One day, two days, a month, six months; there has to be a limit to the patient wait for a call back from the company! At times, you just have to pick up the phone and dial. You are probably wondering how to go about the entire process and still not make yourself appear desperate. There are probably several thoughts running through your mind about how you fared or whether you have done enough to impress the authorities or not. The waiting time between the interview and when you get the call seems like a long time. Relax! Think about it; it is better that they take some time to review your application rather than an outright rejection! On an average, most candidates believe that the job process is finished once the interview is over. But this is not true as you still haven’t been accepted for the post! If you’re wondering whether to call or not, then here is a small fact for you; the difference between an amateur and a job hunting pro is that while the former would be too embarrassed to call, the latter picks up his self-esteem and gets in touch with the hiring team. You choose what you want to be! But the question is when to get in touch? How long is too long and how soon is too soon? The following section seeks to answer all these queries so brace up and read on!
Interview Follow Up Call
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Before you leave the interview hall, take the concerned person’s business card and enquire about the best reachable number and the most convenient time to call. If you get an email-id, then don’t forget to confirm it.
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As soon as you reach home, make sure you email the employer thanking him for his time and patience. Spell his name right and use the title correctly. This is just to let him know that you want to have some contact and are concerned about getting a job.
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Do not call the very next day after the meeting and ask if you have been hired. They are probably busy either interviewing new people or evaluating the ones they’ve already met. In either case, give it some time!
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An ideal time to make the call would be at least five working days after the interview. Doing it earlier irritates the employer and delaying it too long might even make them forget who you are! When you call, remain calm and ask for the in charge. A quivering voice does no good to your impression.
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During the course of the phone call, say that you are still interested in the job and would like a feedback on the discussion that took place a week earlier. Request for any available information on the same. If there is no response on the other end, leave a short voice message on the same lines and don’t forget to mention who you are!
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The last resort (after about 10 days) can be to send out an email and leave the message as ‘reverse cover letter’. This indicates the urgency of the situation and it also helps the interviewer make his decision (if he hasn’t already) owing to your perseverance.
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Alternate between telephones calls/messages, emails and sometimes even snail mail to let them know you are still interested in the position. Continue this for a month — with a gap of about 7 working days between two contacts — or until you receive a reply – be prepared for it could very well be a hired-someone-else letter.
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Positive or negative, whatever be the response, don’t forget to send the company a thank you email. This is business etiquette that you need to learn and use.
A common misconception with regard to calling back after an interview is thinking that by not calling the employer, you don’t come across as desperate and hence are in the safer zone of actually getting a job! Needless to say, it doesn't work quite like that. Decisions will be made irrespective of that call, so you might as well do it!
