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I’m Patient! Why Hasn’t the [Blank] Called Me Back?

By March 12, 2008March 3rd, 2019No Comments
miniature executive sitting on top of a classic red telephone, having patience

Why hasn’t the interviewer, company, organization, hiring manager, HR department, contact, prospect, volunteer, or new networking contact called me back? How long do I wait? How long do I need to be patient?

To me, it is all about human behavior.

Job Hunting – Reasons for not receiving a call back

  1. People get busy
  2. Don’t want to hurt your feelings
  3. Waiting to hear back from another candidate
  4. Changed priorities
  5. Bad manners
  6. Don’t want to burn bridges by specifically telling you, “No thank you”

Prospects – Reasons for not receiving a call back

  1. People get busy
  2. Don’t want to hurt your feelings
  3. Waiting to hear back from a competitor
  4. Changed priorities
  5. Bad manners
  6. Don’t want to burn bridges by specifically telling you, “No thank you”
  7. Decided to do nothing (I believe that this is one of the top reasons)

Volunteers – Reasons for not receiving a call back

  1. People get busy
  2. Don’t want to hurt your feelings
  3. Burned out
  4. Changed priorities
  5. Bad manners
  6. Don’t want to burn bridges by specifically telling you “no thank you”
  7. Decided to do something different
  8. Want to play a low-key role / Be less involved
  9. Said “Yes,” so as not to offend you

Networking – Reasons for not receiving a call back

  1. People get busy
  2. Don’t want to hurt your feelings
  3. Bad manners
  4. Don’t want to burn bridges by specifically telling you, “No thank you”
  5. Changed priorities
  6. Said “Yes,” so as not to offend you

I am sure you noticed the reasons are fairly consistent from group to group. Human behavior is the glue that binds relationships and the agent that dissolves relationships.

If you want a specific answer, whether Yes or No, my suggestion tip is to be patient and politely persistent.

Alternate between telephone calls and emails. Various studies suggest from seven to 15 separate contact points are needed, in some cases, to connect with someone directly.

Just remember to be polite and professional. You could potentially burn a bridge by being too assertive, aggressive, pushy, or demanding.

Photography Source:  DepositPhotos

Ira Koretsky

Ira Koretsky has built The Chief Storyteller® into one of the most recognized names in communication, especially business storytelling. He has delivered over 500 keynote presentations and workshops in nearly a dozen countries, in more than one hundred cities, across 30 plus industries. His specialties are simplifying the complex and communicating when the stakes are high. He is also an adjunct professor in public speaking and storytelling at the University of Maryland's Business School. With over 25 years of experience, he is a sought-after storytelling coach, global speaker, trainer, consultant, communication coach, and public speaking coach.