sure it is NOT critical of what they currently do, but adds to their knowledge or helps them in some other positive way.
If the job is answering the telephone, you might be stuck for a work sample, but if it is something you might be able to demonstrate now, give it a try. If it is writing reports, write a report for them, or, perhaps, show them a report you have already written for a class.
Worst case, you’ll be making a “donation” of your time and effort to a cause you hopefully believe in already. Best case, you’ll be more impressive than the temp and the other candidates.
If you are looking for jobs like this one, you may be able to show your work sample to other potential employers, in case this job doesn’t come through.
And, keep on job hunting. Don’t stop to wait for this one to come through, because it might not, and you’ll have lost a lot of time.
Good luck!
Susan