Acceptable time between interview and job offer/rejection?

Henny Penny

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How long is acceptable for a candidate to wait following an interview to learn whether or not he/she has got the job?
 
Henny Penny said:
How long is acceptable for a candidate to wait following an interview to learn whether or not he/she has got the job?

Depends when the company has finished all the interviews, would say maybe 5 working days max....
 
It depends I suppose. Sometimes it can be difficult to get things wrapped up due to the availability of management etc. to interview other candidates, sometimes the company is under no pressure to fill a particular vanancy and take their time etc.

Personally, I'd say a week/10 days is as much as I would find acceptable. Obviously if I wanted the job and ended up getting it, I wouldn't care, but if there was a delay in telling me I was unsuccessful, I wouldn't be impressed.
 
a friend of mine was interviewed in october and was offered the job in mid jan they said it was to check ref and get garda clearence
 
Some companies tend to hedge their bets a little. Some will hold off on informing the unsuccessful candidates until the reference checks and medicals are completed and the successful candidate has formally accepted the position. If the offer of the position then falls through for some reason, they can then move down through their candidate ranking to the next applicant on the list.

With some companies, a two-week waiting period can be normal, though if you hear from them in week 2, it's usually because you're the next/backup candidate on the list. (Although who cares where you're ranked, if you get the job you want in the end!)
 
There are companies out there that would not even get back to applicants after an interview. Has happened to me a few times. Not even a 2 line PFO letter. :mad:
 
Any time I've done an interview, at the end I ask what happens next. Are there likely to be a subsequent round of interviews (don't always assume 1 or 2 is enough!)? and when are they planning to make a decision.

In general companies are very forthcoming, e.g. "Your the 3rd candidate we've interviewed, we've 3 more to interview next week, we expect to make a final decision by the end of the following week".

Doesn't always go to plan :) Generally if after 2-3 weeks (or 1 week of their given date), I haven't heard anything, I write it off.
 
I applied for a position with a state company in mid Dec 05, was called for interview FOUR wks later and was notified of the outcome another FOUR wks later..
Deew
 
deew said:
I applied for a position with a state company in mid Dec 05, was called for interview FOUR wks later and was notified of the outcome another FOUR wks later..
Deew

I interviewed for a local authority in Sept 05, was told I had the job in October and hope to start in July of 06 (hopefully)!

Admittedly, it is a contract position and the do depend on funding in order that I can start; but there must be a better way!

D
 
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