Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: Earned status with AA, DL, SPG, HH, Hyatt, Marriott, Seabourn, NCL, National, Hertz...I miss my bed!
Posts: 10,927
I can give an employer's perspective on the "waiting to hear" scenario...
... generally, I only interview on one day of the week and sometimes not even that frequently because of my travel schedule. All too often, I get my list of next week's interviews this week. In the meantime, I might come across the resumes of more qualified candidates I want to bring in to interview.
This happened recently...
I interviewed two candidates one day... one wasn't a good match for my division so I passed her back to HR with a suggestion of other divisions where she might go... the resume now had to go to THOSE hiring managers for review... I'm sure that HR, rather than tell a candidate "no thanks" would like to get another internal interview... so they string them along while waiting on the next hiring manager to take or pass.
The other candidate that day was someone I genuinely liked but didn't feel was as strong as an internal transfer candidate I was having a second interview with two days later. I felt confident that the internal person would accept our offer. Instead, she took a three-day weekend to consider it and by the time we called the second choice candidate, she was no longer interested in the position (felt she had been strung along too long).
I will tell you three things I value in a candidate that often don't come out until AFTER the interview:
1. the ability to follow up (which it sounds like you guys are doing great)... and to me, following up includes sending me a thank you note (your last chance to really sell me on why you belong with my group)
2. the ability to be persistent but not a pest (in other words, asking the recruiter "when should I follow up again" and then following their lead)
3. the ability to make a relatively quick decision if I do offer you a position and not come back swinging. (For example, if you told the recruiter you want $50k but would accept $40k, I know that usually - not matter what they TOLD you they would/wouldn't tell. If I offer you $45k, and you come back and insist you must have $50k PLUS some benefit not previously discussed, I'm gonna start reconsidering my decision.) It is very important when you work with a recruiting firm (which is my industry, btw) that you set parameters for what you will/won't take. If you aren't gonna take the $45k, don't waste your recruiters time or you won't find yourself getting sent out on interviews anymore.