Posted by Brian McCullough
Here’s a quick Ask Brian question that has been sitting in my inbox since last week. It’s a short question, but I think I have a short and possibly unpleasant answer. Here goes:
A reader asks:
What does it mean, a week after my interview they say they are still interviewing candidates?
Brian sayz:
Unfortunately, it probably doesn’t mean much good for you.
Not to be too harsh here, but interviewing is like dating. When you’ve found the one, you kind of know it right away.
The long and short of it is, if they thought you were the one, they probably wouldn’t be looking at anyone else.
I can really only think one of two things is going on here:
- Firstly, the most likely situation is that you did not meet their expectations for the position and they are continuing their search to find their ideal candidate. In that case, don’t worry about it. Chin up. Take what you learned from the interview process and move on.
- The second and more unlikely situation is that they have been forced to space out the interviews due to the interviewer’s schedule and they are committed to interviewing all potential candidates before making a solid decision. But this is probably only likely if you’re interviewing for a major executive and management position.
The time period following an interview can be a nerve wrecking experience as you wait for an answer. In an aggressive and competitive job hunting market-such as the one that we are in right now-employers that are hiring basically have the upper hand.
I know. You feel like you’re at their mercy, and their silence only serves to make things worse. The best you can do is be polite (see, How Long Should I Wait To Hear Back) and move on to the next application.
Also, you may want to read my article on reading the tea leaves and knowing if a job interview went well.
And as always, if you need resume writing help, you know where to go!
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