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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think interviewers should tell you if you got the job - the same day

27 replies

Treaclesmart · 09/04/2013 17:41

Hi all
Just wanted to canvas opinions/experience. I had an interview this morning and the lead panelist said she would phone me to let me know if i was successful or not as she knew it wasn't nice to be kept dangling. Have sat all afternoon by the phone and it hasn't rung! She didn't say it would be today, but why wouldn't it be??
It was a local authority admin job. I keep wondering if maybe there is still hope and they take up references before getting back to the successful candidate...
Can anyone cheer me up???

OP posts:
OurPlanetNeptune · 09/04/2013 17:44

She may still be interviewing other people...

chickensaladagain · 09/04/2013 17:44

Depends how many candidates, if several are similar they may want to sleep on it, interviews may be over a number of days

Also they may offer first choice but not say no to 2nd choice until 1st choice has accepted

Not hearing the same day is not unusual

MrsPresley · 09/04/2013 17:45

Well they might still have others to interview, plus they have their own work to catch up on.

Sometimes they will take up references first.

For my job I was interviewed in June and didn't officially start until the beginning of August (I was doing the job through an agency first).

So, it seems like you're being a bit impatient.

FryOneFatManic · 09/04/2013 17:46

In my experience, the person who gets offered the job first is usually told same day, including for public sector jobs. The other possibility is that there are further interviews lined up for another day.

I am also job-hunting at present, and have usually been told the news quickly (no, not got a job yet Grin), often the same day.

Also, I've found that for public sector jobs, they'll often take up references at the short listing stage before interviews.

Callthemidlife · 09/04/2013 17:46

We will interview people over the course of 4/5 days, then decide. The only people who get called back same day are the no-hopers

Blistory · 09/04/2013 17:48

Usually takes me a week to get through interviews, shortlist, references etc so wee bit unreasonable to expect a response the same day.

I don't have a problem with giving someone a timescale though and telling them when I anticipate making a decision.

BrandiBroke · 09/04/2013 17:49

It seems to quite often be the next day in my experience.

I was once waiting 2 weeks to find out! (Didn't get it)

My mum was a teacher and said they used to interview everyone in about 2 hours then everyone would wait while they made a decision and one person would then be called out to tell the good news while the rest of the group were told they hadn't got it.

I think all interviews should be like that - at least you'd know one way or the other pretty quickly that way.

Anyway, good luck!

Hulababy · 09/04/2013 17:50

Most teaching jobs are like this.

You go for the full day, along with the other candidates. You often have a tour at the start, then get called in to do your tasks one by one, whilst rest of you wait. Sometimes they do a cull at lunch time and send some home, other times not. Then the interview panels take place.

Sometimes you go home after the interview but get a call later in the day.
Other times you all sit around and wait, and then the interviewer comes in and takes one person away - usually to tell them they are being offered the job.
Rest of you get called in separately for feedback.

Hulababy · 09/04/2013 17:51

Even when it is same day it is often not until the evening.

Original poster
Treaclesmart · 09/04/2013 17:57

Thanks. I have been in the same job for 11 years and have just started job hunting in the last year and a half. This has been my third interview. My first was also local authority but different department and they didn't phone at all. I got a crappy letter about a month later which must have upset me a lot more than I realised as I am dwelling on it a bit today. My other one was at a school and they rang me back the same day.
I'm stressing a bit because i only gave my home number and i have to go out tomorrow. Just want putting out of my misery!!

OP posts:
kim147 · 09/04/2013 17:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EssexGurl · 09/04/2013 18:13

Sorry but in most jobs that is totally unrealistic. When I worked in HR in the city we would sometimes have first interviews running over a couple of weeks then have second even third interviews and potentially testing. Then to make an off I had to get senior level sign off. We always told candidates/agencies likely timescales and never kept people hanging on for longer than necessary but never going to be same/next day IME. Teaching I know is different but that always seemed exceptional to me.

tallulah · 09/04/2013 18:19

The public sector Dept I work for is currently recruiting - 25 interviews a day for 2 weeks! No way they could let anyone know until the last candidate has been interviewed.

skaen · 09/04/2013 18:24

When I've interviewed we've had 6 people in (which is a full day) and you have to see everybody before any decision is communicated even if it straightforward. It usually isn't.

Last time we interviewed on a Friday and narrowed it down to a choice between 2 excellent candidates who could both do the job well. Everyone knew where theystood by Monday pm but no way could if have been done sooner.

ifancyashandy · 09/04/2013 19:04

Standard for it be a month between interview and getting the job in my industry / at my level. And I interview 4-5 times a year (freelance). I had an interview in February for a job I won't hear about till mid-May! Well, they offered it and then start dates changed. So TBC again!

ChoudeBruxelles · 09/04/2013 19:06

It's not always possible - last time I interviewed I started at 8.30 and went through to 5.30 pretty much without a break. Then had to evaluate tests. I did the tests th following dy.

Jinsei · 09/04/2013 20:30

I always phone successful candidates the same day if at all possible, but sometimes it just can't be done. There might be more interviews tomorrow, or the panel might need to reconvene to make a decision. There could be all sorts of reasons for a delay.

I rarely phone unsuccessful candidates on the same day, or until I'm sure that the first choice has accepted, just in case I have to offer it to someone else instead.

mortifieddotcom · 09/04/2013 22:02

I once got a 'no' at 9.55pm! Not impressed. My last interview I was interviewed on a Tuesday. They were interviewing all week 4-5 candidates a day. I got told on Friday afternoon I was successful. They couldnt have done it any quicker as each interview took about an hour and they had a discussion between each candidate too.

StealthPolarBear · 09/04/2013 22:04

I tend to call the definite nos the same day.
Then first choice as soon as all interviews are over (may or may not be same day)
Then the appointable but not first choice candidates

maddening · 09/04/2013 22:08

If you have to go out tomorrow it gives you a perfect reason to call them - explain you've called to give them your mobile number and then ask for the timescales.

I applied for a job on jan 10th and only found out I'd got it in the last 2 weeks. Had 2 interviews - one with director and second with ceo and they took a few days the first interview and over a week the next - I only got the contract on monday!

ImOnlyAsking · 09/04/2013 22:36

In my experience it can often take a few days even to get back to the successful candidate, particularly if there are other candidates and the panel need to compare notes and agree on favoured candidate. Good luck Treaclesmart! Hope you hear something soon.

Chandras · 09/04/2013 22:37

IME the chosen one know by phone immediately, the unchosen by post, and the second runner up... is left to hang in there until the successful candidate accepts/declines the job or works its notice...

MrsSchadenfreude · 09/04/2013 22:39

We have to wait 24 hours after the last interview in case there is any challenge from any of the interviewees - if they think something was not done properly.

OverAndAbove · 09/04/2013 22:42

Yep, the second choice or "reserve" often gets the longest wait, while we negotiate with the first choice re start dates etc and check references. The definite noes get told same day.

PurpleStorm · 09/04/2013 22:57

It's not always possible for employers to let people know on the same day. And it's unusual to hear back the same day, IME.

Interviews may be taking place over several days - if so, only definite nos are likely to hear back on the same day.

Even if all interviews are on the same day, if interviewing doesn't finish till 5 or 6pm, the interviewers may wait until the next working day to either make the final decision or inform the sucessful candidate. They may also want or need longer to think things over, get clearance to hire a particular candidate from senior manager, check references etc before making an offer.

And of course, if someone's the second choice, they'll likely be left hanging until the first choice has confirmed whether they're going to take the job.

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