Following Up After All Post-Interview Signals Indicated She'd Get the Job

Christina writes:

I had an interview in the middle of September and it went very well. I left the interview with the employer telling me that he and the company would miss a great opportunity if they don’t hire me.

I had contact with the employer at the end of September and was told that my background check is clear, references checked out fine, and my application is waiting for a stamp of approval.

My question is that since then I have not heard anything yet as of early October… I’m wondering if a follow-up is necessary or should I just wait for the employer to contact me. What is your advice?

The Career Doctor responds:

I want everyone reading this blog to make a solemn promise to me… when you are next in the middle of a job search, you will ALWAYS follow-up with the prospective employer. Employers want to hire go-getters, people who have an interest and desire to work for them, and that’s what following-up does — it shows the employer you want to work for that company. Job-seekers must be proactive in your job-search, not reactive waiting for the employer to contact you.

So, Christina, if I were you, I would immediately jump on the telephone and call the hiring manager and simply state that you wanted to call and check in and see if there was anything else he — or the company — needed from you. I personally would be a bit more aggressive and add, anything they needed from me in order to finalize the job offer, but that’s just me.

Follow-up after job interviews is essential, and it always starts with a thank-you note or letter. You also have to make periodic contact with the hiring manager. Now, don’t start calling everyday or once an hour, as happened to me when I was a hiring manager years ago, because then you’ll be flagged as someone desperate or psychotic… but once a week is certainly reasonable.

But do not panic because you have not heard back yet… many employers have really stretched the hiring process over the last few years — partly to be sure they have found the best candidate and not overlooked anyone and partly due to budgetary issues.

Perhaps the section with the most tools for job-seekers, if you need help with any aspect of interviewing — before, during, or after, is this section of Quintessential Careers: Guide to Job Interviewing Resources.