Job hunting is a tedious process that drains a person physically as well as mentally. For the majority of job seekers, this process of job hunting drives a sense of anxiety, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Today’s topic- How Long For HR To Approve Job Offer?
Most job seekers spend an endless number of hours sending out emails or checking for emails that may have a probable job offer. This entails the mental state of a person to derail from its normal state into a state of chaos and disconnection. There is a loss of structure in the routine life along with the fear of being unemployed throughout.
After Interview Shenanigans
How nervous are you after your interview? Are you anxious about the result? or are you confident enough to sit back and wait on a job offer? Most job applicants expect a response from the recruiters promptly soon after the interview. But the fact that they fail to acknowledge is that the journey from an interview to a job offer involves a series of steps that deal with a significant amount of contemplation, screening, and analysis.
Step By Step Breakdown of the recruiting process
The recruiting process followed by HR entails a series of steps that heeds to the screening and analysis of a candidate that is best suited for a particular position of responsibility at the workplace.
This step-by-step process generally adheres to the supervision of the HR team. Potentially a recruiter along with a representative of the HR department sits through the screening of candidates and the process that follows.
Let’s take a closer look at the process of recruitment and analyze each step individually:
Step 1: HR Meets Recruiting Manager
Before HR can approve a candidate’s job offer, they tend to have a sitting with the recruitment manager throughout which they discuss and put forward their respective perspective about the candidate’s suitability and qualifications. Communication is key during this process as both the manager and the HR representative have a distinctive outlook on the subject, each of them equally significant. This process enables a double screening of the candidate’s suitability and performance.
Some organizations rely on a panel of interviewers that consists of a representative from different departments of the organization. This panel then discusses conducting the interviews of the prospective applicants. This not only enables a thorough analysis of each applicant but also enables each panelist to be put forward their input on the performance of the applicant in an effective manner.
This discussion is then concluded by a report sheet or general poll amongst the panelist concerning each applicant that later on determines the candidate’s suitability for the position at hand.
Step 2: Behind The Scenes Check
One of the major aspects of hiring in an organization refers to the end-to-end tally of a candidate’s background. The HR team conducts a thorough check with regards to matters concerning the financial, commercial, employment, and criminal history of the prospective applicant. This check includes the verification of the social security number along with the check on any legal records regarding the military.
It is often beneficial for an applicant to be sincerely transparent with regards to factors that may influence the hiring process or with information that could be considered to be relevant during the check on the background of the applicant.
Step 3: Review Of Functional Skills
Before HR can approve the job offer on an applicant’s application, they need to review and verify the applicant’s functional skill set that is significant to the position applied for. the best way that recruiters or HR representatives adopt during this process is by assigning a task that is relevant to the skill required for the work position. This assignment is then assessed regarding the technicality of the work done and the proficiency with which the task is completed.
Step 4: Employment Verification
One of the major factors that HR considers before finally putting forward a job offer is the history of the candidate’s employment. This plays a significant role in the decision for approval of a job offer by HR.
This step is the final check on any references or letters of recommendation that are provided in the applicant’s job application. HR plays a significant amount of heed to this step as it mostly defines whether they would be approving your job offer or not.
How Long Before HR Grants An Approval On The Job Offer
There is no specific period before HR grants approval on a job offer. Once the required amount of due diligence is conducted in the recruitment process and both the recruiting manager and HR representative seem to be satisfied with the applicant’s qualifications, it is then that the HR department approves an applicant’s job offer.
However, the time required for screening and checks varies depending on the number of applications received by the organization. For a certain opening for a position at the organization, the company receives several applications. Thus, the time required for screening the potential applicants amongst the varied applications can take up to a period of 1-4 weeks.
What To Do While Waiting On An Approval On Job Offer
Candidates must keep in mind that job hunting is an ongoing process until one has attained a job offer. After the interview, an applicant must make sure to keep the search for jobs ongoing and also make it a point to follow up on the applications that have already been processed.
Here are a few things you should do while waiting on a job offer:
- Follow up on applications
Once an applicant is done with the interview part of the application process all that’s left to do now is to follow up with the recruiter with regards to the status of your application. This is an essential process when it comes to job hunting.
Often organizations fail to inform an applicant in case they are not interested in their application which is fair on their part. It is the sole responsibility of the applicants to keep a check on the status of their application and follow with the recruiter or HR manager concerning their application status. This not only saves time for the applicant but sometimes recruiters also offer feedback on how the applicant can improve in the same regard.
- Keep the hunt going
Applicants must keep applying for job openings until a job offer is attained. As the saying goes ‘for prevention is better than cure’, being hopeful after an interview is a normative outlook yet applicants must be open to the possibility of rejection while also keeping an open mind towards other job openings out there.
It is always beneficial to stay ahead in the game when it comes to job hunting. One must stay motivated enough to apply for jobs even after getting rejected, there are an endless number of opportunities that are open for grabs if you are diligent and sincere towards your efforts and goals.
- Don’t let rejection define your future
Rejection is a part of life. At times even when you put in your best foot forward, disappointment could meet you halfway in the form of rejection. What’s important in times like these is that you must not let such factors define your goals.
Success and failure go hand in hand. You must sometimes fail to succeed and succeed to fail. Don’t quit before you’ve given it your all and even then, find ways to not give up because while giving up is easy, moving forward is what leads to great things in life.
Keep the job hunt going and work on your shortcomings. Getting feedback from recruiters may help you stay on top of your game and improve your profile. Keep in mind that there are a plethora of opportunities waiting out there for you to grab and attain.
Last but not the least, what’s of importance is that you don’t just rely on gaining approval from HR on your job offer. If you haven’t received a job offer within a couple of weeks after the interview it is either because the organization is busy reviewing the application or are no longer interested in making an offer.
There are only two possible outcomes when it comes to job hunting, you either get the job or you don’t. There is no room for doubt when it comes to the recruitment process and applicants must accept the outcome no matter what the result may be. In the fast-paced world, moving forward is the only way to go, and contemplating rejection will only set you back in this race for an opportunity.
Always remember to stay motivated! Everything is fine in the end and if it’s not, then that just means that it is not the end. Keep a firm grip on every and any opportunity that comes your way and before you know it your dream job offer may sooner rather than later make an appearance in your inbox.
