Waiting for Job Confirmation After Multiple Interviews: Am I Still in the Running?

Dear Senior Members,

I recently received an interview call from a renowned consultancy firm. They conducted a telephonic interview and a Skype interview as well. They were convinced by my interview performance. I also completed an aptitude test and a personal interview with them. However, no one has provided any confirmation regarding the job. Despite numerous follow-ups, there has been no positive response from their end. Does this mean that I still have not secured the job?

Regards,
Jobin Thomas

Many candidates are interviewed by organizations for one job. Your assumption that you fared well is beyond question, but what the interviewer(s) feel about you is only known when you get an offer. The time gap between these two events has no fixed definition. Sometimes there is no vacancy, and interviews are merely to check if the right talent is available in the market. Therefore, good candidates seldom wait for the results of the interview; they are in demand and have no reasons to be restless.

So, review your restlessness in the light of the facts stated above and decide if waiting for a response is still worthwhile.

As Mr. Bhatia has indicated on some occasions, organizations conduct interviews for a prospective vacancy that they intend to create due to the expansion of their business. As they will be short of time close to the actual commencement of business, they conduct interviews well ahead. For example, an automobile manufacturing company may choose to introduce a new model sometime in September 2013, and they may conduct interviews 6 months ahead. Close to the launch, say 2 months ahead, they may choose to hire the candidate. While some companies communicate the matter to the candidates, some other companies keep it confidential due to business reasons.

Yet another aspect could be that as employees have options to choose employers, sometimes employers are at crossroads to choose between two best candidates. In this juncture, they have to compare and contrast various aspects such as skill sets, CTC, relevant experience for the job profile, communication, etc. Even if they decide to hire one candidate, they would not prefer to shut the doors for the other prospective candidate kept on hold. This could be because the candidate selected by them may reverse his decision and not join them. In such a case, they will fall back on the second candidate put on hold. In your case, I feel that the company is in such a situation. Do not be in a hurry, do not show eagerness as this will mean that you badly want to join them, and this could be a negative ranking for you. (You have already mentioned that you have made several follow-ups and there was no positive response). If you have alternate offers on hand, I would recommend that you pursue them.

Regards,
M.V. Kannan

As rightly suggested by our seniors, please do wait for them to call you. Do not take it negatively if this offer does not turn out to be yours, as it's a question of matching their requirements or expectations from a certain candidate. Many factors are involved in this decision, so it does not mean you are a loser. Of course, you can check where you need to improve, but be confident and hopeful. Be on the lookout for further job opportunities.

With regards,
Vaishalee Parkhi

Reasons for them remaining 'silent' for such an obnoxiously long interval can be innumerable, some of which have already been very deftly mentioned by other members. The bottom line: the smartest guy - with the required skills in tandem. But beyond - and this is disquieting - is the factor of already having 'selected' some sifarashi guys (mind you, this often even happens in MNC's), and if these guys don't turn up, then you can hope for light at the end of the tunnel. Touch wood!

Thanks for sharing the situation you faced. Many people may not disclose their interview experiences. Coming to the point, the interview process starts with requisition initiation approval from the MD level and then moves to the HR department. The process includes searching, shortlisting, and face-to-face interviews. Meanwhile, along with you, many other candidates might have attended for the same position. Due to various factors, some candidates may not be considered and are either put on hold or their profiles are saved in the database.

1. Due to the candidate's locality.
2. Due to a lower current CTC compared to the market.
3. Due to pending approval from higher officials.
4. If the concerned official is on leave.
5. If the recruiter who arranged the interview is unavailable or has left the company.
6. If the position is not an urgent requirement.

However, organizations do not reject candidates unless they do not meet their business requirements. I hope you have learned new things through interviews with high-profile individuals.

Remember, learning is essential!

Regards,
Chandra Kanth
HR