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The waiting period between your final interview and the company’s decision can be stressful. What should you do while waiting to hear if you got the job? And how can you avoid ruminating about the position? As tempting as it may be to reach out to the hiring manager — especially if you thought of the perfect response to that tough interview question only in hindsight, try to let it be. Following up could come across as needy and insecure. As you wait, focus on doing positive things such as spending time with friends and colleagues who elevate your self-image. Talk with them about how to generate leads for other jobs. After all, there are dozens of arbitrary reasons that the job will not be offered to you — the organization could change direction or institute a hiring freeze — so you need to continue to explore other opportunities. Keep your options open.
You made it through the final-round job interview, and now you’re waiting to hear whether or not you’re hired. This stretch of time can feel like agony, so what should you do in the meantime? Is it appropriate and expected to send handwritten thank-you notes? Or is email better? If you thought of the perfect answer to one of the interview questions after the fact, should you reach out to the hiring manager? How long should you wait before following up to see if they’ve made a decision? And how do you avoid ruminating about the job while you wait?
Now we’re going to focus on what to do when your application pile includes several potential superstars.
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Here’s how to sort through applicants to make a final hiring decision:
1. Consider achievements, not assignments.
Any candidate can list the tasks they were assigned at previous jobs. The best candidates for your short list, however, will be the ones who can tell you how they succeeded at those tasks.
Prioritize candidates whose applications indicate what they achieved at their previous jobs. Quantifiable successes can help you compare candidates and pinpoint those who understand what success looks like and how to measure it.
2. Ask behavioral interview questions.
Behavioral interview questions seek information about how a candidate responded to certain situations in the past. They’re based on the idea that a candidate’s past responses can provide insight into how the candidate is likely to respond in the future.
Frame behavioral interview questions around specific hypotheticals that might arise in the job, like “When have you had to mediate a dispute between co-workers in the past?” A follow-up question like “In hindsight, what might you do differently?” can help you evaluate the candidate’s ability to examine and learn from past experiences.
3. Look for a commitment to growth.
One trait that separates top performers from the rest of the pack is their constant curiosity and dedication to personal and professional growth.
A track record of acquiring new certifications, attending or presenting at seminars or teaching classes in their field can all demonstrate a growth mindset. During an interview, asking candidates how they stay on top of changes in their field can also help hiring managers decide which candidates are the most driven to improve and grow.
4. Get an outside opinion.
Recruiters specialize in knowing their industries and the people within them, giving them a broad base from which to provide context and insight.
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When making a hiring decision, choosing between outstanding candidates is a good problem to have, however, it can lead to a tough decision.
At TERRA Staffing, our recruiters help our clients navigate every stage of hiring, from defining the open position to onboarding your outstanding new hire.
Contact us today to learn more and begin hiring throughout Seattle, Portland and Phoenix.
Every day, millions of job seekers find themselves struggling to understand one big question: What does it take to actually get a job offer? Interviews come and go but no job offers. What gives?
The whole job search process has changed so much in the past few years. But at the end of the day, there is one thing that has not changed at all: you can only get a job offer as a result of your performance in a job interview. However, if you don't have a fundamental understanding of who actually gets job offers, it doesn't really make a difference if you land five or 50 job interviews. It'll be tough to land a job.
Here's a little insight on how hiring managers make decisions...
When hiring managers sit down together to decide which candidate gets a job offer, the decision is not likely going to be made based upon any one candidate's education, qualifications, work experience, or hard skills. Occasionally, one or more of those could play a part in breaking a tie between two great candidates, but that doesn't happen all that often.
Here's the truth: some people who are clearly less qualified than you are do get the job offer.
As an attempt to be the most impressive candidate, many job seekers search online for the most common interview questions and then spend time pulling up their best stories so they can give great answers that show they have the skills to do the job. But by the time you get past the phone interview (and especially when you get to the the second interview and beyond), it's not really about whether or not you meet the requirements set forth in the job posting anymore. It's already been determined that you are qualified enough.
Pulling out your best stories is a good idea, but it skips over a key component. Hiring managers don't just want to know what you did in previous jobs. They are also looking very closely at how you did it. Hiring managers are very interested in knowing who you are as a person—your work ethic, your attitude, your work style, your people skills, and whether or not you will fit into the workplace culture and be a big asset to it.
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If two managers are trying to make a hiring decision, the following is a representation of a typical conversation:
Manager 1: "Wow! Mike has 10 years of experience and a master's degree, but I was more impressed with Jeff. Wasn't that a great interview? He doesn't have the experience but he has the passion, a great attitude, and the drive that we need around here. And he has a lot of great ideas! His enthusiasm was contagious! I sensed that Mike sees this job as more of a way to just collect a paycheck. I also get the feeling he might be resistant to our way of doing things. Didn't he seem pretty set in his ways? I think he might be burnt out or something. I think I can get Jeff up to speed in no time. Staci was good, too, but I say we go with Jeff."
Manager 2: "I agree. I admit, I am a little concerned that Jeff has only three years of experience since we decided we needed someone with at least five years. But he seems to really know his stuff so I think I am okay there. I love how he talked about how important his own personal development is—he's the type who will probably train himself. You are right on with Mike. I didn't sense that in the first interview but I did in this one. He seems like the guy who wouldn't do much outside of his job description. And, while he could step right in and do the job, we definitely need more positive energy around here. I liked Staci, too. What are your thoughts on her?"
Manager 1: "I like Staci and she could be the right person, but having Jeff and Staci's interview back-to-back really showed some of Staci's deficiencies. She could easily do the job. She didn't say anything that was overly concerning, but she just doesn't have that energy—the enthusiasm—that Jeff has. He seems to have a lot more ambition than she does. It just doesn't seem like this job excites her as much. Jeff seems excited about what we do here and has a personal interest in it and that's important. Also, I am not certain she'll fit in. Remember when she talked about that project she worked on with four others but then said she did 90% of the work? She had a reasonable explanation but I don't know if I buy it. Plus, she did seem focused on questions about work hours and flex time. I just feel like Jeff will really run with this job and turn it into something great. I would like to extend an offer to him."
Manager 2: "You'll be his manager, so if you are certain, I will support that."
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That is a key question to ask yourself. Do you express your positive attitude, enthusiasm, excitement, and stellar work habits? How will hiring managers describe you, as a person, after you leave?
Soft skills are critical and it's not enough to say you have them. Most people say they are a positive person and will work very hard to get the job done right. That does nothing for you if you don't prove it. If you want to impress, hiring managers must be able to feel those words and see how you displayed those characteristics in the past. Show enthusiasm in your tone—raise it up a few levels! Be expressive and show excitement. Show you care about the work by giving examples. Show how you always put forth your best effort in everything you do by giving clear examples of excellence in past jobs (quantify your accomplishments). Show ways you went above and beyond and express why excellence is important to you.
However, there is one critical question that plays the biggest part in making this work for you. Are you that person?
Most people know they should present themselves in this way but many just say who they are and don't show it. And some are people who don't even have positive attitudes. And many of these people go into interviews and try to fake it. Some people are really good at it. Many others are not so good. But for the most part, a lot of hiring managers can see right through it.
By far, the most effective way to express positivity, enthusiasm, and excellence is having it in you to express—it has to be real to have a significant impact. And that only happens when truly feel connected to the company and its mission. (What companies are on your interview bucket list?) If that's what hiring managers want to see in you, then it should go without saying that they also expect it from you on the job. If those words don't describe you, taking some time to work on your own personal development in this area should be a top priority on your to-do list.
When it's all said and done, hiring managers need to be wowed by you! While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order). If you want to stand out and get job offers, then show up at the interview and give them your best self so that when you leave, they already know they want you to come back.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.