How should one deal with not receiving a response from a company they applied to and interviewed with.
Answers
1. By all means, follow up one to two weeks later with a short letter or email thanking the interviewer for his or her time and again underscoring how you'd be the best fit for that position. The fact that you got an interview means that you made it past the other black hole -- the online application process.
2. After sending out the letter/email, forget about it and continue to soldier on with the job search. Snagging a job, in the end, is a numbers game, where you'll probably lose more than you'll win. Keep in mind that, along with the resume black hole, the job application/interview process is governed by two things:
a. overworked recruiters and HR people who have to sift through hundreds of resumes for one job
b. the companies' compliance with EO and other legal strictures to protect themselves (read: CYA) from job discrimination lawsuits. It's nothing personal, but the nature of the contorted system that exists today.
As I said, you go in and forget about it. If the company really wants you, they'll find a way to get back to you. Very rarely, if at all, will you get feedback as to what might have gone wrong with the interview, if anything. Because they're afraid of lawsuits, they probably not say anything at all.
I know people say you need to snail mail a thank you, but the truth is few people bother even to email one, so I only recommend that. Just do NOT send a boilerplate thank you --> customize it in some way, to each interviewer's discussion with you (example: "Jane, I really appreciated that you took the time to outline the structure of the division with me. It gave me a stronger understanding of how this role might fit into the larger framework." or "Jim, thank you especially for spending some time explaining the technology the team uses in their manufacturing operations. This really helped me to grasp the underlying ..."
Three things to always do in the last 5 minutes of your interview slot:
1) Make sure the top 3-5 things you want THEM to know about YOU have been said. If not, SAY THEM. Usually, I summarize them anyway. Never hurts to repeat your top selling points.
2) Ask if they have any reservations about you as a candidate. If they don't = great! If they do, then you have a chance to address any possible concerns RIGHT THEN.
3) Ask what the next steps are, and TIMING. Some companies take weeks to go through the first round of interviews (mine included). This means that if you were a top choice, you were likely invited in first. So it can be some time before you hear back if you make it to the next round. If they've told you the usual "2 weeks", then a couple of days after 2 weeks ... reach out and ask about status. If they don't reply, write it off and move on.
Congratulations on getting to the interview stage - this is a huge accomplishment!
Ask at the end of the interview when they'll make a decision. Send thank you within 24 hours. Email one week prior to decision or one week after interview. chrismoorepmp@yahoo.com 916.402.2756
Learn from this experience going forward. I suggest that during the interview you ask them for a "clear distinct future" on what you can expect as far as "next steps" regarding the interview. If they know it's a "no" right then and there, tell them you are OK with "no" and would rather hear it now as opposed to chasing them later. If they don't know for sure, ask them when they plan to make a decision, and when would be the best window of time for you to call them back, date and time. Be specific. Ask them what you should do if you don't hear back from them (this is especially effective if you have had a face to face interview with some indication of interest). The objective here is to understand their process and also to ask them to grant you the "professional courtesy" of a response back to you, yes or no. After the fact, this is much harder to do. If they don't respond to your phone messages after no more than three by phone or email (three in total) then move on. It's probably a company you wouldn't want to work for anyway! And as others have said, if a company/recruiter has been overwhelmed with applications they won't have time to get back to everyone. However, if you've had a face to face interview, I would ask them to let you know yes or no if you have been hired. They aren't required to do this and won't usually tell you why you haven't been chosen for reasons mentioned above. But you can still request the professional courtesy of a response.
Best of luck!
Beyond what has already been suggested, I might find some relevant idea or article or white paper that links very clearly to one of the discussion points in the interview and ADDS VALUE. That gives you another opportunity to connect, beyond the original thank you note, and demonstrates the kind of value you would add as a future employee.
Thank you for your service.
Unfortunately, this is simply part of the process. It is fueled by several factors, including the volume of responses they might be required to send, fear of litigation by saying something in their response (in case this was a rejection letter) that might prompt an applicant to file suit and what we tend to forget as job seekers, it is never just about us. We are not that important to a prospective hiring company unless we are one hot candidate that they cannot afford to let get away.
Try not to take this personally. It is not intended to be personal, just accept it and move on to the next opportunity. Try to end the interview by asking what the next step is in their hiring process, or where do we go from here. Try to secure a firm date on when you might hear from them regarding the next round of interviews. Write down what they say and reiterate that date in your thank you letter.
Tell them as you are leaving the interview, that if you haven't heard from them by that date, you will call them. They may say not to call, but do so anyway on that date and remind them that you mentioned that you would call in your thank you/follow up letter.
This may come across as too assertive and if you find great discomfort with it don't do it. It will also show more interest in the opportunity than the vast number of applicants who just wait for a call or letter that never comes. If it does feel comfortable to you adopt this practice for each round of interviews with the same company.
Good luck!
I usually agree with the consensus but in this case, I would walk away and look for other opportunities. I DO agree with much of the advice here in general but some companies have a chaotic atmosphere and simply decide to not follow up with anyone who they aren't going forward with. Unfortunately, I say this with my own personal experience. In a past industry I only had about 25 employees but usually received 200-400 resumes per job opening. It was so frustrating that I would (irrationally) get irritated with follow ups and remember them nagatively if I later ran across their resume. I can think of more situations where you may want to avoid a company that doesn't follow up, but if you ask good questions in the interview, you'll not only know when to follow up but also leave a more positive and memorable impression.
Good Luck!
A Thank You note (handwritten) or email to the person(s) you've interviewed with within a week would be appropriate. Maybe during the interview ask when a decision is being made and what is the best way to follow up (call, email, etc.) on the progress of a decision by the company. In addition to the note, follow up in the most appropriate way the company suggests. If you get the position GREAT, if not, ask the question, "knowing the skills and experiences you have, are there other opportunities within the company that may be a good fit or with some training, would be a win-win for the company and yourself". Confidence and eagerness to learn new skills or build on your existing skills is key.....BE POSITIVE during the interview and in your thank you and follow up process. Best of luck to you!
A follow up letter is appropriate, thanking the prospective employer for the opportunity to be interviewed and reiterating key points as to why you'd be a good fit and why you want to work for the company. Also, ask what about your experience or the interview would keep you from being hired. That way, you'll have gained from the unsuccessful experience.
You should ask at the interview when the decision will be made, and if you can follow up with a phone call to the interviewer.
If you get stonewalled or you hear nothing, then they didn't want to hire you, and it's up to you to decide for yourself what went wrong, and learn from the experience.
I agree with most responses here. Take the time to follow up, write a thank you note for the interview, and see if you get a response. Even a "no" is better than not knowing. So sorry this happens in a professional environment!
I am not sure how large the company was that you applied for and what level or position you applied for but depending on the resources they have and the number of applicants, I think 4 weeks is a good time period to wait for a response.
I believe you will receive a reply and good luck on the interview with your dream job. I hope you get it.
My advice would be to try and build a relationship with the recruiter before you interview. Otherwise, after the interview you have very little to offer (unless you're moving forward in the process) and you don't appear to be worth their valuable time. Try to make yourself more valuable than for just one interview. Help the recruiter with another search or with some referrals or try to offer more value than just the one interview. Make that connection when your value is highest - meaning when the recruiter is still trying to get you scheduled and into that interview.
As many mentioned, this is par for the course, unfortunately. In my experience, the larger the company the longer this process takes. Sending a follow-up email thanking the interviewer and restating your interest in the position is very important.
Depending on what stage of the process the company is in (just starting to interview, or more advanced), it might be some time before you hear.
More times than not, companies are not providing the courtesy response if you are not selected, only if you are advancing in the interview process. Keep applying, and use every interview as an opportunity to perfect your interviewing technique. Leverage your connections, and if you haven't already, get on LinkedIn. In speaking with people in HR, a LinkedIn profile carries as much weight as a resume these days.
It is a good idea to send a follow up email or thank you note to the interviewer following the interview. Many interviewers do not respond to these for several reasons and it is not necessarily cause for concern when they do not respond. After your interview is over and you have finished asking your questions to the interviewer you can ask them what the next steps are or when you can anticipate hearing from them. If you do not hear back from them by that date that would be an appropriate time to follow up. If you do not hear anything one week after reaching out to the hiring manager then reaching out to the HR Recruiter for status is also acceptable.
The interview is what sells. Very little that you do before it (other than being prepared) or after is going to influence the decision. Sure, a quick Thanks is a polite gesture at the end of the interview and for a follow up note. But the only time you really have the attention that can make a difference is from when you walk into the interview until you walk out.......unless of course you have an inside connection. All changes if you have an inside connection where prudent and carefully guided follow up might be in order. Do not under estimate the advantages of mastering interviewing skills and practice, practice, practice them. You should be as comfortable an interviewee and they are an interviewer.
Good day, send a follow up letter to the hr-manager-owner. Send a thank you card to business
Shevon,
Unfortunately in this day in age, we have a lot of this going on with interview candidates. Part of it might be because the hiring managers have not made a decision or maybe funding was cut or frozen for the time being. This can all be avoided though if the recruiter you are working with at the company is good and does their job. There is no reason for contact to just cease in my mind. Being a recruiter myself, we as the recruiter need to understand this is how people make their livelihood and how food is put on the tables for families. I have always tried putting myself in others shoes and if it is not something I would want to happen to me, I try not to do it to others. This is a good rule of thumb because if it were me interviewing, then I would want to here back either way if I got the job or not.
With that being said, having interviewed with the company already, most likely meeting different people, hopefully you got business cards from as many of them as you could. Your first move is to contact the recruiter directly. I would say after a week if you haven't heard anything from the date of the interview, that is when you can call the recruiter and follow up with an email right after. If two weeks goes by, try reaching out directly to one of the people you met with during the interview. If you hear nothing back after 3-4 weeks, its a good indication that you are no longer being considered for the job. Most interested companies will follow up with you if you are in the running. You may also want to do more research on the company on places like Glassdoor to see if anyone else has experienced a similar scenario. You may find that this is the norm and then you can decide for yourself if that place is truly somewhere you would want to work if that is how business is conducted.
I agree with others that a thank you note would be appropriate following the interview. However, I recommend sending it electronically to everyone you met with before you go to bed the evening of the interview(s). If you did not receive clarity from them on the time they are going to take to make a decision (i.e., 2 weeks), I recommend following up with the person coordinating your interviews in 3 business days...following up via phone call on your interview and expressing sincere interest in the position. If they gave you a timeline, and it passes, wait no more than 1 day after the time they told you to follow up. If you are waiting for someone to call you first, this is not the best tactic in your search. You need to take the initiative to keep that otherwise black hole full of light! I have been inside corporations recruiting great talent for many companies over the years, and the number of phone calls I received as follow up are almost non-existent. Set yourself apart from others that may be under consideration. Call. Wishing you the absolute best!
Good advice above. In addition, here are a couple of points:
(1) if its a small company without a big HR and layers, it is easier to reach out to the hiring manager you interviewed with and let them know via a short email that you are still interested in this position and why. If its a big company and there are policies in place where only the HR acts as the interface with the candidate, there is not much you can do but there is no harm in letting your HR contact know of your interest in their feedback.
(2) Bounce back and reflect on whether you did everything on the pre-interview checklist, during the interview and after. Mull over the questions you were asked and if you felt that was the best answer or you should have said or done something differently. Perhaps post those questions on this forum and see what others' opinions are on your answers. It will strengthen your next round of interviews. All the very best!
Also, take a look at this -- http://www.workcoachcafe.com/2008/03/26/after-the-job-interview-why-havent-they-called-me-yet/
Shevon,
How long has it been since your interview?
Erika's response is spot-on. You'll usually hear back from the company regarding a decision one way or the other, especially if you've sent in your follow-up thank you notes as Arsene makes reference to below. After every interview, it's good to do an After Action Report with yourself; what went well, what could have gone better, what will you do differently the next time? Consider how you prepared for the interview, the types of questions you asked and what you were hoping to gain from the interviews (besides the obvious job offer); more information about the company, position, company culture, etc. and include more that the next time around.
Every experience can be used as a teaching moment for yourself so you can continually improve with each interview.
Very best of luck,
Brage
Arsene has some good advice. You could also follow up with the recruiter or HR partner that initially reached out to you to set up the interview (if you don't have the contact info for the hiring manager). See if they can offer insight into the delay or if they can connect you to the hiring team to ask them directly. As a general rule, I would say that getting notification post interview especially during this time of year (vacation season), you can expect to wait for 2-4 weeks. The hiring team may be interviewing other candidates which means working around multiple busy schedules, which delays the process. The hiring team will typically not offer feedback on a single candidate until they have reviewed all the other candidates for comparison.
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