Interview Follow-up Advice

[alli_esq]

Without too much backstory...(just to say that I am a matrimonial attorney)...

I was sending out resumes cold (i.e. to law firms that were not advertising for positions), and while following up, the principal partner of the matrimonial department of a great firm in my area told me that they hadn''t advertised yet, but that he and his partner were just recently talking about the possibility of bringing in a new associate.

We scheduled a meeting the following day (Tuesday 3/23), we got along great, and his partner called me the following day (Wednesday, 3/24) for another interview later that day. We seemed to get along great. He told me his partner would be in touch in a matter of days.

The next day (Thursday, 3/25), an old employer of mine called me to tell me that one of the partners called him for a reference on Wednesday, 3/24, and that he gave me a glowing one. I wrote thank you emails to both of them (I sent them by email rather than mail because he made it sound like they were going to decide very, very soon) that day (3/25).

Then, nothing. Until Thursday, 4/1, when the principal partner wrote to me the following email:
"sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We are still in a decision making mode but should have something definitive for you by mid-week"
I thanked him via email for keeping me updated, and re-expressed my interest.

Then...nothing again. I wrote to him the following Friday, 4/9, telling him again that I was interested in the position, etc.

Now what? I suppose they have either found someone else, decided that they don''t need an associate after all, or are just being lazy about getting back to me (lawyers in my field are notorious for blowing all kinds of deadlines, hehe). I read somewhere that you should follow up with potential employers once a week, but I am not sure how to go about it, or what I can say at this point that hasn''t already been said--my thank you notes were very specific to the conversations I had had with the partners, and I think I''ve made it QUITE clear that I''m super interested in working there.

Now the question: what would professional PSers do?! (besides, perhaps, send some magic PS dust my way?

)

 

[iota15]

Now just wait for a bit. Don''t e-mail every week. You know things will get pushed back when there are other fires blazing. This is important but probably not top priority for them.

Also, from their perspective, it takes quite a bit of effort to decide what their needs are. Yes, we''re busy, but busy enough to bring on a new associate? What do our books look like? Is this temporary busy, or permanent busy? Will we have enough billable work for her to cover her salary? What are her salary expectations? Do we have enough support staff for her? Are we stretching our current support too thin?

Give them some time. If they weren''t interested at all, they''d tell you to PFO right away. That''s obviously not the case. I''d contact them maybe once every two weeks or so (at most).

 

[megumic]

Yikes - how annoying is that? They made it seem so immediately promising, and then went all crickets! I think you''re taking the right approach by continuing to be a birdie in their ear.

I would follow-up one week from the time you last heard from them and ask if you can provide further references, writing samples, interviews, etc. during their decision-making process.

Perhaps they''re just in the process of setting up the position, getting the proper clearances, etc, etc?

 

[Octavia]

I'd give it a little more time. I hadn't actually heard the "follow up once a week" idea, but that seems a little much to me. Maybe if you were dealing with the HR department, but not when you're dealing directly with the partners -- once every other week sounds more reasonable in that situation, IMO. They know you're interested and if they're busy, you're just going to annoy them. They didn't guarantee that the position would be available, right? If not, it could be that the possibility of a new associate position in their practice group is still just that...a possibility. Also remember, it's tax time and even though they aren't specifically tax lawyers, people (i.e. clients) get crazy this time of year, so they might be busy putting out fires. Or the firm's managing partners might be. Who knows. There are lots of internal reasons why they might not be able to contact you quite yet. If you still haven't heard anything by Thursday or Friday of next week, I think you should contact them again.

 

[alli_esq]

Thanks for the input, everyone!

iota15: I agree that it is entirely possible that they are just too busy to get back to me--I''m just not sure when to give up hope! The last time I contacted them was this past Friday, so I will wait until next week to contact them again.

megumic: right? I was so excited--which hasn''t happened in a LONG long time when I''ve interviewed somewhere. I actually thought they were really considering me, but I am not so sure after all this time has elapsed. I have provided them with 2-3 writing samples and about 5 references, so I am pretty sure they are okay in that area...it''s just a question of whether or not they liked me enough, or more than anyone else they''ve met (IF they''ve even interviewed anyone else!)...so frustrating!

Octavia: I''m with you on the whole partners vs. HR thing. I don''t want to annoy them, for sure--but I also don''t want to give them an opportunity to forget about me! (oh, I HOPE I am not forgettable enough to have slipped their mind 3 weeks later!) I will wait until next week to contact them again.

Thanks again! I don''t suppose anyone could extrapolate what they were thinking sending me that email, huh? (i.e. that I was still in the running, that they are interviewing others...anything?)

 

[iota15]

Don''t annoy them and don''t be a burden on them now. If I wasn''t clear, once a week is way too much. They''re in control of the process now, and for the most part, you''ll have to wait and see at this point. Be patient. If they find they have a need, I''m sure you''re it.

Let them know in a few weeks that you''re still interested. In the meantime, keep busy... and maybe keep pounding the pavement. It never hurts to have two offers to consider.

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 4/14/2010 4:54:31 PM
Author: iota15
Don''t annoy them and don''t be a burden on them now. If I wasn''t clear, once a week is way too much. They''re in control of the process now, and for the most part, you''ll have to wait and see at this point. Be patient. If they find they have a need, I''m sure you''re it.

Let them know in a few weeks that you''re still interested. In the meantime, keep busy... and maybe keep pounding the pavement. It never hurts to have two offers to consider.

I agree. The good news is no news means you''re still in the running. The bad news is they usually act fast and decisviely when they want someone.

However once a week will seem desperate. People go on vacation, some other priority might have come up..could be some very legit reasons for the one week delay/lack of response.

Give it another week and yes, maybe keep looking.

PS Do you know anyone else internally that you could reach out to? just another thought if too much time passes.

 

[RaiKai]

I would let it be - I think you have expressed your interest and it sounds like you impressed them.

Sometimes law firms in my experience are not the speediest. I have had offers come several weeks or even MONTHS after the initial interview process as they had just not got around to it until then? Of course, I had already accepted another position by that point! I hope you do not have to wait that long of course!

And for some reason...also speaking as an attorney...this past month has been extremely busy for me work wise especially on the matrimonial side. Spring fever perhaps???? Maybe they are just a bit swamped as well.

 

[zoebartlett]

First of all, good luck Alli!

I know it''s hard to wait it out, especially when you''ve been told you should hear soon. You don''t want to come across as TOO aggressive though, right? So as hard as it is, give it time and see what happens. If, say a month goes by, I think it might be appropriate to send another follow-up e-mail. Some companies are just really slow in making decisions.

I''m keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[alli_esq]

iota: haha, nope, you were totally clear!! I will definitely NOT contact them again until at least 2 weeks have passed since my last correspondence

I have been working and continue to interview and send out my resume. Also attending lots of networking events, etc. I actually have had another offer from another firm but am being sort of a hard-a$$ with them in negotiation, mostly because I would much rather work for the firm I''m talking about in this thread.

janinegirly: I agree that I''ve heard of firms acting "fast and decisively" before--but these people know that I am working right now, so I guess they also know that I am not necessarily about to be scooped up by anyone else. I would be afraid to reach out to anyone else at the firm, since I did deal with these two partners (who are really the only people I''d need to impress anyway, since they are in charge of hiring, and no one else!), but I can see where in certain circumstances that might be better. I just don''t have any internal contacts aside from them, unfortunately.

RaiKai: yes, you''re definitely right about them being busy; I know that they are in court almost every day this month (which is why the second partner said he wanted more associates; he hates going to court and much prefers to send more junior associates, haha). I do think that this time of year happens to be busy for matrimonial, and it gets slower in the city toward the summer because most people go away. It''ll pick up again in the fall, but I would love to get this job now, before it gets too late in the season and matters start drying up--the firm might decide at that point that they don''t need the help they thought they would...

Zoe: Haha, "too aggressive" is actually a good thing in a lot of matrimonial lawyers'' minds

(though I know that''s not what you meant, and you''re totally right--just jokin around!) You''re right--I do need to let up. It''s funny because I''m just so impatient--when I was dating, I was always the chick who couldn''t wait for him to call me...I often think that I got super lucky with DH because he, out of all the guys I''ve dated, wasn''t put off by my...enthusiasm

Thanks so much for the well wishes!!

 

[iota15]

Hey Alli,

Sorry about that. haha. I guess I was writing when you posted your response.

I know it's tough waiting. Good luck! You have a good shot but I'd continue to look too.

If you want the job, just give them time to figure it out. However, since you have an offer, if you wanted to push, maybe let them know another firm is really interested and a decision in the next week would be good.

 

[PumpkinPie]

Date: 4/14/2010 4:54:31 PM
Author: iota15
Don''t annoy them and don''t be a burden on them now. If I wasn''t clear, once a week is way too much. They''re in control of the process now, and for the most part, you''ll have to wait and see at this point. Be patient. If they find they have a need, I''m sure you''re it.


Let them know in a few weeks that you''re still interested. In the meantime, keep busy... and maybe keep pounding the pavement. It never hurts to have two offers to consider.

I think this makes a lot of sense - you''ve interested them and if you fit, they will let you know
GOOD LUCK!

 

[miraclesrule]

I''m keeping my fingers crossed for you Alli!! Trust me, you don''t need to follow up every week. Your behavior to date is just perfect. You have demonstrated initiative by submitting your resume even though there was no advertised open position. It appears that they like you as demonstrated by their checking of references. I think that they are simply trying to make executive decisions at this point. The delay probably has nothing to do with you at all.

Waiting sucks, but my suggestion would be to wait until they contact you at this point. I always feel sort of sorry for the candidate who is always calling me back to get an update. It''s fair better to wait it out.

Big Hugs!!