When Your Hiring Process Advance Or Job Offer Stalls

A common job search question I hear is:

"My interview went great, the hiring manager said that they'll schedule a next interview/prepare an offer, but I haven't heard from them in a week. What should I do?"

It's important to think of possible reasons things may have stalled: 1) The hiring manager had other things to deal with; 2) The the person who needs to approve, HR or recruiter is on vacation or sick; 4) The company or hiring manager is pausing new hires; 4) They're considering other candidates; 5) You're a backup but not the top candidate; 6) They've decided against you

But it's also important to decide what to do about it:

• Call/Email HR:?HR doesn't make hiring decisions or decisions who will advance.
• Call/Email The Hiring Manager:?While the hiring manager makes hiring decisions, it can be difficult to reach them. Since sales people and outside recruiters can reach the hiring manager, you can too.
• Message On LinkedIn:?LinkedIn is usually the least likely way you'll get a response. LinkedIn limits the number of InMails and DMs someone can send per day and per month, even for paid LinkedIn subscribers. Since email is free, you'll get better response if you email the HM and also DM with your email address included.
• Don't Just Follow Up:?Following up, or finding out next steps may provide value to you, but it provides no value to the hiring manager or recruiter. So it's not likely to speed up the process, but it certainly may negatively affect an employer's impression of you. Instead, give that hiring manager or recruiter value with every contact you make, proving to them that it's in their best interest to take your calls.

Sometimes, no matter how you try to nudge it along, your interview advancement or job offer may just be stalled. Repeated efforts to contact and move forward usually elicit negative response, making you appear like a stalker, desperate, or a pest.

But if you're the top candidate and the hiring manager is ready to get you started, you'll have no doubt. It will be clear, the HR department will be proactive, and the employer will reach out on their own to try to finalize your acceptance and start date. If this isn't happening, it's a sign to move on. Unfair as it may seem, many hiring managers consider that silence is an answer.

I help people solve the most difficult job search problems, including getting past ATSs, ageism, remote positions, product/job function/career/industry/ geographic change, job search acceleration, unemployment, "bouncy" recent career path, job search turnaround, seeking raise/promotion, industry in decline/consolidation, long term gaps, family leave, or other of the most challenging job search issues.

Join me for my next free Resume Revolution! webinar (enroll at https://x.resumewebinar.com/register for no charge) to learn how to overcome tough job search problems, and accelerate your job search.

#jobs ?#resume ?#career