How Frustrating is the Wait?

We know that response time after the interview has an impact on the success or failure of making that great hire. But how large of an impact? We’ve talked about how time matters based on results from our recent survey. Candidates will only wait for communication for so long. But how frustrating can waiting a few extra days really be? The results to question 5 of the survey explore that topic well.

Question 5 asked:

What is the most frustrating situation in the job search? Choose as many as apply.

  • 85% of respondents chose:
    Long wait after the interview to find out if I advanced to the next step/got the job.

  • 30% of respondents chose:
    The interviewer described a different role than what was advertised.

  • 26% of respondents chose:
    Multiple requests to return to the firm/office for more interviews/skills evaluations.

  • 19% of respondents chose:
    Other and wrote their own response. We received 74 write-in responses.
  • 18% of respondents chose:
    Multiple reschedules of the phone/in-person interview.

  • 15% of respondents chose:
    Scheduling delays setting up the first interview.

We can see from the responses above, that 85% of these past job seekers considered a long wait after the interview to be the most frustrating part of the job search. That uncertainty causes anxiety. Once a candidate has been interviewed, they know that they are being seriously considered and the stakes have been raised.

The written responses to this question show this frustration in the respondents’ own words. While we received over 70 written responses, these are a sample of some of the most common frustrations:

“Interviewers will string along interviewees for weeks and sometimes months before making an offer. However, once an offer is made, they want an answer within a few days. Very frustrating double standard.”

“Recruiters or employers never contact you back on if you were picked or passed on. Communication stopped and you are left wondering what happened.”

“We will be in touch” when they have zero intention of follow up.”

“Having more than three interviews (including phone conversation). Ghosting goes both ways.”

“No response after phone/person interview.”

“Being told you will be contacted regardless, and you never do get contacted again.”

“Lack of communication during the hiring process.”

These responses show that the frustration is real! No one likes to be left wondering what comes next and when it will happen. Something as simple as letting a candidate know there are interviews scheduled and not to expect a response until a certain date can alleviate some of that uncertainty.

We also know that letting that uncertainty fester can have a cost. Even a candidate that isn’t chosen for the position can have an impact on your company in the form of your word-of-mouth reputation. We’ll explore that topic further in a future article. So, be sure to follow us on Linkedin for that update and click here to learn more about how the recruiters at Career 1 Source can help you find the best talent for your organization.