How to Determine Wait Time After Job Interview

𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 The first thing you can do is at the end of the interview, you can ask the interviewer when you can expect to hear back and the timeline about the interview process. If they say they'll be in touch next week, you can wait 10 days before checking in. If the employer said you would expect to hear next steps in two weeks, you should wait 15-20 days for your initial outreach. After an interview, if you don't know when you should hear back, you can wait at least a week, but no more than two weeks. If you don't hear anything after your first check-in, you can wait another 7 days and reach out again. Following up too soon can leave a bad impression, show a lack of knowledge about employment practices, or make the hiring manager feel pressured. You can prevent this from happening by being patient and understanding that things come up, such as more priority jobs to fill first, or hiring managers on vacation. When you follow up, you can send a brief email that reaffirms your interest in the position and ask if they have any questions or if they need additional information. You can also include some key insights or top things you discussed in the call to make you stand out. If you don’t hear anything after 2 follow-up emails, that simply means they forgot to send you a rejection email and are proceeding with other candidates and you can let those hopes go. While it’s difficult to accept, sometimes silence is a form of rejection, and it’s important to let go and focus on new opportunities.

"When should I follow-up after an interview?" It depends on one of three ways companies leave the interview. 1. Vague timeline 2. Clear timeline 3. Long timeline This question comes up constantly with my mentees. Here's my proven framework. ___ 1. Vague timeline. Example, "We are interviewing other candidates and will let you know." No timeline. No next steps. Here's what to do: • Thank you email in 2 hours • Check-in email after 5 biz days • Follow-up check-in email after another 5 biz days If ghosted or not given a new timeline, move on. They might come back, but focus your energy elsewhere. 2. Clear timeline. Example: "We will let you know the next steps by X." Either a day of the week or number of days. Here's what to do in this case: • Thank you email in 2 hours • Check-in email after given timeline • Follow-up check-in email after 2 biz days If you don't hear back, it's a judgment call. One final email after another 5 biz days is reasonable. If ghosted or not given a new timeline, move on. 3. Long timeline. Example (a mentee heard from Apple), "Expect the entire interview process to take 1-2 months. We will get back to you after reviewing other candidates." In this case, here's what you can do: • Thank you email in 2 hours • Credibility showcase in 5 biz days • Check-in email after another 5 biz days • Follow-up check-in email after another 5 biz days That's a total of 3 weeks since the interview. If ghosted or not given a new timeline, move on. ___ That's it. A simple and effective timeline for follow-ups. Remember: Be kind. Follow-up organically. Recruiters will see that as a strong credibility indicator.

Have you ever spent every hour refreshing your email browser to see if an email asking you to the next interview has arrived? I think most people have if they are honest with themselves. It’s human nature to be excited and anxious at the same time, which can lead to worry and disappointment as the days roll by. It is the most agonizing part of the interview process today. The waiting…. To avoid that entire drama, you should ask for permission upfront before you leave every single interview, asking for permission to check back in, and asking for realistic expectations based on the company's timeline of when you might hear back. Because let’s be real. Your timeline is not the company timeline, ever. Right? Ask this- “When can I expect to hear back from someone regarding next steps?” If they say, “two weeks.” Then ask, “If I don’t hear back in two weeks, can I contact you directly?” And on the off chance that a company is ghosting you. You won’t keep playing it out in your mind, making excuses as to why they haven’t gotten back to you yet. And wondering whether they are or aren’t ghosting you. Chances are, if it goes too far past the original timeline stated, they have moved on and aren’t going to tell you directly. In this market, you must advocate at every step for yourself and your mental health. You do that by setting realistic expectations and knowing when to move on. If you didn’t hear back within the time frame, I suggest waiting a few days to a week and then sending this note. “Dear [manager], I wanted to follow up on my interview on [date] for [position] and ask if you had news to share about the position. I enjoyed our discussion and getting to know more about [company]. Of the companies I have engaged with during my job search, I was particularly impressed by your company [give a reason why]. Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide. I am excited about the opportunity to work with you at [company].” And that’s it. Don’t barrage the hiring manager or anyone else. That won’t serve you in any way. I promise. Are you getting realistic expectations after every interview from the company? Let me know in the comments.

Dear job seeker, if you recently nailed an interview, but are not hearing from the hiring manager, here’s how to initiate the conversation. First, it's completely okay. - Silence doesn’t always mean you didn’t make it. - Sometimes the team is behind on approvals. - Sometimes someone went on leave. - Sometimes you’re on the shortlist — they just haven’t decided yet. But waiting without clarity is not a strategy. Here’s how to follow up without sounding desperate: 1. Wait 3–5 business days (after the last round or promised timeline). Patience matters, but so does taking initiative. Wait for a few days before sending your first message. 2. Write a concise, professional message → Thank them for the interview → Reaffirm your interest → Politely ask for the next steps Try something like: "Hi [Name], Hope you’re doing well! I really enjoyed our conversation about the [Job Title] role last week, especially learning about [insert something specific]. Just checking in to see if there are any updates on the process or anything else I can share from my end.  Appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks" No fluff. No pressure. Just a clear signal that you're still in the game. Remember: following up doesn’t make you annoying. It makes you memorable. 📌 Save this if you're waiting on an update P.S. Follow me if you are a job seeker in the U.S. I talk about job search, interview prep, and more to help you land your dream role. 

To Follow Up or Not to Follow Up After an Interview? A common question I encounter is whether candidates should follow up after an interview or an initial outreach email. Some believe that if an employer is interested, they will surely get back in touch. Others are impatient and follow up the very next day for feedback. However, neither approach is ideal. Let me share a personal story. There was a time when my dream company never responded to my applications (I hadn’t mastered networking yet). Then, one day, I received an email from their recruiter, which seemed like a mass email sent to hundreds of candidates. I replied eagerly but heard nothing back. I decided to follow up, and to my surprise, I received a response. Although the role they initially emailed about was no longer available, they had another opportunity that might suit me. I interviewed and ended up working there for almost five years! If I hadn’t followed up, I might never have had that chance. Based on my experience, here are some tips for following up: 1. Email Response: If you reply to a job-related email and don’t hear back, wait 2-3 days before following up. 2. Post-Interview (Promised Timeline): If the recruiter said they’d get back to you in 2 days, follow up in 5 days. 3. Post-Interview (No Timeline): If the recruiter didn’t specify a timeline, follow up in a week. 4. Max Follow-Ups: It’s okay to follow up a maximum of two times. 5. Follow-Up Tone: Ensure your follow-up email is short and friendly. Instead of expressing frustration, try something like, “It was great speaking with you the other day. I wanted to follow up on the next steps.” What are your thoughts on following up? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below! If you need assistance with your job search process, I’d love to work with you. Feel free to reach out! #CareerDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #Hiring #Employment #CareerSuccess #JobHunting #CareerStrategy #PersonalBranding #CareerOpportunities #JobMarket #CareerGoals