“I applied or interviewed for a job but never heard from the employer. What do I do?”

There are too many reasons to count why you may go days or weeks without hearing from a company. They may be waiting to interview a candidate they’re interested in. The hiring manager may have just retired, and they have to hire a new one. The HR rep in charge may have just gone on maternity leave, or they may decide they don’t have the time and resources to personally reach out to everyone who isn’t qualified for the job. It’s impossible to know.

Recruiters and hiring managers are busy people. As the job seeker, they rely on you to stay in contact. Whenever you interact with a company, try to clarify what the next steps are and who your contact person will be. Follow an informational or job interview with a well-written letter within 24 hours thanking the interviewers for their time, reminding them of what you discussed, and asking additional questions.

Give the company some time, but not so much that you are forgotten. If you haven’t heard from the company in a week, reach out to the contact person. If you were rejected for the job, thank them for the chance and ask for any helpful feedback they have. If they say they’re still in the process of deciding, establish a good time for you to follow up with them again in the future.

By taking responsibility for communicating with the employer, you are demonstrating your commitment to the company and the job. You will also more likely get feedback and suggestions from the company you can use in future interviews.