I received a phone call from my friend Joanie after her second interview at a company that she was ‘dying’ to work for. Breathlessly, and in seemingly one long sentence she explained that she thought the interview went ‘amazingly’, and she thinks she will be the one to get the job. They told her they would get back to her with more information (whatever that means) by Friday. This conversation between us took place on a Wednesday. Of course, Thursday passed without incident, and Joanie was not frantic yet because it wasn’t Friday.

Friday morning at 8:57 AM the phone rings; it’s Joanie. When do I think they will call? She asks. What should she do if they don’t? I am trying desperately to get my daughter in the car and off to school (she’s already 12 minutes late); to make matters worse she is insisting on wearing a frilly tutu, one purple shoe, and one white shoe to school that day. Houston, we have a problem!

Joanie is peppering me with questions, and I ask her to call back on the cell so I can deal with the situation while I drive. I am empathetic; we have all been in this situation at least once; and it can be very nerve wracking. A watched pot never boils – staring at your cell phone will not make it ring. Here was my advice to Joanie, and my advice to people who find themselves in this situation:

• You might need to wait a few extra days. Internal politics when it comes to hiring can get quite tangled. This just means that approvals have to be obtained, signatures, and other things to extend an offer. Just because you don’t get the call on the exact day the company indicated, does not mean you are not getting the job.
• If you want to follow up with the hiring manager, wait about a week to do so. You do not want to appear overly anxious. A short email expressing your continued interest, desire to join their team, and a request for some indication as to when you might expect to hear back is perfectly acceptable.
• Don’t leave your current job before you have a new one. Do not jump the gun. Make sure you are careful when choosing. Mistakes – big mistakes are made when you rush. If the position you really want does not come to fruition, take stock of the situation and move on. Something else is on the horizon – and likely something even better.
• Sometimes it takes a bit longer to find the right position. You don’t want to have buyer’s remorse. Not getting the position is not always the worst thing.
• Keep yourself occupied. You will make yourself crazy waiting for the phone to ring. Make constructive use of your time. Research new opportunities, continue to network, or do something for yourself. If you are unemployed – even for a short while use the time to do something fun. Before you know it you will be back to the grind and wondering why you did not use the time more wisely.

Back to Joanie. I listened; I counseled; I commiserated with her. Friday turned into Monday, which turned into Tuesday, and still Joanie had not heard a peep from the hiring manager. She had all but given up hope of getting the position when on Wednesday the call came in. As I surmised, there were some issues internally – approvals needed to be obtained, a salary blessed. A gleeful Joanie was offered the position she wanted. I was truly happy for my friend. The job really was the perfect fit for her.