# Long delay between job applications and hearing back

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-delay-between-job-applications-and-hearing-back/138908>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 26, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-delay-between-job-applications-and-hearing-back/138908 "2002-11-26T16:05:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-delay-between-job-applications-and-hearing-back/138908/21 "2002-11-27T05:21:42Z")

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I applied for a job from company A in September of last year, did a phone interview and was asked for a personal interview shortly thereafter. In the meantime, I got an offer from another company, which I took, even though I would have preferred the job form company A. I took the job, and last month I got a call from company A for an interview. I start the job from company A on Monday.

The point is that you should never assume that a company has the same timetable as you for filling a position. If something comes along, take it. The idea that job-changing is a bad thing is an outdated notion.

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**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-delay-between-job-applications-and-hearing-back/138908/22 "2002-11-27T07:02:10Z")

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I was going to chime say that if the company is serious about filling a position and is interested in you, they will probably contact you within 2-3 weeks, if not sooner. Reading the responses of others, however, I see this is not always the case, particularly with anything related to government or academia.

In my (solely private-sector) experience, though, positive responses almost always came back within 2 weeks, and frequently within 1 (the longest being about 4 weeks). The responses that took longer than that always started with “Thank you for submitting your application. Unfortunately…”

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**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-delay-between-job-applications-and-hearing-back/138908/23 "2002-11-27T07:04:23Z")

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“I was going to chime say that”

Hmm… maybe that’s why I don’t get more positive responses. :rolleyes:  
Anyway, whether I chime in or just say it, you guys get what I mean.

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