Ask Manpower:

I had an interview at a company I really want to work for, and I left feeling good about how it went – but it has been a couple of weeks and I haven’t heard back. Would it be appropriate to reach out to them?

Congratulations on securing an interview – that in and of itself is an accomplishment to be proud of. Chances are if you left feeling positive about how it went, then more than likely you made a genuine connection with the job, the company, and the person interviewing and that is no small fete. Waiting to hear back about a job that you are interested in can be nerve-wracking – but there are a few things you can do throughout the interview process to help.

Inquire upfront about their timeline.

Make sure you are entering into an interview with the understanding that it is a dialogue. All too often job seekers go into an interview thinking that the employer is the only one making a decision. Not only is the employer trying to decide if you have the skills, experience, and will work well with their team – you should be trying to make decisions of your own. Is this where you want to be, what you want to do, and who you want to work with? The answers can be uncovered by asking the right questions in your interview, one of which should be inquiring about their hiring timeline. By asking about their timeline, you will get insight into their process and potentially on their overall culture. Do they drag their feet making decisions? Are they impulsive in their choices? These are some insights into organizational thought processes and employment stability.

Make the most of your thank you email.

If you aren’t doing so already, be sure to send a thank you email after each interview you have – even if you have decided that position isn’t right for you. Letting a hiring manager know you are appreciative of their time and formally notifying them of your interest moving forward is always appreciated. You can also use this thank you email to ask if they have any other questions that you may be able to answer for them to help them in their decision-making process and get clarity on next steps. A thank you email should be brief, to the point, and preferably sent after 1 or 2 business days – which is a reasonable timeframe to demonstrate that you are not just going through the motions, but really took the time to reflect on your meeting with them.

Send an appropriate and well-timed follow up.

Hopefully you have followed the recommendations above and that has allowed you a window into the employer’s projected timeline. If so, you will easily know when a good time to follow up is. Let’s say the employer noted that they had a couple more interviews this week and plan to follow up with candidates early next week; your best course of action is to follow up by phone or email in the middle of that next week, and gently ask if they have made any decisions. If the timeline was more fluid or nebulous it is generally safe to follow up after two weeks. Hiring processes can take time and sometimes a job opening could even be placed on hold. For example, with all that is going on in the world around us, employers may be preparing for anticipated needs or have experienced an unexpected business interruption. Following up with an employer for a status update is perfectly acceptable, but you want to be careful of coming across as pushy or desperate, as it can leave a negative impression.

Continue your job search.

You have heard the expression that you shouldn’t ‘put all your eggs in one basket’ and your career is a terrific example of that. No matter how intriguing a particular opportunity is, or how well you think an interview went, it is in your best interest to continue to search with as much tenacity as if you had no viable job prospects. You do not want to leave anything to chance, and with so many other people out there looking for work right now, it is quite possible that no matter how stellar of a candidate you are, you may be the second choice for the job. The best way to control the overall outcome of your job search is to keep putting your eggs in different baskets until one fully hatches.

Let Manpower Help You Make A Great Impression!