by Heather Huhman, Glassdoor Blog
Imagine you’ve just left a interview that went perfectly well.
You’re confident you aced the interview and that you’ll receive a job offer in a few days. After the job interview, you follow up with a thank you note and wait patiently for a response. However, two weeks go by and you still haven’t heard from the hiring manager. What happened?
One of the most frustrating things job seekers experience during the hiring process is not hearing back from hiring managers. In fact, according to CareerBuilder, 60 percent of job seekers say an employer never informed them of a decision after the job interview.
If you’ve been waiting to hear back from an employer after a job interview, here are five reasons (although none of them are good excuses) the hiring manager hasn’t contacted you:
1. They found someone else to fill the position.
The hiring process can change at any moment for an employer. For example, if an employer was interviewing external candidates but then received a referral, the employer might change their mind. Unfortunately, events like this can pop up during the hiring process when you least expect it.
2. They think you’re overqualified.
As strange as it sounds, it’s possible to be overqualified for a position. For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level position, but you have five years of industry experience, the employer may think you’d demand a higher salary or will leave the company once you find a better opportunity.
3. They’re lazy.
While most hiring managers are polite and considerate, there are those who are rude and fail to put the candidate first during their hiring process.
Some hiring managers will brush aside candidates they believe aren’t qualified for the position. Because of this, they’re likely to move on to the next candidate and forget about your interview. If this happens, don’t get discouraged. This is probably a sign you wouldn’t want to work for the company anyways.
4. They’re taking their time.
On the other hand, the company’s hiring process might be extremely time-consuming, which is another reason why you haven’t heard back from the hiring manager.
Keep in mind that a hiring manager may have five candidates or 50 candidates to interview. Most hiring processes have a number of steps that must also be followed to make a good hire; therefore it might be some time before you receive a response.
5. The position no longer exists.
Crazy things can happen during the hiring process. For example, a company can cut the budget for the department where you were applying for a job, causing the position to become eliminated. Unfortunately, this type of news can cause a hiring manager to forget about the candidates they’ve already interviewed.
If you’ve been waiting to hear back from a hiring manager, remember that some things are simply out of your control. The best thing you can do during the hiring process is to be persistent and continue to follow up with the hiring manager until you hear a response.