Reader Bea was in high spirits after her interview a fortnight ago – but she hasn't heard a word from the company since. Our Jobs Guru James Innes advises chasing them.
Bea, from Cambridge, said the interview seemed to go really well: they got on, the interviewers sounded enthusiastic, and she was told she would hear by the end of the following week. Since then, absolutely nothing. She keeps checking her emails, including the spam folder, and wonders whether she imagined the whole thing went well.
Part of her wants to chase them, but she is worried that will make her look desperate or pushy. She asks whether it is reasonable to ask what is happening or whether she will look like a nuisance.
Chase Them – Definitely
James Innes, best-selling careers author and founder of the world's leading group of professional CV and resume writers, says yes, she should chase them. Definitely. He points out that she gave up her valuable time for an interview, so asking what happened is hardly an outrageous imposition.
Employers can be terribly fussy about candidates replying promptly, then go remarkably quiet themselves. It's poor manners, but it's all too common. Still, don't assume silence means rejection – someone may easily be arguing about the salary budget or something.
How to Follow Up
If they gave a decision date, let it pass by a couple of working days before emailing. If they gave no date, allow no more than a week. Keep the message brief: “Thank you again for meeting with me. I'm still interested in the role and wondered whether you have an update on the decision, or an idea of when I might hear.” No apology for bothering them, and no lengthy reminder of why you're the best person for the job.
If that produces nothing, one more message the following week is reasonable. After that, you may unfortunately just have to give up. Meanwhile, do carry on applying elsewhere – it's horribly easy to put everything on hold because an interviewer seemed enthusiastic, then spend a fortnight checking your inbox and getting nothing and nowhere.
Top Tips and Spotlight
Top tip: before leaving an interview, ask when you should expect to hear and whom to contact if you don't. It saves you agonising over whether Tuesday is too soon to send an email.
Spotlight on being made to wait: when an employer tells you how much it values people, it's reasonable to notice whether anyone bothers to answer your email. A delayed decision is understandable; a quick “Sorry, we're still interviewing” would do. Leaving someone guessing for three weeks takes rather more explaining.
Innes wouldn't condemn an entire company because one recruiter has gone missing – hiring can involve several people, each assuming somebody else has been in touch. But repeated broken promises are worth remembering if an offer eventually arrives, especially if nobody acknowledges the delay and they suddenly expect your answer by tomorrow morning.
Ask whatever you still need to know about the job. You don't have to accept in a rush simply because they have finally found the Reply button.
