Handling Delays in the Hiring Process
Posted December 23rd, 2013
To paraphrase an old saying (and transform it for our purposes), the road to true job love never does run smoothly.
That is, no matter how fast a hiring manager says she wants to make a decision, there’s almost always a hiccup or two in the hiring process.
So if you’ve sent in a resume and haven’t heard anything, or if you’ve interviewed once (or more) and the hiring manager indicated you’re a shoo-in, don’t panic if you don’t hear anything when the hiring manager said you would.
Read below for some tips on weathering hiring hiccups as well as some steps you possibly can take.
- If you’ve interviewed for a position and the hiring manager said she’ll get in touch in a week and the week and a few days pass with no word, don’t panic. It’s probably a case that the hiring manager needed to speak with someone higher up about the opening/candidates and it’s taken her longer to do so than she had anticipated. Wait at least five business days after her stated deadline and then give her a call. Just say you’d love to work with her and are eager to get started. She’ll then let you know if you’re still in the running and will explain the delay, or she’ll tell you you’re no longer in consideration.
- If you sent in a resume two or more weeks ago, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not a contender. Employers often receive dozens, even hundreds of applications for one opening, so it can take a while to cull through resumes. If you haven’t heard anything within five days or so of applying, it’s perfectly Ok to call and ask if your resume was received and what the time frame is for interviews.
- Delays – or outright cancellations of open positions – can and do happen. They can happen due to layoffs, hiring freezes, even a company going out of business.
- Some delays occur because it’s taking the company longer than anticipated to arrange interviews with other candidates.
- The company could have decided, after interviewing several people, to change the job description and start all over again. One hopes they will notify those candidates who were interviewed, but many companies just repost the position. If you don’t hear anything for weeks, it’s certainly appropriate to contact the hiring manager for a search update.
Hiring decisions more often than not take longer than even the hiring manager wants or expects. So long as you’re professional and not a pest, following up with the hiring manager every now and then to let her know of your continued interest is fine.
If you want a job fast, send your resume to Bayside Solutions. We often can find candidates terrific temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire opportunities with some of the Bay Area’s best employers within just a day or two. Contact us today.
