True Story.  Back in my human resources days, I interviewed a candidate for a position on a Thursday.  She was a mediocre candidate, but, certainly in the running for the position.  I received a thank you letter from her the very next day – very nice.  Recruiters like enthusiastic candidates and nothing says enthusiasm like a well written follow-up letter. The following Tuesday, she left two messages asking for the status of her candidacy – okay, now she’s pushing it and starting to annoy me.  By Wednesday, she had come to my office requesting to see me.  She officially took it too far and became what I refer to as an Employment Stalker.  With that said, she quickly received the, “thank you for your time, but, we’ve decided to pass on your candidacy” letter.

Times are hard.  So, when you get that phone call from a company inviting you to interview for that golden opportunity, it’s extremely exciting.  And, the excitement only builds if you feel great chemistry between you and the interviewer.  In some instances, the interviewer has all but said, “you’re hired.”  Now, you really want this job!  So, being the smart job seeker that you are, you immediately send a follow up letter to the interviewer with hopes that you’ll get a favorable response.  And, then the agony starts…the much dreaded, wait-and-see period.  A few days later, you still haven’t heard from the company.  So, what do you do?  Do you call or email to see what’s going on?  This is one of the most common questions asked by job seekers.  And, the answer is…do nothing.  You’ve already sent the follow up letter, so now, you wait.

Some companies move as fast as lighting, while others move at the pace of a snail.  You could be offered the position on the same day that you interview or it could be three weeks later.  So, you just have to be patient.  There are so many things that could be taking place.  Often times, companies are still interviewing candidates a week later and haven’t even gotten close to making a decision.  These things take time and the company may certainly still be interested in you.  During the interview, ask the interviewer when they will be making decisions.  If they say 2 weeks, give them at least 2 ½ before any further follow up.  The first phone call or email will certainly be construed as pure interest and enthusiasm.  But, repeated contact within a short time frame is borderline stalking and will not increase your chances of being offered the position.  In most instances, it will hurt you because companies realize that annoying applicants make annoying employees.