It's not YOU, it's THEM delaying your job interview results!
Walking out of the job interview, you take a triumphant, deep breath then exhale all of the pent-up tension and stress. “ Whew!” Whether you have done a great job or blown it, it’s finally over. You’ve done your best. Now the hard part begins. The agonizing wait for an answer. Time to call on the patience gods. Patience may be a virtue, but who cares about virtue when waiting for the phone to ring or an email to ping.
You’ve sent your thank you note or email specifically mentioning something that occurred during the interview to associate the hiring manager with you. Now, step back and stay back. You are no longer in control of the situation. With my clients, I’ve noticed that the higher the position the client holds, the more difficult it is for them to actually let go, be patient, and allow the process to unfold.
Here are some questions I hear in my practice:
“How long do I wait before I call them back?”
“They said they would email me by today and I haven’t heard back from them”.
“This waiting makes me crazy!”
“Why is it taking SO long?”
Human nature is at the root of these questions. The deepest part of our core screams, “Did they like me?”, “Am I still in the running for the job?” It’s primal to want to be accepted and not knowing these answers causes us anxiety. The deeper into the job interview process we’ve progressed, the higher the anxiety level. The stress associated with a screening interview and the final one-on-one interview can’t compare.
I am often asked, “How long does the interview process take?” The 2018 Recruiting Benchmark Report reveals that from application to hire, the interview process takes approximately 38-48 days. These numbers run across all industries from food services to management, professional, scientific and technical services. Of course, these numbers will vary largely depending on economic factors, both nationally and globally as well as industry trends.
The amount of time to wait before checking back with the hiring manager is a very delicate balance between interest and annoyance. It is similar to a first date. You don’t want to call too soon after that first date. Appearing eager and calling too soon could come across as desperate and clingy. Just as in the dating scenario, it’s important to remain cool, allowing an appropriate time period to pass.
Constant emailing, texting, and calling reads desperate, frantic and frenzied and could cause red flags to wave with the hiring manager. Repeated contact can make you less appealing to a romantic interest as well as to a hiring manager. You become “that guy” — a place no one wants to be! This needy, attention-getting behavior could actually weaken your negotiating stance should you be offered the position.
If no contact has been initiated by the hiring company 10-15 days post interview, then go ahead and contact the hiring manager. If you were told when a decision would be announced, then hold your horses and wait until that date arrives. If you don’t hear by the stated date, consider a call or an email a day or two later. Something simple may have come up and the decision was delayed, so give them a couple days of grace. In the meantime, consider a negotiating strategy, so you won’t be put on the spot, or caught off guard if an offer is extended.
If it’s been two weeks or more and your calls have been ignored, then you already know the answer. You probably didn’t get the job. Some companies will not get back to you and their ghosting you is the unfortunate answer. No, it’s not fair, but very realistic. Be sad, yell, then accept it. Just like with dating, there are “fish-in-the-sea” and that job, with that organization, wasn’t the one for you.
While waiting to hear from the company, continue your job search. Pursue your hunt until you get an offer that makes you happy. If you stop searching and interviewing while waiting, you’ve lost several weeks and you don’t want to lose momentum. The perfect job could have come and gone while you were waiting for an answer.
So why does it take SO long to get the results from your job interview? Let’s look at several reasons why you are put in the wait zone:
Some companies may require a specific number of candidates to be interviewed for each position. If a sales force is being built, an enormous number of hires will be made and that equates with multiple interviews. This is a very time-consuming process.
It takes time for background checks to be made as well as checking out personal references.
It takes time and multi-department coordination to weave together competitive offers.
The Human Resources Department may need to sign off on everything. This is another department juggling many balls at the same time. Their own personnel issues could also be slowing things down.
The human factor. The hiring manager is very busy, on vacation, sick, or dealing with family concerns.
Large organizations are a spider-web of bureaucracy with numerous potential time-consuming snafus. The bureaucratic issues include:
Unexpected hiring freezes
Changes in management
Company being sold, taken over or downsizing
Budget restraints
Global economic issues
Internal candidates being considered first for the position.
Time spent conferring with others who may have interviewed you.
All of the above could make the hiring process a low priority to the company. The company is an entity in and of itself. It has to prioritize its needs to remain in smooth, profitable operation. Of course, you don’t want to hear this as you wait eagerly by the phone!
Time for some tough love. It’s never you. It’s always them causing the delay. An organization can be like a narcissistic child, thinking only of themselves. Sadly, you are only a necessary cog in their “success wheel” and they will contact you when the wheel is ready to turn. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a fact.
It’s difficult to be patient after a job interview. The wait is harsh and can take a lot longer than you ever expected. Hopefully knowing some of the potential reasons for the delay will make your wait less painful and help you relax while you wait.
I offer a free ½ hour introductory job interview coaching session. Contact me today to prepare for your tomorrow!