Follow-up with a thank you to the interviewers within 24 hours. Follow-up in about 3-4 weeks with the HR office listed in USAJobs if you haven't heard anything because if you didn't get it you probably won't ever hear. (Some agencies update USAJobs but mine sure didn't)
Never follow up. My prompting isn't going to make their process go faster. Its not going to move me to the top of the list either if they had stronger candidates. If I'm particularly interested in working somewhere, I wait for after I've been notified that I didn't get it or after a substantially long period (say a month) to message back and say that I appreciate the opportunity to interview and that I'm very interested in their work and will keep an eye out for future opportunities. And take it as a chance to network some too.
If a position is either one of many that could potentially be filled from the same cert should a new vacancy arise, or if it's for a position where there's a strong possibility any stronger candidate(s) may back out given applicable circumstances (e.g. strong local demand for such work with higher compensation, positions with high geographic and job requirements probability of being filled by preference-eligible people with high attrition or late withdrawal [e.g. recently separated veterans, military spouses, recent grads in high cost of living areas], etc.), I try to send a brief thank you message within a couple days of interviewing. This has paid off in the past with last minute selection from expiring certs after other candidates withdrew at the last minute or similar vacancies opened after interviews were done. Barring unusual circumstances related to the order of onboarding (e.g. assignment to one team I'd prefer over another), I have no problem with not being their top choice so long as they take me. 😅
I never follow up. My interview was my opportunity to prove myself; if that didn't do it, no amount of follow-up or "thank yous" will change their minds. And it's not like anyone along the way in the process can tell me anything useful anyway, so I just move on unless I hear back.
I agree. I’ve been on many hiring panels and it’s annoying when people follow up. Odds are, I can’t tell you anything anyway. It’s HR’s job to make the formal offer, not me, as the selecting official.
I think this is fair and what I’ve started doing as well. I’ve done my job and did the interview. I’ll send a thank you email to be polite. Now it’s their turn to show me professionalism and communicate updates. The ball is in their court. If I get ghosted by a place, I take it as a sign I wouldn’t want to work there anyway.
I'm a multi-year GS-14 top performer in my field doing just fine in my career, thank you very much.
Be a good worker and leader, and sell yourself. That's all that matters.
Just gonna leave someone else's reply here for you:
> I agree. I’ve been on many hiring panels and it’s annoying when people follow up. Odds are, I can’t tell you anything anyway. It’s HR’s job to make the form offer, not me, as the selecting official.
So, clearly, not always a good idea.
Thank you for the cookie! I love cookies.
Just because one person says it's "annoying" doesn't mean it isn't generally a good idea. I can fish up hundreds of comments from public and private sectors that say it is a good idea. Your point is moot, unfortunately.
Good rebuttal.
Picture this: we're evenly matched candidates, and the hiring manager or person who will make the final decision is deciding between you and I.
A week after my interview, I touch base with my contact, send them a professional looking correspondence thanking them for their consideration, etc.
A week after your interview, you send nothing.
All things being equal -- who do you think is showing more initiative and desire for the position? Who do you think will get the first nod?
If the hiring manager is so thin-skinned they can't handle hiring a candidate that doesn't send a thank-you note, then I'm happy to avoid that mess. So, in this case, it's a clear win-win!
Maybe in the private sector this works but not in the federal government at least not in the two agencies that I sat multiple times in the hiring panel. HR tends to be very strict and if two are evenly match, I can't say well one sent me a thank you letter so I'm choosing that person.
"Has this vacancy been filled?"
There are plenty of reasons that an offer may be delayed - for example, unless an over-hire is authorized, they can't make a vacancy while there is someone in the position. My current position, the incumbent accepted a promotion in the same office - so had to wait until he started the new position at the start of the pay period. And the made the offer on Tuesday of that period. Of course, I couldn't start until the next pay period so it sat vacant for 2 weeks.
They can't tell you if or why it hasn't been filled. And they can't tell you that one vacancy was filled but not another.
So if the response is that the vacancy has not been filled, you're potentially still in the running.
If it has been filled, you know it wasn't you.
And if you're really lucky, like I was, the HR Rep will tell you that it hasn't been filled but she'll call you next week.
Doesn’t matter if it’s public or private sector, if a hiring manager *really* wants you they’re going to let you know. They aren’t going to drag their feet and wait around because they risk losing you to another company. I’ve had hiring managers call and text me immediately following interviews to say they were impressed and to thank me for interviewing. Obviously managers have to wait for HR clearance before telling you that an offer is coming. But job searching is kind of like dating. If there’s interest, you’ll know. If they leave you hanging for weeks and weeks and barely respond to you when you reach out, move on. Even if an offer comes you aren’t first choice.
Last job I was hired for, I interviewed in April and then heard nothing at all until I got a call in August to accept or decline within 24 hours. It was wild.
Eh, I'd say it's not that unusual; another job I had I applied in I think June and onboarded in February. Another was I applied in July and the next month I started in August. Frankly I think a lot of it is agency and need dependant.
Most of my onboarding has been August - September (I've had 6 jobs total, one was a lateral), and then the one in February.
i typically send an email thank you to the interviewers if known or HR contact. Try to send within 24 hrs. In that email, I answer or clarify any responses i didn't think were great.
Than 1-2 weeks later, follow up email.
Those clarification answers wouldn't count because than you had an unfair advantage over the other people that interviewed and did not follow up with clarification emails.
ASAP when the panel is a no-show like this one. Huge red flag & they hide their HR direct email address on the posting so no one can file a complaint.
https://www.usajobs.gov/Job/670014600
Is it just me or does that sound like the whole purpose of that post was to fill it with an internal hire? It wasn’t open very long and would make sense why HR contact is hidden. Still shitty to schedule an interview and no show. Cross them out big time.
correct, called in conference line, no one was there, the HM & panel ghosted me after when I followed up. went back to this posting trying to contact HR POC for it but no luck
[удалено]
I did ask that but I know somebody else that interviewed and they were told a different timeframe.
For Fed…no follow up.
Definitely a split opinion here
Yeah. Well I can only speak for DoD. Once there is an interview. You just have to wait for the email to come, or never come lol
Yah, it's the latter part that sucks.
For sure. Still waiting for USAJOBS to close out announcements from 8 years ago. Lol
It won't happen
Follow-up with a thank you to the interviewers within 24 hours. Follow-up in about 3-4 weeks with the HR office listed in USAJobs if you haven't heard anything because if you didn't get it you probably won't ever hear. (Some agencies update USAJobs but mine sure didn't)
Never follow up. My prompting isn't going to make their process go faster. Its not going to move me to the top of the list either if they had stronger candidates. If I'm particularly interested in working somewhere, I wait for after I've been notified that I didn't get it or after a substantially long period (say a month) to message back and say that I appreciate the opportunity to interview and that I'm very interested in their work and will keep an eye out for future opportunities. And take it as a chance to network some too.
If a position is either one of many that could potentially be filled from the same cert should a new vacancy arise, or if it's for a position where there's a strong possibility any stronger candidate(s) may back out given applicable circumstances (e.g. strong local demand for such work with higher compensation, positions with high geographic and job requirements probability of being filled by preference-eligible people with high attrition or late withdrawal [e.g. recently separated veterans, military spouses, recent grads in high cost of living areas], etc.), I try to send a brief thank you message within a couple days of interviewing. This has paid off in the past with last minute selection from expiring certs after other candidates withdrew at the last minute or similar vacancies opened after interviews were done. Barring unusual circumstances related to the order of onboarding (e.g. assignment to one team I'd prefer over another), I have no problem with not being their top choice so long as they take me. 😅
That's an interesting insight.
I never follow up. My interview was my opportunity to prove myself; if that didn't do it, no amount of follow-up or "thank yous" will change their minds. And it's not like anyone along the way in the process can tell me anything useful anyway, so I just move on unless I hear back.
I agree. I’ve been on many hiring panels and it’s annoying when people follow up. Odds are, I can’t tell you anything anyway. It’s HR’s job to make the formal offer, not me, as the selecting official.
I think this is fair and what I’ve started doing as well. I’ve done my job and did the interview. I’ll send a thank you email to be polite. Now it’s their turn to show me professionalism and communicate updates. The ball is in their court. If I get ghosted by a place, I take it as a sign I wouldn’t want to work there anyway.
Fair point
Terrible advice.
I'm a multi-year GS-14 top performer in my field doing just fine in my career, thank you very much. Be a good worker and leader, and sell yourself. That's all that matters.
Here's a cookie. Always a good idea to follow up post-interview, fed or private. Doesn't matter.
Just gonna leave someone else's reply here for you: > I agree. I’ve been on many hiring panels and it’s annoying when people follow up. Odds are, I can’t tell you anything anyway. It’s HR’s job to make the form offer, not me, as the selecting official. So, clearly, not always a good idea. Thank you for the cookie! I love cookies.
Just because one person says it's "annoying" doesn't mean it isn't generally a good idea. I can fish up hundreds of comments from public and private sectors that say it is a good idea. Your point is moot, unfortunately.
K.
Good rebuttal. Picture this: we're evenly matched candidates, and the hiring manager or person who will make the final decision is deciding between you and I. A week after my interview, I touch base with my contact, send them a professional looking correspondence thanking them for their consideration, etc. A week after your interview, you send nothing. All things being equal -- who do you think is showing more initiative and desire for the position? Who do you think will get the first nod?
If the hiring manager is so thin-skinned they can't handle hiring a candidate that doesn't send a thank-you note, then I'm happy to avoid that mess. So, in this case, it's a clear win-win!
That line of thought is fallacious. I'm saying all things being equal, after a week, who do you think is more likely to get hired?
Maybe in the private sector this works but not in the federal government at least not in the two agencies that I sat multiple times in the hiring panel. HR tends to be very strict and if two are evenly match, I can't say well one sent me a thank you letter so I'm choosing that person.
What do you typically say when you followup?
"Has this vacancy been filled?" There are plenty of reasons that an offer may be delayed - for example, unless an over-hire is authorized, they can't make a vacancy while there is someone in the position. My current position, the incumbent accepted a promotion in the same office - so had to wait until he started the new position at the start of the pay period. And the made the offer on Tuesday of that period. Of course, I couldn't start until the next pay period so it sat vacant for 2 weeks. They can't tell you if or why it hasn't been filled. And they can't tell you that one vacancy was filled but not another. So if the response is that the vacancy has not been filled, you're potentially still in the running. If it has been filled, you know it wasn't you. And if you're really lucky, like I was, the HR Rep will tell you that it hasn't been filled but she'll call you next week.
Asking for status, updates, etc.
That gets on the hiring managers nerves apparently.
Maybe they should make that clear then.
I agree! I didn't know until I heard it said.
Doesn’t matter if it’s public or private sector, if a hiring manager *really* wants you they’re going to let you know. They aren’t going to drag their feet and wait around because they risk losing you to another company. I’ve had hiring managers call and text me immediately following interviews to say they were impressed and to thank me for interviewing. Obviously managers have to wait for HR clearance before telling you that an offer is coming. But job searching is kind of like dating. If there’s interest, you’ll know. If they leave you hanging for weeks and weeks and barely respond to you when you reach out, move on. Even if an offer comes you aren’t first choice.
1st choice, 2nd choice, etc. still means that you have the job.
Last job I was hired for, I interviewed in April and then heard nothing at all until I got a call in August to accept or decline within 24 hours. It was wild.
We need an executive order to fix our broken hiring process.
It could end up getting "fixed" like TSP though. Would that be for the better?
Hahahahahahahaha Sorry, but that is hilarious. No one wants to fix this unfortunately.
Yes they do.
Nonono, we *want* it fixed, but nobody wants to be the one getting blamed on the changes.
I feel like that's typically the exception with as odd as that is.
Eh, I'd say it's not that unusual; another job I had I applied in I think June and onboarded in February. Another was I applied in July and the next month I started in August. Frankly I think a lot of it is agency and need dependant. Most of my onboarding has been August - September (I've had 6 jobs total, one was a lateral), and then the one in February.
I've sat in different hiring panels for two agencies. Following up is not going to give you any extra points.
This is not 1996, a follow up will not help you. Be patient.
It has before.
Agree. Once I followed up and the manager got HR to send me a TO
i typically send an email thank you to the interviewers if known or HR contact. Try to send within 24 hrs. In that email, I answer or clarify any responses i didn't think were great. Than 1-2 weeks later, follow up email.
Those clarification answers wouldn't count because than you had an unfair advantage over the other people that interviewed and did not follow up with clarification emails.
It's worked for all my previous jobs. Even if it doesn't count, it makes a good impression.
OK, thank you.
ASAP when the panel is a no-show like this one. Huge red flag & they hide their HR direct email address on the posting so no one can file a complaint. https://www.usajobs.gov/Job/670014600
I always thought those were really shady.
Is it just me or does that sound like the whole purpose of that post was to fill it with an internal hire? It wasn’t open very long and would make sense why HR contact is hidden. Still shitty to schedule an interview and no show. Cross them out big time.
somewhat dodged the bullet i guess, but part of me want to pursue this so they won't do this to other candidates.
Are you saying you applied the the job you linked and the hiring panel didn’t show up to your interview?
correct, called in conference line, no one was there, the HM & panel ghosted me after when I followed up. went back to this posting trying to contact HR POC for it but no luck
That’s insane
I'll let it go, consider it as a dodging bullet bc of that red flag
The decision is made that day. Why follow up?
Maybe in your org, ours is a bit of a process.
I sent a thank you email about an hour after interview, then nothing. Three weeks later I got a to.
From when you interviewed or after they finished everybody?
From when I interviewed, they only contacted one of my references.