How Long Does it take to Hear Back After an Interview?

Industry and job type are a few variables that come into play but you can generally expect to hear back from the hiring company within one to four weeks of the interview. Most fall within the two week mark.

Jobvite's 2019 Recruiting Benchmark Report said the average time-to-hire in 2018 was 38 days which is slightly shy of our timeline above.

Note: Waiting time varies by industry and job type.





Why Does it Take so Long to Hear Back?

There are countless reasons for the long waiting period, but that doesn’t mean you’re rejected from contention. Here are a few potential reasons why you’re still waiting:

The company is still interviewing other candidates for the role (likely the case)

There was a budget cut and the position was put on a short hold

There was a project or “fire” that had to be put out which delayed the hiring managers from making a decision

The hiring manager or recruiter doesn’t follow up with candidates who have been rejected (not ideal but it happens)

Note: Keep in mind the hiring process is very complicated with many moving parts.





Is it okay to follow up after the interview?

The first step after an interview should be to send a thank you note to the interviewer and others who helped set it up. Look to get this done as soon as possible (ideally that same day)!

Here’s a step by step guide to sending a thank you letter.

Look to wait at least a week before following up after the interview unless they stated a specific timeline or date.





Should I send a follow up Email after no response?

If you’ve politely followed up without a response and the ghosted weeks continue to build up, it’s safe to move on and look for something new.

Feel free to send one more message, but don’t overthink it. They likely found a candidate and the answer is leaning towards a “no”. Do yourself the favor of putting that time and effort into something new.

Don’t take it personally and stay positive - being ghosted happens (which shouldn’t) all the time!

sample follow up email after no response

“Hi (Manager)! Thanks again for taking the time to interview me on (Date). I wanted to follow up in regards to my previous email to see if any progress has been made in terms of a decision on the (Job Title) role? I hope you have a great day! Thank you, (Name)”