Taking too long to get hired? How to handle the delay

You are the right candidate for the job. You have sailed through all the stages, impressively. But they still haven’t made a formal communication to you.

This is a notoriously frustrating stage of the hiring process that calls for insights into the ‘Time to Hire’ concept. This is traditionally the time between an employer advertising a new role and making an offer to a preferred candidate.

According to Paul McDonald, a senior executive director of Robert Half, however, long recruitment processes can damage business as it provides a window into the overall corporate culture.

“If people feel their career potential will be stifled by a slow-moving organization, they will take themselves out, running,” says McDonald.

In essence, the longer the employer waits to extend a job offer, the more likely it is that another firm will be first to the line and cherry-pick candidates it had hoped to bring on board.

So, how can a job seeker handle a delayed hiring process?

Get your answers

If an employer asks you to take some more steps in the hiring process i.e. put in more work or do more interviews; consider it as a red flag.

Probably won’t ever know why

Sometimes hiring is delayed due to issues that are beyond the control of the employer or the employee such as market trends, business concerns, reorganization of personnel or budgetary constraints.

Estimates are not guaranteed

While efforts should be made to hire qualified individuals, all prospective candidates can decline an offer. Estimates are, simply, just that, estimates. Keep your options open. Keep on with the search. The hiring process is a necessary evil.

Employers differ in their speed of response.

It’s up to the candidates to keep the employer engaged.

Assume you never attended the interview

Don’t pause a job search because you think you got the job. Do not dodge an opportunity because another has arrived. Do not pause just because you think you got another. Place an offer to speed up the process with another company.

A quick but informed recruitment process

Job seekers exiting an interview process expect a quick decision. However, the recruitment process can be lengthy and is one of the most important decisions a firm makes. But that doesn’t mean it must drag on.

As an employer, layout an organized approach, get a full understanding of the company’s needs, and create a quick but informed decision-making process. Be a step ahead. The key is to tighten your timelines without skipping steps.