You were attracted to a career opportunity and went on a job interview. You met up with the executive search company, the HR manager, the hiring manager and the boss’s boss and after passing some tests and solving a business case, you feel it all went well, so all you are waiting for is the job offer to land your new job. After waiting for a week, you become a bit anxious, after another week of waiting you get angry and by the third week you feel depressed and sad: “How is this possible? I did everything they asked me to do, what are they waiting for? Why would a company put in so much time and effort, when they aren’t leaning towards hiring me?”. Does this mindset serve you?
At this point in the recruitment process, you set your expectations because of your big investment in the process. Such expectations might convince you to suspend further job searches until this opportunity lands “for sure”. The truth is, that you have no idea why the employer might be stalling. This can be for various reasons which often have nothing to do with you. Either way the job opening disappears and you did not get the job.
How to deal with this?
- Follow through on the process with the employer: ask for feedback and a decision time-line all the while maintaining your enthusiasm.
- Once the interview process is done and you’re waiting for that offer, devote yourself to your current job or a next job opportunity. After having done your best, do not spend any more time on a job that might not happen.
- Be careful in building expectations and making presumptions because at this point, it is out of your hands.
- Don’t let lengthy procedures with unclear endings discourage you, it is not in your power to change this.
- In case you were stress interviewed and tested like you were going to work for the state intelligence secret service multiple times, consider focussing on alternative challenges.
- The way you experience the recruitment process as a candidate says something about the company’s culture (positive or negative) and should guide you in your decision on how patient you should want to be.
- The employers control how they will move on with the vacancy, it is okay to accept that there is very little you can do to influence this.
- The longer the wait, the less likely it is going to happen. Usually, both employers and candidates start to have doubts.
- Keep your application experience to yourself or share this only with a very small group of your trusted inner circle even if you are convinced you will get the job.
- Do not strain yourself too much trying to find out precisely why you didn’t land the job, all you might find is more frustration, which could lead to self-doubt… which never serves you!
Hunting for a job is a roller coaster ride and… ‘it ain’t over till it’s over’.
‘New Europe Resourcing’s consultants have conducted thousands of executive search interviews and gained valuable insights. Through regular client and candidate surveys, we additionally collected a wealth of information and knowledge.’