So, here’s the situation. You just submitted your perfectly crafted cover letter and resume to one of your dream companies. (Good job!) Even better yet, there’s a specific position you applied for that you feel your skills align perfectly with. You assume you’re a shoo-in for an interview (good job for keeping up your confidence!) but then a week goes by … Then a week and a half … And you still haven’t heard anything.
“What is this employer thinking?” you’re more than likely asking yourself. “Why wouldn’t they at the very least e-mail me to acknowledge that maybe I’m not the right candidate? If I can’t even get an interview for this job that I’m perfect for, how should I expect to hear back from anyone?” Whoa, slow down there! While the snowball effect comes into full play when it comes to waiting to hear back on a job (I’m guilty of this more times than I care to admit myself … ) here’s something you need to know: A hiring manager, or human resources director or even a recruiter, have other things on their plate than that one specific job you applied for. So, guess what? It’s not about you!
Surprise, right? This should be good news. (It means you still have a chance! Yes, we’re big believers in optimism in your career search.) Don’t just take it from us; here’s some perspective from a real-life HR director: “I appreciate the thought that this is your number one priority to hear back, but it’s important to realize that there are potentially hundreds of other candidates that we have to screen through before we start responding to people. Even if you’re a super qualified candidate, I might not be able to get back to you right away,” says Megan Blacksher, senior director of human resources at WONGDOODY and the senior human resources consultant for CareerSparx.
“So, when is it OK to reach out to someone? Do I give them a month?” you’re probably asking yourself at this point.
“Two weeks is very reasonable,” Megan says. “If you haven’t heard within two weeks and you want to send an e-mail reiterating your interest, that’s OK. Just don’t do it the same week you apply. That can be annoying. I might still be reviewing the other 150 applicants in addition to the 45 other things I’m doing. Even if there is a full-time recruiter, keep in mind that person isn’t just recruiting for one position at a time. The hiring of any one position isn’t anyone’s full focus, but recruiters and HR directors do their very best to get back to candidates in a timely fashion.”
Whew, after knowing this you can rest easier now, right? You know that expression, “No news is good news?” Apply it to your job search and just hang in there. If you need to burn time to feel like you’re doing something while you’re waiting, check out our blog post, “5 Ways to Stay Productive While You Search for a Job.” And remember, we’re pulling for you!
What the Employer is Thinking While You’re Waiting for a Call Back Image Credit
Great advice! I always think a nice, non-aggressive follow up shows that you are very interested (not just applying for anything you see) – plus it bumps you back to the top of the hiring manager’s mind.