Ask Vicki: What does it mean when I don't hear back after a final-round job interview?

Each week, Monster’s career expert Vicki Salemi—a former recruiter who utilizes 15-plus years of experience in recruiting and human resources to empower job seekers—answers user questions on Quora. We’ll be republishing the answers here. If you have a question for Vicki, send it to socialmedia@monster.com.

Q. What does it mean when I don't hear back after a final-round job interview?

A. When an employer doesn’t get back to you after a final-round interview, several things could be happening. First and most obvious, they just may not be that into you. But don’t take it personally. Move on. Consider it a blessing that perhaps they weren’t right for you either.

I’ve seen excellent candidates succeed in every interview round and nearly get an offer, only to be told by the finance group that there’s a hiring freeze, or an internal candidate is being strongly considered.

These situations are out of your control. Instead, focus on what you can control: How did you do in your interview? Would you tweak any answers? Hone your approach in anyway?

I always put myself in the shoes of a candidate, and nothing is worse than radio silence, right? You either want a “yes” or “no,” but that gray area can be stifling. Whenever candidates didn’t get the job offer, I always turned them down directly and didn’t rely on the applicant tracking system to send a template rejection letter. Not only did I feel that was cold, but I also wanted to build a relationship with the candidate.

Read Vicki Salemi's answer to "What does it mean when I don't hear back after a final-round job interview?" on Quora.

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Resource: monster.com