How Long After an Interview is a Job Offer Made?
A typical timeline is within 3 weeks to a month; however, it may take a little longer.
You have undergone the standard hiring process, submitted all the necessary application requirements, aced the pre-employment exams, and had done well in the final interview. Now you are waiting to hear if you got the job you really want. Days and weeks of waiting can be annoying and frustrating because being in limbo somehow makes you feel like you can’t move forward, causing a lot of stress and anxiety.
Usually, hiring managers estimate how long you will get feedback on your application status right after the final interview. A typical timeline is within 3 weeks to a month; however, it may take a little longer.
Waiting time varies on the type of industry and the size of the company you have applied to. Other reasons may have to do with the company’s entire hiring process and the number of candidates in the pool. It can also be that hiring personnel are dealing with more pressing matters, or the job was offered to another candidate.
One excellent piece of advice is for you to keep job searching and reach out to other possible employers if an official job offer has not been made yet.
Hiring is a complex process that usually takes time, and companies generally inform candidates of their application status even if it is a rejection.
Before you feel like you are being ghosted, read on to know more about the typical interview timeline and the possible reasons why a job offer may be delayed.
From Screening to a Job Offer
The standard hiring process usually starts with a job posting done in various media. Usually, this would take about 2 weeks to a month until the company has pooled enough applicants.
The hiring manager will screen the applicants and will review candidates for an initial interview. This process takes about 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the number of possible candidates. You will receive a notice for an interview, and it can be through phone, online, or in person. The initial interview is part of the screening process, and companies notify candidates within 2 to 3 weeks if they qualify for a final interview.
The management-level employees do final interviews, and your chance to land the job will be based on their recommendation. The candidate usually hears back and offered (or rejected) the position within 2 to 4 weeks after the final interview.
The application timeline takes an average of 6 to 8 weeks from the time you applied until you are offered the job if you qualified and have passed the entire screening process.
Average Waiting Time to Get a Job Offer After a Final Interview
According to research conducted from different industries, 44% of applicants receive feedback from employers within a few weeks after the interview, 37% receive feedback after one week, and less than 4% get feedback within 24 hours.
Overall, the average response time is 24 business days after the interview. Again this varies on the industry type and the size of the company.
- Manufacturing and Electronics Company takes an average of 15 days to make an offer.
- Engineering industries have an average of 30 business days to give a job offer for successful applicants.
- Government agencies and offices take 38 days to give a job offer.
- The recreational and hospitality industry takes an average of 39 days to give an offer after the interview.
According to a Glassdoor report, the waiter has the fastest interview process that only takes an average of 8 days for a job offer to be given. Their report shows that the slowest job offer is for professors who take 60 days before receiving feedback.
A company’s speed in hiring a candidate for a vacant position depends on the urgency and the need to fill a particular position. Some companies hire within 24 to 48 hours after the final interview to find the perfect and most qualified applicant. A company may want to hire you right away if they think you are highly skilled, they are impressed with your performance and work experience, and if your plans and perspectives align with the company goals and values.
Possible Reasons for the Delayed Job Offer
Even if you are qualified and considered for the position, an employer may not give you a job offer right away for several reasons.
1. They Need to Review Your Application
Even if you are highly qualified and considered for the position, a company may run several background checks, including your references. They may also need to fact-check your resume and application documents. Or they are still working on an offer to give you.
2. They are Still on the Hiring Process
Another factor to consider is that the company is still screening and interviewing other candidates for the same job opening. They may even be reviewing the qualifications and interview ratings of other applicants.
Hiring managers usually meet and interview all possible candidates before they make a final hiring decision, and this can take some time if many candidates applied for the same position.
3. They are Finishing all the Necessary Paperwork
Another common cause of delay is the formal and standard hiring processes and requirements that need to be accomplished before a job offer can be made. Forms and documents that need to be signed and approved, feedback and recommendations from other interviewers, and other complicated paperwork that needs to be accomplished before a decision are made maybe some of the reasons you haven’t gotten the call yet. Consolidation of a candidate’s application documents from all the hiring and interview persons can take time.
4. They have Internal Changes that Affect Hiring
A company’s management decisions can directly affect the hiring of new employees. This is true in companies who are making decisions to cut costs for financial reasons. A company may opt not to hire new employees to save money.
Internal issues can also affect your possibility of not being offered the job. It can be as complicated as a change in management or as simple as the person vacating the position has changed his mind and decided to retract his resignation.
5. They are Dealing with More Pressing Concerns
People in charge of the hiring process may be dealing with more important concerns and day to day tasks that can stall the processing of a job offer. They may be addressing more urgent matters in the company that they need to prioritize other tasks. It is also possible that the key hiring personnel is sick and on leave for a couple of weeks, thus delaying a job offer.
6. They Offered the Job to Another Candidate
This may sting a little, but there is always the possibility that an offer was given to another candidate. Sometimes not hearing anything from the company after an interview is a subtle indication that you are not considered for the position. Even if you have gone through the entire selection process, it does not guarantee to get the job.
Should You Give a Thank-You Note After the Interview?
It is highly advised that you send a thank-you note to the interviewers and the people who helped set up the interview. Thank-you notes should be sent within the day of the interview. This is an excellent practice to differentiate you from other candidates, thus giving you an advantage.
A simple thank-you email shows that you are polite and professional. This demonstrates that you go the extra mile to show how interested you are in working for the company.
Should You Follow-up on the Status of Your Application?
The rule of thumb is to contact your potential employer one week after your interview unless the hiring manager or interviewer told you when a hiring decision would be made. The hiring manager usually tells you when to expect feedback from them right after the interview. The most polite thing to do is wait until the given timeline before deciding to make a follow-up.
You can send a follow-up email or make a phone call and expand on something you have discussed during the interview to remind them of who you are. Inquire about your application status and secure a schedule or a date on when you can expect feedback. If the hiring manager gave a specific date or time for the feedback and have not reached out, wait at least a week before doing a final follow-up.
Now, if you have politely done several follow-ups and still there is no response, chances are they have made the offer to another candidate. Don’t take it personally and move on with your job search.
As frustrating and disappointing it may be, take this rejection as an opportunity to improve. Review and reflect on your performance to see if there are some things you miss and questions you haven’t prepared and take it as a lesson learned to do better next time.
A stalled job offer only guarantees two things: acceptance or rejection. While you are waiting for the outcome of a job interview, you can use that time to be more productive by searching and applying for other possible jobs in different companies. If you get accepted, it will be a new journey in your career, and if it is a rejection, you can always dust yourself up and try again.
also read: How to cancel a job interview you’re no longer interested in?