It\u2019s been two weeks since that interview you nailed. You\u2019ve bitten your nails down to nothing with anxiety that only escalates with each phone call-less day. It\u2019s possible you\u2019ve sent a follow-up email at this point. Now, you are additionally worried that you might have sounded desperate for doing that.<\/p>
You start thinking, \u201cI had it in the bag but then I sent that e-mail and now I\u2019ve ruined my chances!\u201d<\/p>
Well, what\u2019s really taking them so long to get back to you?<\/p>
The saying goes, \u201cBad news travels fast.\u201d In the hiring process, the opposite is generally true. If a team and its hiring manager both decide that they want you on their team, feedback after an interview is provided almost immediately to the recruiter. Usually, with a few exceptions, the recruiter won\u2019t sit on the decision for too long.<\/p>
If you haven\u2019t heard back, the hard pill to swallow is: There\u2019s a good chance they\u2019re going with another candidate and loathe the fact that they must deliver this bad news. Unfortunately, their lack of enthusiasm to crush your career dreams could prolong the feedback after an interview. These are all generalizations and there are several exceptions.<\/p>
Don\u2019t lose hope just yet<\/strong><\/p> Here are four reasons to restore your hopes and explain why you might not be receiving feedback after an interview:<\/p> A candidate never sees what goes on in the background. It\u2019s typically not as simple as deciding, \u201cWe need another person to help this team. Let\u2019s hire someone. Done!\u201d<\/p> There is a league of processes that go into opening and posting a job. Companies are usually given a headcount they can\u2019t exceed. Usually, they\u2019re given restrictions on overhead costs.<\/p> Sometimes a job is open and being sourced for, but then management decides to restructure, reprioritize, or reallocate resources. This can altogether eliminate a job you were vying for, or perhaps put a hold on it.<\/p> On a less technical side, things could\u2019ve gotten really busy for the team you were hoping to join and they simply need to hold off on filling the role until things slow back down.<\/p> The implication of hiring someone is that they\u2019ll need the time and flexibility to onboard and train the new hire. If they\u2019re busy, they might collectively decide to press pause.<\/p> While it\u2019s not common some have waited months before being hired!<\/p> A good problem for a recruiter to have is having too many great candidates! While the hiring manager might be enthused by the prospects, this can also make a final decision harder for the team.<\/p> Sometimes they\u2019re split between two candidates and can\u2019t seem to tip the scales convincingly enough.<\/p> If they don\u2019t feel the pressure to immediately backfill a position, they could be taking their time to really review and re-review the candidate\u2019s resume, portfolio, and interview notes.<\/p> Every now and then, a candidate will fare well in their interview process and pass with flying colors. But for whatever reason, some hiring managers don\u2019t always want to immediately pull the trigger. They tell the recruiter something like, \u201cWe liked him\/her, but let\u2019s try to get a few more.\u201d<\/p> While this can be frustrating for both the candidate and the recruiter, it can help the team affirm their initial impressions of you and they may come back with an offer.<\/p> Unfortunately, it could also mean that they do find someone else they determine to be a better fit.<\/p> While good news generally travels faster in the hiring process, this isn\u2019t always the case. It\u2019s important to consider that a fast response time will mean different things for different companies and recruiters.<\/p> Some companies might consistently get offers out within a few days while others will typically take one to two weeks to provide feedback after an interview. For a candidate dangling in suspense, one day alone could feel like an eternity, but it shouldn\u2019t be a cause for despair.<\/p> If it\u2019s been a week or two, there\u2019s nothing wrong with sending a follow-up email requesting an update. If you\u2019re not hearing back, it doesn\u2019t always mean it\u2019s because it\u2019s bad news, and an update could help ease some of that anxiety. <\/p> If it turns out that you eventually get some bad news, find solace knowing that there\u2019s something else out there for you. It can seem like the end of the world, but just remind yourself that it\u2019s not!<\/p> There are other opportunities out there for you that will take you where you\u2019re truly meant to be: This is good news! The journey to shaping your career is one requiring patience and effort. Be resilient and move on to the next opportunity.<\/p>1. There\u2019s been a hold on the position.<\/strong><\/h3>
2. The team needs more time.<\/strong><\/h3>
3. You\u2019re swimming in a very competitive pool.<\/strong><\/h3>
4. The hiring manager just can\u2019t get enough.<\/strong><\/h3>
Good News Travels Relatively Faster All the Time<\/h2>
Bad News Isn\u2019t Always Bad News<\/h2>