I HAVEN’T HEARD BACK AFTER MY INTERVIEW (WHY IS THAT?)

Let’s say you just walked away from an interview feeling confident. Let’s say you feel so good you can’t help but believe the job has to be yours and all there is left to do is wait for that offer to come through.

But then you find yourself still waiting. You are sitting and waiting to hear back from someone... anyone! The wait is the perfect breeding ground for you to create numerous negative scenarios in your head as to why the wait is stretching on so long.

Hear me when I say this. The reason may be completely different from the ones you’ve made up in your head.

Below, I will be discussing reasons why you might be experiencing a wait and how you can gain some peace of mind simply by improving a skill you already possess --- communication.

Your communication skill will always be your biggest asset. It’s important you use it as part of your process when completing interviews. Trust me, you will understand why after reading what I have to say below.

Even when you spend all that time waiting only to hear back and get turned down, you still should understand why everyone may go through some type of waiting process after even the best of interviews.

Here are the tips I have for you while you are waiting to hear back.

Tip #1:  Don’t be afraid to reach out to the recruiter if you feel as though it has been too long of a gap between now and the time you interviewed. There are two ways you can do so. You can reach out via phone or email. I suggest you try calling first. If you happen to only speak to their voicemail, be sure you mention that you will also send an email. That way they will be on the lookout for your follow-up email. Remember to be professional at all times.

Tip #2: Remember that things do come up. A lot of these events may be out of the recruiter’s control. There could be a long list of reasons behind the scene that are holding up their piece of the hiring process. There could be new paperwork, new work skills that need to be evaluated, etc. In situations like this, recruiters may not always contact you to explain why they are late getting back with you. Try not to think the worst!

Tip #3:  Always find a way to stay engaged with the employer after your interview has ended. A good way to stay in contact is by sending out thank you notes. A thank you gives the employer an opportunity to see how grateful you are for them taking the time to interview you. When you send out your thank-yous, remember that professionalism will get you far.

Tip #4:  This last tip may be one that you would prefer not to read, but sometimes the truth is going to be like that. There could be a wait because the offer is being extended to another candidate that interviewed for the same position. The recruiter could be waiting to hear back from them on whether or not they will accept the offer. If later, after getting the position, you find out you were the runner-up, don’t get upset. It’s okay to be a second choice because in the end, you are in the position you were dreaming of.

Getting a job offer is a job in itself. You will have to put in an effort to make yourself noticeable. Yes, this includes the waiting part, but you have to know what to do during that wait to still make yourself a strong candidate.

All of this information, my job seekers, will surely give you the knowledge you need to shake those worries and still put your good foot forward throughout this interview process.