What happens when your interviews go silent?
Q: I have been getting a lot of inquires from employers looking at my online profiles and have had several phone interviews over the last month with two of them being in-person interviews. All of them appear to go well, I answered all their questions and left with a good feeling they would contact me for the next steps. So far, nothing has happened and am wondering what to do next. When you have a good interview and only hear silence what does that mean? It’s discouraging to hear nothing in return after I leave having a good discussion.
A: You described one of the most challenging parts of a job search — having a good interview with no communication afterward. Job searching is a fluid process of ups and downs with emotional highs and business timing. Chances are if you had a good exchange of information, the interviewer had mutual feeling about you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are the candidate of choice.
The more interviews you have, the better you become at focusing on the employer’s needs. There are so many variables connected with turning an interview into a job offer such as how well you build rapport, discuss the skills needed for the job and emphasize the results your contributions have produced.
Keep in mind that employers are talking with you for a reason. They see something in your background that appeals to them. However, interviewing is really a business discussion, so they have a need and are looking for the best candidate to help them solve it.
There are some things you can do to help make an interview memorable, such as answering their questions and then asking questions back to help determine if you are giving enough information. Some interviewers do most of the talking and if that’s the case, do your best by highlighting your qualifications that match their needs.
Avoid letting disappointment rob your momentum or create doubt in your ability to get hired. When there is a lack of communication, most likely you’ll try to fill in the blanks with guessing, and that takes up a lot of mental energy. Silence can mean they have more candidates to interview, they have changed business directions or putting the position on hold; it could be several things beyond your control.
Close an interview by summoning up your interests, skills and desire to work for them. Make it habit to follow up promptly, thanking them for their time and expressing your interests and reiterating how your skills match their needs. Ask for the next steps and continue your search.