Time Frame to receive an Offer after an Interview

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 11, 2016

Three days is still pretty short. They may be doing a background check or references, which can take a while. Did you send the manager a thank-you?

INN_777, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2016

Not a cause for concern yet, but absolutely appropriate to follow-up and inquire about their timeline to make a decision. Good luck!

singwithme123 · Mar 11, 2016

I interviewed for a position a while back, and the manager told me two weeks ago that I was selected for the position, she was sending paperwork to HR, and HR would contact me "in a week or so" with the official offer. I still haven't heard from HR, but I have maintained contact with the manager who tells me that the offer is still coming.

I would say send a brief email after a week, letting her know that you remain very interested in the position. Most facilities will not issue an offer until they check references, and sometimes that can take a while.

srercg · Mar 11, 2016

These people get dragged into one meeting after another. I would definitely send a note to thank them if you haven't already, and then mention that you have not received that next step in the process yet.

Often times your call is their alarm bell that they've forgotten to finish something they got interrupted in doing. Also, it could be that the shift you picked was filled - so you may want to call and check on that, and give them other options in case.

I would call them no matter what. Never hurts - shows you are interested, and good on follow up.

elkpark · Mar 11, 2016

The thing about job interviews and offers is that it's almost always an urgent matter for the applicant, but usually not so much for the employer. There's no way to predict a time frame. I've had interviews that seemed to go v. well, folks seemed v. enthusiastic about me, but it was weeks or, in a few cases, even months before I got any kind of final response. They may have other applicants they are obligated to interview. They may be playing "phone tag" with your references. The background check may be taking longer than anticipated for some reason that has nothing to do with you or them. They may just be dealing with multiple open positions and hiring processes at once.

Did this employer give you any kind of time frame for when they would be making a decision and offer? I've had employers tell me it would be a few weeks before they would be making a decision. And it usually ends up being longer than whatever they tell you. :)

You want to appear interested, but not pushy or entitled. Bugging them can hurt you more than help you.