Last Updated on September 20, 2024
You have just submitted an application to your dream job. After waiting on the edge of your seat for 24 hours, you begin to worry that the wait will never end. How long do you have to wait to hear back from a job application?
When it comes to the timing of hearing back from a potential employer, we naturally have several questions. Let’s explore some of those questions to come to a better understanding of timing surrounding job applications, offers, and interviews as well as what are the best practices while waiting to hear back from an interviewer.
7 Questions & Answers about Waiting to Hear Back from an Employer
The questions below will explore a variety of topics surrounding interviews, including how long it takes to hear back after an interview and after submitting an application, as well as how long the wait time is for specific jobs. What to do while waiting for a response from an employer will also be addressed. Follow along to find explanations for each of the following questions.
Q: How long does it take to hear back from a job?
Generally speaking, how long will it take you to hear back from a job? This is a great question with an answer that mainly depends on what stage of the application or interview process you are in. Depending on the job and how far along you are in the interview and hiring process, it could take anywhere from a day to a few months to hear back about a job. The following questions will go into more detail regarding the specifics of a variety of situations.
Q: How long does it take to hear back from a job application?
Oftentimes you are sitting on pins and needles once you submit a job application. How long does it take to hear back from a job after applying? Typically, it takes about one to two weeks to hear back about a job application. Despite this, every business is different so allowing some wiggle room around that date can give you peace of mind if you are in the waiting process. It is natural to wonder how long it takes to hear back from a job application. Find ways to distract yourself and focus on different things while you are in the waiting process!
Q: How long after an interview to hear back from an employer?
If you are wondering how long it takes to hear back from a job application or interview then you are not alone. After an interview, it can take anywhere from 24-48 hours to several weeks for a company to come to a decision. But, why? Some companies are less rushed to fill a position than others, they might have more candidates to interview, or they could have an extensive workload and not have time to prioritize hiring. Ultimately, hiring is a significant time and monetary investment for a company. The average cost per hire is $4,129. For these reasons, it takes time for a company to come to a hiring decision.
Q: How long does it take to hear back from a government job interview?
Unlike traditional job openings, a government job application often takes around 6-8 weeks. Why? The government hiring process is very technical and requires a series of steps, resulting in a longer interview and hiring process. Sit tight, it will be a while before you hear back. Read more about the government hiring process here.
Q: How to ask if you got the job after an interview?
If you decide to ask an employer about the status of their hiring process, you must be very tactical and careful. It is very easy to come across as impatient or rude in the process of asking for a status update about whether or not you got hired. The best way to gently ask for an update on the job is by bundling this question with your gratitude for their time and consideration for the position. This will soften your potentially abrasive question regarding why you haven’t heard back about the job. The following template could be useful:
Email Follow-Up Template
Hi [their name],
Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss the [position] with me earlier this week. I really enjoyed our conversation and appreciate your time in considering me for this position.
I just wanted to follow up to see if you have any more details regarding the position. I’m very interested in the position and would love to hear if you have any updates.
Thanks again,
[Your name]
While this template is beneficial, be sure to cater and personalize it to your own situation. Adding your personality and specific details from your interview will be what makes this email and you as a candidate stand out to a potential employer. Additionally, employers might be able to notice that you have used an online template if you do not bring up personal details in your email. Make it personal in order to see the best results.
Q: How long after an interview is a job offer made?
While this may be difficult to hear, there is no standard answer for when a job offer is made. Some companies might let you know within a day or two, while others might let you wait for weeks. The Glassdoor Time to Hire Report states that the average time from interview to job offer is 20-40 days. With this being said, there is a wide range for when interviewers will reach out to contact you about a job offer. Be patient.
Q: What do you do in the meantime?
As you wait to hear back about a job, it can be difficult to not become pre-occupied with thinking about the job or your interview process. Obviously, spending hours thinking about how great it would be to have this job or playing over the mistakes you made in the interview are simply not productive uses of your time. So, what can you do while waiting to hear back from a job?
Continue The Job Search
It is easy to get distracted by a job. However, keep your options open and continue working throughout the interview process. Continuing to apply for jobs will ensure that you will have more options if this specific application doesn’t go through.
Take A Look At The Job Description
If you’d like to keep yourself up to date with what the position is looking for, taking another look at the job description. If you don’t meet most or some of the criteria on this job description, this could also help give you an answer as to why you haven’t been contacted by the employer.
Write A Follow-Up Email
Hire Integrated has a great, in-depth article on how to write a follow up email after an interview. Don’t be afraid to send a follow up, but also be careful in your approach and the questions you ask in this email. It is easy to rub people the wrong way in emails, so be careful not to come across as rude.
Know When To Move On
As hard as it is to hear, there is a certain point when you have to move on from an opportunity. Don’t spend too much time worrying over a position, there will be plenty more that come up as you continue to look for jobs.
Keep On Networking
Networking is more effective than anything else in a job search. Networking referrals result in more jobs than any other method. Keep reaching out to people to ensure that your options are wider in your job hunt.
Don't Become Discouraged
With all this taken into account, be sure not to get discouraged with the job search process. Everything will work out. No matter what difficulties or hardships you have been going through in your job search, you will get the job you want if you keep improving and applying the right principles during your job search.
How Long Does It Take To Hear Back From A Job Application: Concluding Thoughts
Hopefully this question-and-answer session left you with a deeper understanding of the timing of job applications as well as the best actions to take while you are waiting to hear back. The time to hear back from each employer and job is unique, so take each answer with a grain of salt.
Keep working throughout your job hunt for the best results. Hire Integrated has a number of resources available to help you in your job search. At the end of the day, apply the right principles to your job search and you won’t go wrong!
Emily Rushton, Founder and CEO of Hire Integrated, has over a decade of experience in recruitment, helping companies solve high-volume hiring challenges. Her unique, storytelling approach has made her a trusted leader in the industry, helping both businesses and candidates succeed.
