After the interview - the waiting game

mikemac1

I have done a search, there were some recent threads but also a lot that are years old
Sorry if this has been done to death, just I don't know what to do


Applied for 4 jobs and got 3 interviews which is very good I think.
All very fast, sent the CV and I've have an interview lined up in 2-3 days

One went very well, one was ok and last one I'm not so confident about
I was beaming coming out of the first one, went as well as I thought it could.
Two lasted 40 minutes, one lasted a crazy 80 minutes

But it's coming on 10 days now
They all told me I'd hear back within a week. They definitely said a week, I'm sure of it as I made notes when I came out of them.

Do I follow up? Is that pushy?
These are large multi-nationals, I have the email address and phone number for the people in HR who contacted me

I'm reading on the internet some say wait
And others saying you are supposed to send a followup email thanking them for their time, etc afterwards. I didn't do that

sozbox

I was in a similar situation a few months ago, applied for 4 jobs, got 4 interviews and didn't hear back in the specified time.
In the end I emailed the person who interviewed me in the company I wanted to work for, a simple thank you etc and ended up getting the job.
I'm not saying emailing helped but it certainly doesn't hurt in my opinion. Usually in my experience, companies rarely get back in the stated time frame.

Lemon Squeezy

As someone on the other side of the process - i.e. I have been involved in the interviews of many candidates - I wouldn't recommend a follow-up letter, unless you're providing new information additional to what had been discussed in the interview. For example, if you were asked a question and were unsure of the answer but offered to get back to the interviewer later with more information. (In such a case, we probably would be looking out to see whether you followed up or not!)

You will have thanked them for their time etc in person, at the interview, so I don't see the point of a follow-up e-mail saying the same thing. When we receive them, we certainly do read them and put them on the candidate's file, but it seems very obvious that they're only doing it out of perceived interview etiquette. To me, I find it a little smarmy - and, particularly with MCNs, I don't think it would sway anyone's decision one way or the other.

Do bear in mind that, even if there's a delay in getting back to you, it quite often isn't a case that you didn't get the job - there's just been hold-ups behind the scenes, where the company are agreeing on the terms of the offer, etc. We are well aware of how nerve-wracking the wait can be for candidates, and always try to let successful candidates know as soon as possible - unavoidable delays do sometimes happen, though.

What I might suggest is, once a couple of weeks have passed and you're quite sure that you didn't get the job, you could send a letter/e-mail. Thank them again for their time, and ask whether they might be able to provide you with any feedback from the interview. Also, reiterate your interest in the company (not the role), being as specific as possible about what attracts you to this company, and mention that you would be very interested in any similar opportunities which may arise within the company in the future. At this stage, you have nothing to lose. And, if you were a close No. 2 candidate for the job, a follow-up will end things on good terms - and may put you at the top of the list of potential candidates, next time a position comes up.

Best of luck!

finisklin

I take on board lemon squeezy comments and as a candidate over the last few years this seems to be the exception rather than the rule, IMHO.

If an employer indicated that they will confirm the result of the interview or feedback within a specified period of time and they haven't my view is that you are perfectly entitled to pick up the phone and request the feeback as per the employers commitment. There may be a genuine reason, which is fair enough which gives the candidate the opportunity to renew his interest and outline his reasons for applying for the role and interest in the company in the first instance.

One MNC that I had an opportunity to interview with had no intention to give feedback and when I eventually called they gave no feedback only to say that they were still looking at candidates. To this day I have no idea how I got on as they never bothered their arse confirming one way or another my performance. I did read between the lines though of our telephone conversation that I wasn't getting the job!

Fortunately now I am in a much better job with more responsibility and opportunity.

Pick up the phone and call them.

juan.kerr

I regularly interview candidates, we have HR dept and use recruitment agents etc so I wouldn't deal directly with the candidates with the exception of the interviews.

I got a direct email from one candidate thanking me for the interview. It wasn't the reason the candidate didn't get the job, but I felt that it was inappropriate.

tatli_lokma

juan.kerr wrote: »

I regularly interview candidates, we have HR dept and use recruitment agents etc so I wouldn't deal directly with the candidates with the exception of the interviews.

I got a direct email from one candidate thanking me for the interview. It wasn't the reason the candidate didn't get the job, but I felt that it was inappropriate.

Saying thank you is inappropriate?? I don't see how

From personal experience, I have followed up on interviews, and in each case I either got told the reason for the delay, or got through to the next round/ got the position. So for me it has never had a negative impact.

If someone in HR feels a follow up is smarmy, this only gives me a negative impression of HR I'm afraid.

I see nothing wrong with a simple, professional and polite email thanking the person for their time, and asking for an update and feedback (after an apporpriate amount of time). If the interviewee came via an agency, then I would be a bit surprised to get a contact, as it would be up to the agency to do this, although given my experience with many agencies, I can understand why someone would take charge of their own affairs!

If you are uncomfortable giving someone feedback after an interview, then you really shouldn't be interviewing - that's my opinion anyway.

juan.kerr

Little Ted wrote: »

Saying thank you is inappropriate?? I don't see how

From personal experience, I have followed up on interviews, and in each case I either got told the reason for the delay, or got through to the next round/ got the position. So for me it has never had a negative impact.

If someone in HR feels a follow up is smarmy, this only gives me a negative impression of HR I'm afraid.

I see nothing wrong with a simple, professional and polite email thanking the person for their time, and asking for an update and feedback (after an apporpriate amount of time). If the interviewee came via an agency, then I would be a bit surprised to get a contact, as it would be up to the agency to do this, although given my experience with many agencies, I can understand why someone would take charge of their own affairs!

If you are uncomfortable giving someone feedback after an interview, then you really shouldn't be interviewing - that's my opinion anyway.

As I clearly stated above the person bypassed both the agency and our HR department. Plus it was the next day.

Where does it say I am uncomfortable giving feedback?

mikemac1

Thanks for replies all

Got a PFO from one of them by email but I was expecting that, so be it


Bit the bullet and called HR for my best interview, she was very nice, all apologetic and seems a senior manager is away and he needs to sign off on candidates for 2nd round interview so will have news in a day or two

Doesn't mean acceptance or rejection yet, just sometimes things are outside HR's control and if someone is away it all gets stalled


Good luck to anyone else on the job hunt

Waiting is torture :rolleyes:

tk123

Good luck OP! I had the opposite - sent in cv, and less than 24hours later interviewed by hr, did 2 tests, then interviewed by a team member (manager was away), then a company director then back to HR who offered me the position in the space of an hour or so. Pressured me into accepting (needed a decision in a few hours) which I'm now regretting - wish it had of been dragged out a bit so I had time to think!

the culture of deference

I found that agencies were a pain in the ass to deal with. Sometimes you got sent to pointless interviews just to fill space for an agency.

I had 2 interviews with an american bank (near harcourt), the agent said we would have defo answer by the end of the week.

I had another offer on table so I asked them to ring the bank and give a definite answer. 3 days of this and I called the agent and said I am passing said bank today and I will call in myself to chat with them.

The agent pleaded with me not call in to the bank, so I gave him an hour. An hour later the agent phoned me to say the bank had filled the position on the interview day.

the culture of deference

the culture of deference wrote: »

I found that agencies were a pain in the ass to deal with. Sometimes you got sent to pointless interviews just to fill space for an agency.

I had 2 interviews with an american bank (near harcourt), the agent said we would have defo answer by the end of the week.

I had another offer on table so I asked them to ring the bank and give a definite answer. 3 days of this and I called the agent and said I am passing said bank today and I will call in myself to chat with them.

The agent pleaded with me not call in to the bank, so I gave him an hour. An hour later the agent phoned me to say the bank had filled the position on the interview day.

agencies can be pretty bad
i dealt with one once that specialise in my profession. all lovely and helpful and regular contact and "shall we practice some interview questions", had a 2nd interview... then bam, nothing. rang up "oh yeah havent heard back yet from them" left it a week (bear in mind that both interviews and many phone calls had passed in the space of a week before) and rang again saying "im waiting to hear from you?" "oh right yeah sorry will be in touch"
never heard from them again
:rolleyes:
seriously unprofessional

mikemac1

Lock my thread mods

Got the job

Took their sweet time but I don't mind anymore

FullBeard

Congratulations, Mike! Good feeling, isn't it!

tk123

Well done!