🙌 Managing expectations when waiting for job offers
If you’re waiting for a response from the hiring manager for longer than they promised, remember that a delay in response doesn’t necessarily mean they’re any less interested in making you an offer. Often there are internal bureaucratic processes to go through before making a developer an offer.
Depending on the company and industry, these processes could take a week or more. For example, if you’re interviewing with a bank, it’s likely you’ll need to undergo credit checks. Sometimes it’s just that the hiring manager is conducting final reference checks. Either way, keeping your communication up with the hiring manager at this stage is vital to stay top of their mind.
Here is how you could follow up if you’re awaiting an offer:
Hello [hiring manager’s name],
I hope you are well.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to interview for this position at [company name]. I am more excited than ever about the possibility of working with you and your team.
[Mention something that you learned about the company during the interview that stood out for you, or something relevant that you have discovered about them or their particular industry, or learned about yourself that’s relevant to the job].
Please feel free to contact me via email at [your email address] or telephonically on [your number] if you have any additional questions or if there is anything else I can do to help you in making your decision.
I look forward to your feedback.
Kind regards, [your name]
How to manage processes in various stages​
When making a choice on an employment offer, you want to have all your options on the table to make an informed decision. However, it’s often unlikely that you can have all your processes in the same stage at the same time.
You don’t want to miss out on any opportunities by accepting an offer, but you also don’t want to lose an offer because you’re taking too long to respond to the employer. You want to make sure the hiring manager knows how excited you are about their offer.
How to speed up an interview process​
Understanding how to expedite interview processes will help you when you get to offer stages with employers.
Here is a message you can use to get answers quickly:
Hello [hiring manager’s name],
I hope you are well.
Thank you so much for the process so far. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know [company name] more and I’m excited about the potential of joining your team.
I wanted to let you know that I have received an offer from another company, but I'm super excited about [company name] and I'd really like to continue with your interview process. I do want to be respectful to the other company and give them an answer ASAP – would you be able to give me an idea of how long the rest of this interview process will take so that I can delay getting back to them on their offer?
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kind regards, [your name]
How to delay deciding on an employer’s offer​
Keeping your communication up with a company that has just made you an employment offer is paramount to assure them you’re interested. If you want to wait to evaluate all your offers at once, you may need to ask hiring managers if you’re able to delay giving them your final decision.
Here is a message you can use to delay getting back to a company on the offer you received from them:
Hello [hiring manager’s name],
Thank you again for your generous offer to join the team at [company name] - I am thrilled to have received it. I have thoroughly enjoyed this interview process and I'm excited about the prospect of joining your company.
I am currently in the final stages of the interview process with another company, and I would really like to complete the interview process with them to be certain that I am able to make the best decision for me and for my next employer with all the necessary information at hand.
Please kindly allow me [add your timeframe - one and a half week or less is preferable] to provide you with an answer on your offer. I would sincerely appreciate it. I will be sure to get you an answer by the end of the day on [date].
I want to make sure that I convey that I remain genuinely interested in joining your team at [company name] - and I am so grateful for this opportunity.
Kind regards and sincere thanks, [your name]