How Long to Hear Back After an Interview
How long it takes to hear back after an interview depends on the employer, the stage of the hiring process, and what still needs to happen before a decision can be made.
The timeline given by the employer is the best guide as to how long it will take to hear back. If you forgot to ask about it at the interview, you can do it in your thank-you email after the interview. Use Quillbot’s free online AI Chat to help you draft a polite message.
- Include asking about the recruitment timeline in your interview preparation.
- Keep applying and interviewing for other jobs while you wait to hear back.
Key takeaways
- There’s no standard waiting time after an interview; the timeline depends on the employer and the stage of the hiring process.
- Ask when you can expect to hear back at the end of the interview, or include the question in your thank-you email if you forget.
- If the expected decision date passes, wait a couple of working days before sending a brief, polite follow-up email.
Waiting time after an interview
Interviewers often tell you when you can expect to hear back when they’re wrapping up at the end of an interview. The recruitment timeline, including when the employer expects to make a final decision, is also sometimes included in the job posting or explained earlier in the hiring process.
If you haven’t been told how long it’s going to take before you hear back, ask at the end of the interview with a question like:
- “When do you expect to make a decision about the position?”
- “When should I expect to hear about the next steps?”
Make a note of the answer so you know when it’s reasonable to follow up.
The date an employer gives you is usually an estimate rather than a guarantee. Hiring decisions can be delayed by factors such as:
- Staff absences
- Waiting for budget or other internal approvals
- Scheduling interviews with other candidates
- A candidate postponing an interview
- Coordinating several people involved in the decision
- Changes to the role or recruitment process
Hearing nothing on the expected date doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve been unsuccessful.
How long to wait before following up after an interview
If the date you were told to expect a decision passes without any news, wait another couple of working days before following up. This shows that you understand the process may be running behind schedule and helps you avoid appearing impatient.
A brief, polite email is usually the best way to follow up. You can express your continued interest in the role and ask whether there is an update on the hiring timeline, using a phrase like:
- “You mentioned that you expected to make a decision by the end of last week, so I wanted to check whether there have been any updates.”
- “I was wondering whether you could share any updates on the next steps in the hiring process.”
Frequently asked questions about how long to hear back after an interview
- What if I forgot to ask when I would hear back after an interview?
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If you forgot to ask when you would hear back after an interview, you can include a question about the recruitment timeline at the end of your thank-you email after the interview.
For example, you could write, “I realized after our conversation that I forgot to ask about the timeline for the hiring process. Could you let me know when I can expect to hear back from you?”
Quillbot’s free online AI Chat can help you draft job application emails and other professional correspondence.
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