Whew – you made it through the first interview!
You liked them, they seemed to like you, and things overall went well. You’ve sent your thank you note to the interviewer and are looking forward to hearing back very soon.
Now, the dreaded period of waiting begins. Whether you have to wait 24 hours or 2 weeks to hear back from the employer, it’s often a very anxious feeling.
As a candidate, you only get exposed to bits and pieces of the full hiring process and what goes on behind the scenes. You may be wondering what all is involved in the process, and why it requires the amount of time that it does.
Depending on where you’re at in the interview process, there are many factors that can play into the length of time you may be waiting. Let’s dive into 5 things that happen behind the scenes of the hiring process plus common causes of delays.
The most significant part of the hiring process is spent vetting candidates. No matter how far into the interview process you are, it’s common for recruiters and hiring managers to continue reviewing resumes and conducting interviews with other candidates at the same time.
Some companies require all candidates to complete a first-round interview before moving anyone to the second round, which can significantly prolong the process. In contrast, other employers may organize their interviews in a way that allows candidates to progress through multiple stages simultaneously.
Keep in mind that an employer will likely be vetting other candidates throughout the entire process, playing into the length of the overall time it takes to hire.
In recruitment, there is a lot of schedule coordination that takes place between candidates and the hiring team. Finding dates and times that work for each team member involved in interviewing plus each candidate can be a challenge, often resulting in a lot of back-and-forth communication.
After each candidate interview, the hiring manager may take information to their team to discuss and gather feedback. If there are multiple people involved in the interview, they all will share their thoughts and loop in other decision-makers. Then, the next steps are decided, and candidates are informed of any new status with their candidacy.
If you’re waiting to hear back after a second, third, or maybe even fourth interview, there is a good chance the employer is near the end of the process. In this stage, they may be calling your references and/or running a background check. This part of the process can take multiple days or over a week.
The timing in which reference and background checks occur can vary. Some companies complete these steps before extending an offer, while some will do so after an offer is extended or accepted.
Every company’s hiring process looks different, but at some point, they will be pulling together all of the details to present an official job offer to the candidate. An offer will typically outline general pay and benefits information and include an anticipated start date.
Typically, the larger the company, the more approval stages the offer must pass through (human resources, finance department, executive team, etc.) before being extended to the candidate.
Beyond the routine steps of an employer's recruitment process, sometimes there are additional factors that can cause delays in hiring. Some of the most common include:
The process may be at a halt while a member of the hiring team is out of the office or unavailable. If a key decision-maker is on vacation, for example, this may delay your next step in the process by another week or two.
Sometimes in the middle of the hiring process, a company may decide to make some adjustments to the open position. It may take interviewing several candidates before they realize they want to go a different direction with the position, need to update the salary range, or maybe even need to restructure that department before they hire.
Companies sometimes face internal changes such as restructuring or budget cuts, which can hinder many factors of the hiring process. Any adjustments in a company or department are likely to cause delays, or even a complete stop, to the hiring process.
If it’s been 1-2 weeks since your last interaction with the hiring manager, it’s completely appropriate to follow up. This gives the hiring team a gentle “nudge” while showing your continued interest in the role.
You don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to your job search. In case things don’t work out the way you’d hoped, it's a good idea to continue searching and applying for other jobs while you wait for the hiring process to progress.
It’s easy to feel discouraged about a job opportunity when the process is moving slowly, or you haven’t heard back from the company yet. Keep your spirits up and know that the right opportunity will come along.
From reviewing resumes to extending an offer, there are many moving pieces to the hiring and recruitment process. Employers must put in an extensive amount of time and effort to ensure they’re not just filling open positions, but filling them with the right people who will bring continued success to their ag organization. That said, keep these factors in mind next time you’re waiting to hear back from a recruiter or hiring manager.
Preparing for your next step in the hiring process? Check out our career advice blog for interview tips, how to navigate job offers, and more!