Not that into you...

Yesterday I was having a beer with a friend of mine and I could not help noticing that he was constantly checking his phone. I asked what was the matter and it turned out that he was expecting a call from a company that was supposed to make him a job offer. Last time they talked on Friday and the recruiter told him that they would get back on Monday. It was Monday 7 PM and they had not called yet...


The situation sounded so familiar - I immediately thought of Gigi, a character in one of the romantic comedies that I happen to like - He's Just Not That Into You. Even though dating and job search are quite different processes, we can draw some parallels. If you think about emotional intensity of someone who is desperate for a job, it's a debatable point which one is more stressful.

What do you do when they don't call? Is calling back a sign of desperation? How often are you supposed to call, send emails and leave voice messages? Is twice a day sufficiently decent?

All these questions running though your head when there is a job that you really want and the company is just taking time in getting back to you. Here's my two-cent worth into the discussion:

• if I am really interested in a candidate, I will make sure that s/he stays constantly engaged and I am aware of any movements s/he may make in a direction other than my office;
• it's perfectly reasonable to call the recruiter if more than one or two days have passed since the time they promised to call you back, but not earlier - otherwise it's just annoying;
• best is calling outside of working hours and leaving voice mails. If you are not being contacted, it means that the hiring decision has not been taken yet, and most often it is not the recruiter who makes that decision, hence talking with the recruiter will not gain you immediate information on your candidacy. However, it is important that you remind the company that you are still alive and interested. Additionally, voice mails work better than email, because at least it will be listened to;
• irrespective of the company's decision, do call back to ask for feedback - it will mean that you are interested and that you take the whole recruitment process seriously. Plus, it's increasing your chances that the recruiter will not forget who you are.

Finally, if they are not calling... maybe they are just not that into you...