Interview outcomes and what to do next

There are 3 possible outcomes from an interview or assessment:

1. You are offered the job, congratulations!
2. You are successful and are moved through to the next stage of the recruitment process. Well done, your chances of securing that job just improved. Take a deep breath and prepare for the next phase.
3. You are not offered the job. This is very disappointing, but it may well not be anything to do with you or even your interview. The employer’s situation may have changed so they now want something different, or they may have met an amazing candidate whose skills and experience exactly matched their requirements. Be kind to yourself.

When will you know the outcome of the interview?

The best way to find when they will let you know is to ask at the end of your interview. The more people they are seeing, the longer it takes a company to decide who to offer the job to. Some offers are received between 1 to 3 days after the interview. Glassdoor reports an average of 27.5 days in the UK and unfortunately, some companies don’t let candidates know unless you have been successful. It is common to be told by phone or email that you have been successful, and then to have to wait for a written offer.

Offers are often subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks – this is a Conditional Offer. This means that references or other background checks (see below) need to be undertaken and come back without any concerns before the offer of employment is finalised.

Why the wait for background checks?

Before making a formal offer, all companies will carry out some type of background checks. Some will make a Conditional Offer before the checks, others will undertake them before making an offer. The checks they undertake will depend on the job you have applied for. They might include:

• Right to work – It is a legal requirement to check an individual’s right to work in the UK. The employer is required to follow specific rules and check documents to ensure they are employing someone legally.
• References – It is normal for a potential employer to contact at least one person for a reference. The employer may ask for the name of a previous employer, or if you haven’t worked before, you can give the name of someone who can tell them about your “character”. They will call, email or write to them and ask them to confirm your employment history if you worked there, or alternatively ask them to confirm you’re the kind of person they’d recommend for employment if they’re a “character referee”.
  You will be asked to provide details of referees, and how to contact them, at some stage during the recruitment process.