After The Interview

What's expected after you've been interviewed for a job?

I've landed two interviews in the past few months. Both times, I was told I'd hear whether I got the job. Both times, I heard nothing.

Most recently, I interviewed for a job where it became clear during the interview process that I had more skill and experience than the two people who were interviewing me. But I played it cool. They seemed to like me. They invited me to stick around the news room for a few minutes to watch them break a big story.

It's been three weeks since that interview. The guy said he'd let me know within a few days. I e-mailed him a week later to thank him for the opportunity and to ask if they'd made a decision. I got no reply. Last week, I e-mailed him again. I still haven't received a reply.

Am I taking the wrong approach? Are these people unprofessional? Am I forgetting a step?

 

Just place a call. Nothing wrong, it shows you still have interest at least. They may not have made a decision yet. Or they could just be avoiding you to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.

But call. At least you'll know.The person you're competing with for the job may have already, and that gives them the upper hand.

 

If you've had an in-person interview, the SE absolutely owes you a call to let you know either way. If it's a phone interview, that's one thing. But in person? You deserve an answer.

 

I agree with both of the above. Call him. But he definitely owes you some kind of notification.

Sometimes, a delay in the process may be simply because of a lot of applications. Sometimes, there are other factors that have nothing to do with hiring.

 

It's taken me a while to hear back on each of my job interviews, but each time, they told me a date they would call me and let me know by. The one employer called me by the day they told me and I called the other the next day after the deadline. Either way works.

 

You might want to make sure that the phone number on your resume is correct.

 

Oh, the number is correct. It's how they called to set up an interview with me. They set up the first interview via e-mail, which is why I sent a follow-up e-mail shortly after the new year to ask if they'd made a decision. It had been three weeks. The woman told me that she had sent an e-mail to me long ago. But she was lying. I'm a freelancer writer. I never overlook an e-mail.

The second person is an online editor. So I sent him two e-mails instead of calling. He's not replied. I have a feeling I didn't want to work there anyway.

 

Not sure this is a good thing. ... They may feel you are overqualified or would want too much money, would bolt too soon, would threaten their positions, etc.

Otherwise, you've got to suck it up and chill. No one likes a needy job candidate. You don't want them to redflag you. When you check, don't ask them when they expect to make a decision.

Just thank them for their time, ask if there is anything else they need, etc.

If they said they expect to know something in a week, I would get back with them in about 10-14 days and see if there is anything else they need, or forward them your latest clip, etc.

Act like your are just staying on top of things, not sweating with fear.

 

Thanks. This is all good advice that I'll call upon in the future.

 

Some places feel they shouldn't call back if you don't get the job -- it's their policy, and some say it's for legal reasons.

I say it's bull, but they're in a much higher paygrade than I.

 

Legal reasons? Are they afraid the manager is going to say they hired Sofia instead because she was more curvalicious?

I think if a person has interviewed, they deserve a call, email or form letter.

 

You'd be surprised. When I was going through my first hiring process, I wanted to be sure to cover my ass in the event one of the candidates decided to pull the race card.

Even so, I sent each person I didn't hire a form letter. I varied the letter depending on where they were in the pecking order.

Tier 3 was "you weren't quite good enough"; Tier 2 was a nice way of saying, "you were good enough, but there were peeps who were better." There was one guy in Tier 1 whom I very nearly hired and would have if my publisher scared off the first guy: I sent him a letter in which I specifically said, "Frankly, if I had two positions, I'd hire you for one of them."