Does This Seem Odd?

Updated on April 29, 2011
R.J. asks from Sandy, UT
22 answers

My husband went for an interview Monday morning, at the end of it they said " Okay lets get HR and get the contract drawn up and get you out to meet your people" the HR girl said " congratulations welcome aboard we will let you know when we can get everyone together" We have not heard from them since. It is now Friday afternoon. I and my husband were under the assumption that he was now employed but after 5 days we are wondering WTH. My husband finally called this morning after me telling him it was really necessary to know what the hey was going on the HR girl had "some stuff to take care of this morning and might be in the office later" REALLY. If you were the company hiring someone wouldn't you at least touch base within 5 days?

He interviewed with this company 4 times with 4 different people before the last time it was the President of the Company- I would think that before you go that far the background check and all the "ground work" would have been done. Honestly this is just making me nuts.

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So What Happened?

just and FYI he got the job he will start Monday.. He was told by one of the guys he met that works there that he would have to " hire himself' so that is exactly what he did.

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answers from New York on

It shouldn't happen but it happens sometimes, which is awful because you don't know if you should just keep looking.
In one occasion it took near a month for the company to finish all the paper work!
The job was very good so he just kept waiting but it was very frustaring and nerve racking.
Good luck with the job.

1 mom found this helpful


answers from Shreveport on

I think before ending the conversation with the HR girl he should have asked for a start date. I would call Monday morning and get the info or keep looking for an other job.

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answers from Chicago on

I never leave a situation like that w/out a start date ... did he not get a start date from them?

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answers from Los Angeles on

Our company didn't do the background until after the last interview with the Executive Director. If he didn't like the person interviewing why waste money on a background check. So to me it seems pretty normal. It would take canidates a week and a half (on average) to complete the process after being offered the job.
I would call Monday morning

1 mom found this helpful


answers from Washington DC on

They should have given him an offer letter with his salary and title with a start date. If he doesn't have that - he really has nothing other than a "VERBAL" offer...

As a recruiter - it's POOR FORM to make a candidate wait more than 48 hours after the President has seen and approved...

I would send an e-mail to the recruiter AND HR to tell them: "Per our conversation on X date, you welcomed me aboard. However, I have not received an official offer letter and start date. Do you know when I can expect this from you?"

Keep it simple. If they don't get back to him with an answer - he needs to press on. If they expect people to wait that long - things might not be going well at the company - google them - do some research - I am assuming your husband all ready did this prior to interviews, and see what's going on.


1 mom found this helpful


answers from Dayton on

This does sound unusual but I have noticed that no one does things the way it was when I was "younger". Proper etiquette does not seem to exist anymore.
I guess if I were your husband I would ask for a start date.



answers from Las Vegas on

I would after five days.. but I will tell you this. when I got my first job in the brokerage industry, they wanted to hire me but FORGOT to tell me.. thankfully AFTER a week of NOT hearing, I called them and the lady said, " We wondered why you never showed up for work" ... :) I know.. WEIRD.. but true. Also, 5 days isn't really that long (for those looking for a job) but for those hiring it isn't... and too, people take vacations.. get sick.. etc... also remember, with many companies cutting back on staff, that means that it's often ONE person wearing many hats in a company. so the HR person might also be responsible for many other things..

congrats !


answers from Houston on

I took my husband 2 weeks to find out about a job and they told him similar things, they did hire him but it was an award waiting period as well. He also had another interviewer tell him the same things and they never called him back (so he did not get the job.)


answers from Sacramento on

Yeah, it happens. Our HR department is about as inept as they come, and it wouldn't surprise me if they did something like this. In fact, after they gave me the green light to make an offer to a candidate a few months ago, and I made the offer and the candidate accepted, they then told me the position hadn't been "approved" by all the necessary people, and I had to withdraw the offer! All of this came about only after 2 weeks of them dithering around with the candidate's paperwork. I was absolutely mortified at having to call the candidate and withdraw the offer, you can't even imagine. Fortunately, the candidate was unemployed at the time, so she had not given notice at her job or anything like that - but she may have passed up opportunities to interview elsewhere, who knows.

Anyway, it's not uncommon for HR people to drag their feet. Your husband should call the hiring manager on Monday to check in, ask if there is any additional information he can provide, etc. Just a friendly call - and hopefully the hiring manager will light a fire under the HR girl. Good luck.



answers from New York on

Nerve racking - YES but my husband usually keeps interviewing in the meantime and between time. Even when a bonifided offer is on the table and he has started the job he still is open for interviewing which is why he has had 4 jobs in the last two years even in this "economy".

I just love his work ethic. He never stops looking for better for our family.

The follow up call was the right thing to do. My husband also will get job offers in writing. This way it is clear about the start date, salary, vacation time, benefits, etc.


answers from Detroit on

If there's a backround check, it can take a bit longer than the standard job start.



answers from New York on

I don't think it's odd - some companies have lots of paperwork, procedures, etc. So that you don't feel too bad - I had 17 (yes 17!) interviews, background, drug and credit checked and it was 2 months from the time they told me "we want you" until I actually started working. That said, your hubby did the right thing in following up!

Good luck!



answers from Harrisburg on

Have them send you the offer letter in writing with a date, salary and so forth



answers from Gainesville on

I would think so, It seems like you might be getting the run around which would cause me to have some second thoughts regarding working for this company!



answers from Atlanta on

I worked in the corporate world for 15 years and LOST many good people because HR and the powers that be would drag their feet. When they approved someone for me I couldnt even tell them until HR was done doing their thing and then when I was able to call, that perfect person for the job had already started somewhere else.

If you husband really wants this job keep pursuing. I agree with Cheryl O about the email. Be short and to the point. Ask for a reply.



answers from Houston on

My husband just got a job offer a week or so ago as well and the process of checking references and verifying past employment has been slow. We are a week out now also and they have still not given him the "green light", so he is waiting to put his notice in until that happens. We were hoping it would have happened this week, but we're still waiting also. Sorry you're going through the waiting really is annoying!


answers from Hartford on

They have to do background checks and reference checks and make sure that everything on the resume is true. That can take a while. Sometimes it depends on whether they can get a hold of the people they need to verify the information. My husband had one job where it took nearly two weeks.



answers from Norfolk on

I would hope everything is ok. Maybe there were some family emergencies.

I would think they have more than one person who could of called and kept things running. He might want to line up some other interviews while he is waiting.



answers from Washington DC on

It took almost three weeks for my hubby to have the official word.
THey had to check his references, do a complete background check, make sure the security clearance was what he said it was and do their own security clearance.
It was nerve wracking. He knew he was still in the talks because a personal friend was in the company.
My hubby then recruited someone this year and it took a month for the company to do all their checks.



answers from Minneapolis on

Yes, they should, but things don't always go as planned on the company's side. I would suggest he call them again on Monday morning, if you don't hear from them this afternoon. He should ask very specifically what the next step is and when to expect that to happen. He needs to have the employment agreement in writing. And yes, stranger things have happened than to be told you have the job and then to have it fall through.



answers from New York on

The contract is contingent upon reference checks. Even if they wante dto hire him on the spot, they need to reach out to his references. If those folks aren't in town or aren't returning calls it can (and will) hold up the process. He should be ready with another name and number when she calls back



answers from Johnstown on

No, it's not odd. If it's for a big company, there are A LOT of formalities and paperwork, clearances, background checks, etc. that need completed before everything is given the "official 'go' " . They may have been sure they wanted him, but had to be certain that his info was correct and there weren't any issues that were missed.

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