You had a great interview and you think you did really well. And now, days have turned into weeks, but no one’s gotten back to you. What gives? The truth is that in this time of heightened job competition, organizations are having to do more with less. They’re also under pressure to make a decision faster than ever before. So it’s not uncommon for them to take their time deciding who the best fit for the job is—and that can mean waiting a few weeks (or even months) before contacting candidates again.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The time it takes for an employer to respond to an interview depends on the company, position and candidate experience.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a junior role at a large company with many applicants in the pool and they’re looking to fill immediately (like seasonally or during peak demand), it might take them less than 24 hours to make their decision. On the other hand, if you’re interviewing for an entry level position at a small startup or early-stage growth business where there aren’t many qualified candidates available right now – then even if your interview went great – there could be several weeks before they get back with you about next steps (or whether there will be any next steps).
It’s more important to ask for feedback than it is to inquire about whether you got the job.
It’s more important to ask for feedback than it is to inquire about whether you got the job.
By asking for feedback, you can learn what areas of your interview impressed the interviewer and where you need improvement. This information will help guide future interviews and also improve your resume and cover letter as well as prepare things like salary negotiations or negotiating a start date with the company.
You should always ask if there’s anything else they would like to add before ending the conversation; this gives them an opportunity to provide additional information that may not have been covered during an initial phone call or in-person meeting.
If you haven’t heard from them after two weeks, follow up.
If you’re still waiting to hear back after two weeks, it’s time to follow up. Call or email the hiring manager and ask for feedback on your interview performance. Ask if there is anything else they would like from you before making a decision about who will get the job. If they say no, then ask if there are other opportunities open within their department or company that may be a better fit for your skillset and experience. If so, ask if he or she could recommend an appropriate position for consideration (you can also check out our article about asking for recommendations).
Consider a second interview if you haven’t heard from them in a few weeks.
If you haven’t heard from the employer in a few weeks, follow up. If you don’t hear back after two weeks, follow up again. If it’s been three weeks and still no response, then it’s time for some serious consideration of what happened during your interview process–and whether or not this job is right for you at this point in your career.
People are busy and sometimes things fall through the cracks.
There are a number of reasons why you might not hear back after an interview. For example, it could be that they’re still interviewing other candidates and haven’t made a decision yet. Or perhaps they’re waiting for references to check out before contacting you again.
If you’ve waited at least a week and still haven’t heard from the company, don’t worry too much about it–it’s not necessarily bad news! They may have decided against hiring anyone at all; sometimes companies put off hiring decisions until later in the year so they can save money on benefits like health insurance and vacation days (which makes sense). In some cases, even if the company would have liked to hire someone immediately after an interview but couldn’t afford it right away (or never got around to making their final decision), they might call back later in order “to touch base” with those who were interested in working there so far down the road when budgets allow them more flexibility with salaries/salaries packages offered
It’s important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to how long you should wait before following up on an interview. The best thing you can do is ask for feedback and follow up if they don’t respond. If they still don’t get back with you, consider following up again or even calling them if time has passed since your last communication (say two weeks).
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You had a great interview and you think you did really well. And now, days have turned into weeks, but no one’s gotten back to you. What gives? The truth is that in this time of heightened job competition, organizations are having to do more with less. They’re also under pressure to make a decision faster than ever before. So it’s not uncommon for them to take their time deciding who the best fit for the job is—and that can mean waiting a few weeks (or even months) before contacting candidates again.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The time it takes for an employer to respond to an interview depends on the company, position and candidate experience.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a junior role at a large company with many applicants in the pool and they’re looking to fill immediately (like seasonally or during peak demand), it might take them less than 24 hours to make their decision. On the other hand, if you’re interviewing for an entry level position at a small startup or early-stage growth business where there aren’t many qualified candidates available right now – then even if your interview went great – there could be several weeks before they get back with you about next steps (or whether there will be any next steps).
It’s more important to ask for feedback than it is to inquire about whether you got the job.
If you haven’t heard from them after two weeks, follow up.
If you’re still waiting to hear back after two weeks, it’s time to follow up. Call or email the hiring manager and ask for feedback on your interview performance. Ask if there is anything else they would like from you before making a decision about who will get the job. If they say no, then ask if there are other opportunities open within their department or company that may be a better fit for your skillset and experience. If so, ask if he or she could recommend an appropriate position for consideration (you can also check out our article about asking for recommendations).
Consider a second interview if you haven’t heard from them in a few weeks.
If you haven’t heard from the employer in a few weeks, follow up. If you don’t hear back after two weeks, follow up again. If it’s been three weeks and still no response, then it’s time for some serious consideration of what happened during your interview process–and whether or not this job is right for you at this point in your career.
People are busy and sometimes things fall through the cracks.
There are a number of reasons why you might not hear back after an interview. For example, it could be that they’re still interviewing other candidates and haven’t made a decision yet. Or perhaps they’re waiting for references to check out before contacting you again.
If you’ve waited at least a week and still haven’t heard from the company, don’t worry too much about it–it’s not necessarily bad news! They may have decided against hiring anyone at all; sometimes companies put off hiring decisions until later in the year so they can save money on benefits like health insurance and vacation days (which makes sense). In some cases, even if the company would have liked to hire someone immediately after an interview but couldn’t afford it right away (or never got around to making their final decision), they might call back later in order “to touch base” with those who were interested in working there so far down the road when budgets allow them more flexibility with salaries/salaries packages offered
It’s important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to how long you should wait before following up on an interview. The best thing you can do is ask for feedback and follow up if they don’t respond. If they still don’t get back with you, consider following up again or even calling them if time has passed since your last communication (say two weeks).