If you’ve ever applied for a job, even a temporary one, you’ve probably been through the agonizing wait that follows each interview. You could be qualified for a particular position, do so well in the interview, and be left waiting for days with no response. It’s normal to desire to follow up immediately when things like these happen.
However, sending too many follow-up messages immediately after the interview may make you appear needy and unattractive. So, how long should job seekers wait for a response after an interview before following up or continuing their search?
The employer may receive hundreds to thousands of applications after posting a job online. Every year, major corporations such as Google receive over two million job applications – imagine that!
After a recruiting manager or applicant tracking system (ATS) has completed filing through the applications, they will contact selected candidates for an in-person or phone interview. Remember that the employer will interview other candidates besides you, so don’t get too worked up if you don’t hear right away—it takes time for the company to decide.
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How Long Should I Wait After an Interview?
It’s ideal to give interviewers five business days to contact you. If you interview on a Thursday, you will not contact them until Thursday.
This could entail waiting a week or longer for a response from the recruiting organization, assuming they respond. It’s also a good idea to give companies a tiny grace period if they don’t respond within the specified time frame. Adding an extra one to two business days for these objectives is preferable.
Top Communication Interview Questions and Answers
Tips For Following Up After an Interview
Before when you follow up with your interviewer, take the following steps:
- Existing timelines must be respected.
- Let five business days for processing.
- Send another email as a follow-up.
- Recognise that you may not get replies from HR.
- Continue your job search.
- Timelines must be adhered to.
If the hiring manager has told you the following steps will take two weeks, give them the full two weeks. It’s helpful to show that you can be patient and follow directions.
Alternatively, they may contact you a few days after the interview to request additional time and provide an updated timeline. It’s a good indicator if a corporation communicates with you, and you should respect their preferences and wait the whole time suggested.
Give five business Days
Give a company five business days (or around a week) to come around and suggest the following steps if no deadline is specified. Consider adding two additional business days to any schedule you’re following. This allows the company time to react when they are ready to speak with you.
Send a follow-up e-mail
Send a follow-up email if you have heard nothing after five to seven business days. To compose a follow-up email, start by thanking the interviewer again, add something unique that sets you apart from the competitors, and finish with your contact information. It’s also critical to display excitement for the job and to have a positive attitude, regardless of how long you’ve been waiting.
After you’ve written an email that didn’t get How to Write a Follow-up Email after no Response
Understand you may not get answers from HR
Human resources departments aren’t always equipped with all the information. The individual you’re communicating with could be a hiring manager, HR coordinator, or someone else entirely.
They will likely rely on others involved in the hiring process to get the facts to answer any inquiries. You should write a follow-up email, but keep in mind that the person you’re attempting to reach may not provide you with all the answers to your HR inquiries right away.
Move on with your job search
If you haven’t heard of a job after sending a thank you email and following up after a reasonable time, it may be time to move on with your search. Even interviews that you think went well don’t always result in employment.
However, a company that does not contact interview candidates may not be the best place for you to work. Many firms place a premium on communication and hiring resources, so continuing your search could lead to a better chance.
Further reading: 30 Best Job Search Engines Of 2022
Why Haven’t You Heard Back From an Interview Yet?
A few weeks may pass without an answer, while well-intentioned friends offer job advice on how long to wait after an interview before moving on. There could be various reasons for the extended wait, but it doesn’t imply you’re out of the running for this position.
The most evident is that the employer is still interviewing other individuals, mainly if the position is open to applicants worldwide. To avoid stressing about the response time, don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer about the approximate timeframe for receiving feedback before leaving the interview.
For waiting after an interview, remember that the hiring process is lengthy and requires input and approval from several people before they can complete it. If a person is on vacation during hiring, they perhaps have to wait until they get back before deciding.
Enormous tasks may arise unexpectedly, prompting the hiring manager to divert their attention from the employment interviews.
Budget cuts may also affect employment to be sidelined for months. Therefore, rather than assuming you’re not qualified, follow up. If you’ve followed up and have heard nothing in weeks, it’s time to move on gracefully and pursue other options.
Read also: Career Coach: Why and When You Should Hire One
Why do Companies Take so Long to Reply?
Companies may need time after your interview to follow up for a variety of reasons, including:
- The interview process is still ongoing.
- Unexpected illness or a vacation
- They have put the candidate’s search on hold.
- Organizational needs or departmental confusion
- It takes time to prepare for job offers.
- The interview process is still ongoing.
A company may not contact you after an interview for various reasons, one of which is that they are still interviewing other candidates. HR departments frequently interview many people over days or weeks.
If they interviewed you at the start of the process, they might review all the candidates before calling you for a second interview. Send a thank-you email within 24 hours of your interview, and then give the employer time to review all the qualified applicants.
Vacation or unexpected illness
Events, both planned and unplanned, might hold down the hiring process. This could be a planned vacation, an unexpected illness, or an emergency that keeps the hiring manager out of the office for days or weeks.
If the organization has given you a timeline for when you should expect to hear from them, plan on giving them a two-day cushion to accommodate unanticipated events, vacations, and other personnel shortfalls.
It must be worth it if you need to go on vacation. Discover 17 Best Vacation Rental Sites in 2022 | Explore options
The Candidate Search is Paused
A variety of factors can disrupt the job search. Extended emergencies, a lack of requisition financing from a board of directors, or firm turnover are just a few instances. It could take weeks or even months for a company to resume its talent hunt if they have put it on hold. You must determine whether you can wait and whether the position is worthwhile.
Departmental Confusion or Organizational Needs
When HR departments are busy attempting to satisfy all the organisation’s needs without the resources they need to perform more effectively, prospects in a large candidate pool may receive less personalized attention.
While this is inconvenient, a more organized HR department will provide greater communication and follow-up. If this is the case, it may be a sign that you should look for positions that place a premium on candidates and communication.
Job Offers Take Time to Prepare
On average, fresh college graduates receive job offers over 24 days after their initial interview, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Although this is a small market sector of workers, these findings could show how long it takes enterprises to create offers and how many steps are required to get to the offer stage. Some firms require additional time to prepare and guarantee that you are the finest applicant for the job.
FAQs
The timeline for hearing back from a job interview can vary widely depending on the employer, the specific role, and the number of applicants being considered. It is best to ask the employer about their timeline during the interview process.
Yes, following up with the employer is generally appropriate if you haven’t heard back from them within their provided timeframe. This demonstrates your interest in the role and can help ensure you are still being considered.
The appropriate time to follow up after a job interview varies depending on the circumstances. Generally, it is best to wait a week or two after the interview before following up with the employer. You can follow up via email or phone call.
When following up after a job interview, you should thank the interviewer for their time, reiterate your interest in the role, and inquire about the status of the hiring process. You can also ask if there is any additional information you can provide to help with the decision-making process.
Yes, it is appropriate to ask for feedback after a job interview. This can help you understand improvement areas and demonstrate your commitment to learning and growing in your career.
Conclusion
To conclude, you may have one big question: What do I do next? You now know how long it will take to hear from an interview and what to do while you wait. In the same company, various hiring managers/interviewers may take varied periods to respond to candidates about a position.
Furthermore, your time to wait for feedback depends on how many people they’ve interviewed. So it depends on whether you were referred for a position that hasn’t been advertised yet (in which case you might hear immediately away) or whether you applied for a job that was advertised online and is competing with 20 other people who are also good fit.
References
- topinterview.com – Interview advice
- indeed.com – How Long Should I Wait After an Interview To Follow Up?
- flexjobs.com – Waiting to Hear Back After a Job Interview? Here’s What to Do
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