Who and how to contact post-interview?
October 1, 2014 6:29 AM Subscribe
I need help deciding who to contact and how to contact them in regard to a job I interviewed for last week and need a decision on soon due to another offer that I've received.
I interviewed for a job I REALLY want with University A on Thursday and they sent me a background check form about half an hour after the interview (so possibly they're interested?). Today I was offered a position with University B (these are staff positions at state universities, not faculty positions). I need to contact University A and find out where they are in their hiring process and when I might find out (they said something about their hiring process during our interview, but I was really anxious and kind-of blacked it out).
What do I say? And, more importantly, who do I contact? I arranged the interview with an administrative associate, so should I reach out to them or the person who is the supervisor for this position (Google tells me conflicting things and makes it seem that regardless of what I do I will be out of a job at University A)? Do I use email (this is how we arranged the interview) or call on the phone? Thank you all!
I interviewed for a job I REALLY want with University A on Thursday and they sent me a background check form about half an hour after the interview (so possibly they're interested?). Today I was offered a position with University B (these are staff positions at state universities, not faculty positions). I need to contact University A and find out where they are in their hiring process and when I might find out (they said something about their hiring process during our interview, but I was really anxious and kind-of blacked it out).
What do I say? And, more importantly, who do I contact? I arranged the interview with an administrative associate, so should I reach out to them or the person who is the supervisor for this position (Google tells me conflicting things and makes it seem that regardless of what I do I will be out of a job at University A)? Do I use email (this is how we arranged the interview) or call on the phone? Thank you all!
I once got a unexpected job offer from firm A. I had been planning on applying to a competing organization (firm B), so when I got the offer, I sent in an application to firm B explaining my position. Within an hour, I got a phone call setting up an interview for that week. I assume that they thought that if I was good enough to get an offer from a competitor, I was worth interviewing.
Yes, tell them; start with the admin contact, who will direct you as needed (passing along messages and directing you to the right person is part of the job of an administrative associate). If you have a formal (ideally written) offer from University B, then it seems like telling the truth is the simplest and possibly most effective way. Emphasize that you would prefer to work for A, but can't risk being without a job. And if firm B has given you a deadline for responding, I'd share that as well.
Why do you think you'd be out of a job with A? Having gotten an offer should either have no effect or increase their desire to hire you, and knowing that you have a deadline should motivate them to accelerate the process if they can.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:00 AM on October 1, 2014
Yes, tell them; start with the admin contact, who will direct you as needed (passing along messages and directing you to the right person is part of the job of an administrative associate). If you have a formal (ideally written) offer from University B, then it seems like telling the truth is the simplest and possibly most effective way. Emphasize that you would prefer to work for A, but can't risk being without a job. And if firm B has given you a deadline for responding, I'd share that as well.
Why do you think you'd be out of a job with A? Having gotten an offer should either have no effect or increase their desire to hire you, and knowing that you have a deadline should motivate them to accelerate the process if they can.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:00 AM on October 1, 2014
Response by poster: Ah, sorry - half of the results I got told me I HAD to reach out to the supervisor and the other half made it seem like reaching out to the supervisor was the biggest mistake I could possibly make.
posted by vakker at 8:29 AM on October 1, 2014
posted by vakker at 8:29 AM on October 1, 2014
i thought it was customary to always write a letter within a couple of days of any job interview thanking them for the interview. it's here where you review points covered in the interview and reiterate your own applicable qualifications. i always end by saying that i look forward to hearing their decision soon. always write the person(s) you met with. i also personalize each letter if writing to more than one person in case they compare notes.
the bit at the end saying you look forward to hearing from them regarding their decision kind of forces their hand, they've either made the decision or not and will respond right away unless they're total dicks.
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 11:04 PM on October 1, 2014
the bit at the end saying you look forward to hearing from them regarding their decision kind of forces their hand, they've either made the decision or not and will respond right away unless they're total dicks.
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 11:04 PM on October 1, 2014
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When I hired in my previous position at a state university, I had to give equal consideration to all candidates in each phase of the process - i.e. if we narrowed down the field after meetings with the search committee and the next step was to bring in finalists to meet with the big boss, I couldn't make a decision until both candidates had done that.
That said, your question is who do you contact: I'd start with the admin, and I would call. You actually might get more info from him/her than you would from the hiring manager, who may feel more pressure from HR to be following procedure.
*(In my case, I accepted the University B position because it was clear that University A was weeks and weeks behind B in their process. I took the bird in the hand.)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 7:08 AM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]