Post job interview phone call/email etiquette?

February 12, 2008 12:32 PM

Post job interview phone call/email etiquette?

A little background to get everyone up to speed before I ask my question.

Last week I had a job interview with a top business consulting firm for a summer internship (I'm currently a first year MBA student). The interview went very well, imo. I asked many questions and I felt like the interview was very balanced. At the end of the interview I asked when I should expect to hear back. The manager indicated that within the next week or two and then gave me a business card and said "Feel free to contact me with any other questions."

The day after the interview I mailed a handwritten thank you note to the manager. I also emailed the recruiting coordinator at the office thanking her for setting up the interview and indicated that it was a pleasure to meet her. Yesterday was exactly one week since the interview. I called the manager and left a voice mail inquiring about the next step.

So, with the background out of the way, here are my questions. Would it be inappropriate to send an email today? How long should I wait before I call again? Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

posted by mjger to work & money (12 comments total)

When did you call the manager and leave the voice mail? Today?

I think dropping a quick follow up email today is appropriate. I would not call again. Once you've left a voice mail, sent a handwritten card and a follow up email, it's just time to wait. You've demonstrated that you are thorough, interested and diligent. More contact beyond today's email is probably overboard.

Good luck!
posted by pazazygeek at 12:51 PM on February 12, 2008

within the next week or two

Assume two, wait three. Don't send another email.

In the meantime, keep applying for other internships and don't fixate on this one. There's a fine line between polite persistence and 'Oh, jeez, that guy.'
posted by Happy Dave at 12:52 PM on February 12, 2008

Once you've left a voice mail, sent a handwritten card and a follow up email, it's just time to wait. You've demonstrated that you are thorough, interested and diligent.More contact beyond today's email is probably overboard.

Dead-on. You want to seem interested, not desperate. You've done everything you can at this point. I'd wait another few days to send an email, but after that, you're going to have to just wait on them. I realize it's agonizing beyond belief, but it is ultimately out of your hands. Good luck!
posted by Nelsormensch at 12:57 PM on February 12, 2008

I agree with Happy Dave.

And wanted to say bravo for thoughtfully sending a handwritten note AND acknowledging the recruiting coordinator. Good luck!
posted by desuetude at 12:58 PM on February 12, 2008

@pazazygeek

I left the voice mail yesterday.

@Happy Dave

I haven't sent an email yet. Should I send one (the first one) and then call it good? Or should I just call it good with the voice mail I left yesterday?
posted by mjger at 1:06 PM on February 12, 2008

The ball is in their court now. Any more emails or phone calls or notes (or flowers or candies or whatever) reek of desperation.

Think about it. Here are the likely scenarios:

1) They've already forgotten about you. You're not getting the job and unless one of your parents knows a senior executive, there's nothing you can do.

2) They're still interviewing people. You're still in the running, but you can still screw it up by coming off as impatient or desperate. If they want to know more about your qualifications, they'll ask.

3) You're one of a few candidates they're thinking about. In this case, any call/email is all downside and no upside. Let them come back to you if they have more questions or need another reference. If you have a good (preferably senior) reference that knows someone at the hiring firm, it may be appropriate to ask them to place a call for you.

I've always sent a brief thank you email and that's it. Thanking the HR person is a nice touch. Handwritten notes seems silly to me, but that's coming from an ex-banker not an ex-consultant.
posted by mullacc at 1:15 PM on February 12, 2008

I think you've hit the perfect amount of communication with them for now. Don't send your intended email...leave it at the voicemail.

N'thing what everyone else said.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 1:18 PM on February 12, 2008

Just thought of something else--did you get this interview through your MBA program career office? I'd bug the career office people to see if they have any insight into the company's hiring timeline or if they've given feedback to any other candidates from your school.
posted by mullacc at 1:22 PM on February 12, 2008

I currently work at a "top consulting firm", and I'm recommending that you keep searching for a better offer while you exercise patience. It took my employer over two months to hire me, and they wanted me on-board yesterday. Sometimes things just take time to work their way through the channels. So far, you've done everything exactly right.
posted by TheNewWazoo at 1:41 PM on February 12, 2008

Don't send any more emails, voicemails or whatever, just get on with jobhunting. I was hiring recently and was put off by at least two candidates who confused being persistent with being pushy and desperate. It's like dating - if you're wondering whether you're coming on too strong, you're probably coming on too strong.
posted by Happy Dave at 2:01 PM on February 12, 2008

Are there any hiring managers here who are swayed by a post interview thank-you note? I've always considered it sort of a kiss-ass move, but I may be old fashioned. If they want you, they will contact you.
posted by gjc at 2:17 PM on February 12, 2008

I'm not a "hiring manager," but I help make personnel decisions at the organization I work for, and I am absolutely swayed by thank-you notes. I remember who sends them and who doesn't. The ones who do get major points, because I assume that if they send notes to me, they will be equally good about following up on little details and being polite to clients and vendors once they're hired. That's important, and I remember it. A thank you email is okay, but a handwritten note is better. Unfortunately, they're pretty few these days. I think that a lot of people were simply never taught to send them. It's a shame.

I was clearly born in the wrong decade. I should be a crotchety old lady by now.

That said, mjger, I think you've done just the right amount of thanking, and you should sit tight and wait to be contacted. If you don't hear back in another two weeks, give them a call.
posted by decathecting at 2:30 PM on February 12, 2008