How to follow up when you don’t get a response after a job interview

We do. We get it. Application for a job is no easy task. It can take hours to find a job that looks like a good match, complete an application, update your curriculum vitae, revise your cover letter and send everything to your boss. If you will be applying for a job well, you will have to update the curriculum vitae for just about every position you apply for. And then comes the beautiful confirmation day when you finally get that email or telephone call asking you to come in for an interview.

Your hard work has paid off and it seems you’ve done something right to stand out from the crowd and get an interview for yourself. You should take care to schedule the interview thoroughly.

So when you take the time to find a job that seems like a great fit, put in the work to apply and interview, and then wait and wait just to hear the company’s utter radio silence, it can be frustrating.

There are a lot of reasons for that, really!

The interviewer may have liked you but he or she has to convince their team to love you too. It is often the case that, in order to move forward, many people need to accept the hire and it can be difficult to get feedback from each person on the team. One individual could be swamped with meetings while another might be on holiday.

I’m sorry to say it, but you might be the second choice for the company to fill that role. You may still have a chance but only if they can’t have their first option, so they can string you along until they know for sure whether or not you’re going to be needed.

The jobs are tying up HR and compensation agreements. You might have set a wage target above what the company was originally prepared to offer. This may not mean you get a No, but it will mean the hiring manager will need to pull some strings.

Of course, each applicant, hiring team and the client will be different that can lead to thousands of explanations about why you haven’t heard back from a company yet. That being so, there’s a way you can take advantage of this opportunity to convince the recruiting team of your interest in the job and your ability as an applicant.

After your interview give an initial thank you note

First of all, you should always send a thank-you note straight after your interview. Not only is it respectful and will help you stand out from your interviewer, but sometimes it’s also expected by some hiring managers as a normal part of the process.

Link to your interviewees on LinkedIn

Now, if you’re searching for our interviewers on LinkedIn and making a relation, you might feel weird or you’re going to get overly eager. To be honest, it probably depends on how your interview went, and how you were able to build a friendship in the short time you met them. That being the case, go with your gut but remember it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone from time to time, particularly during a job search. Send a short and simple note with your request for a link that reads something like this.

But if you have been waiting a long time to hear back and feel like you should follow up after your interview… One of the best things you can do is send your hiring manager a short and simple note. You don’t have to be afraid of them feeling annoyed that you’ve been following up if it’s been at least a week since your interview. They’ll understand you’ve been waiting and they might even like to see you’re still interested in the position and showing effort.

Don’t stop searching for jobs

One last time you wait to hear an answer from the employer you’re excited about is this: don’t stop looking for a job. Even if you feel like the interview went smoothly and the hiring manager “made it really clear” that they wanted to hire you, a job offer is not definite until it’s written down. Occasionally, all it takes is for a reference to say something that makes the hiring manager second-guess their choice or the client may decide to switch their last-minute interests and the decision may have nothing to do with you at all. You don’t want to be left empty-handed either way, because you’re putting all your eggs in the same basket. Continue to pursue the work that you’re excited about and hopeful for, but keep looking in between.