What's the average amount of time between an interview and a job offer

The wait between an interview and a job offer can feel excruciatingly long. And while many factors play into the length of time you may wait to hear back from an employer with an offer, you can estimate whether or not you’re likely to get a call by understanding a few basic details:

The industry of the role

Yes, the amount of time it takes to find a new job varies greatly based on your job industry. Some industries focus on hiring quickly because they can’t afford to let open positions sit unfilled. Industries with high turnover—restaurants, construction, manufacturing, and even tech (in some cases)—see a revolving door of employees. In these situations, they may be quick to hire because they need people in seats to do the work. 

The job type

The type of job you’re applying for is a significant factor in how quickly you’ll get a call back with an offer after an interview. If the job is considered an individual contributor with no direct reports, you may get a call faster. But if you’re applying for a high-level leadership position, the team may need to spend more time reviewing the candidates and selecting the right candidate.

Your years of experience

Your years of experience also play into how quickly you’ll hear back from a job about a job offer. If you bring tenured knowledge to the role that the team deems invaluable, you may see a faster response. If you’re early in your career, it’s likely you aren’t bringing standout experience to the table and that can impact how quickly you receive an offer. 

The competition 

If the role you are applying for has a high level of competition or you are competing against several highly-qualified candidates, you may see a longer wait period between interview and job offer (especially if you are not the top candidate). In some cases, employers may reach out to their top choice first and wait to hear back if they accept the job or not before they go down the list and offer the job to their third or fourth choice. 

How long it typically takes to find a new job

For most job hunters, the average job search time sits between 5 and 6 months. This takes into account the time it takes to search for new roles, fill out and submit applications, make it through screening calls, interview with the team, and then finally get a call back with an offer. 

What is the average amount of time between an interview and a job offer? 

On average, most companies will call their preferred candidate with a job offer within 24 days. Some industries see a shorter timeline (within 2 weeks) while others go beyond 30 days. The key thing to remember—you likely won’t get a job offer within 1 day (less than 4% of candidates see that kind of speed). And if you get a call within a week, consider yourself lucky because only 37% of candidates get a call that quickly. 

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Consider the following statistics that showcase how quickly employers fill their open positions: 

• 21% of employers report filling their open positions within 31 - 60 days
• 54% of employers report filling their open positions between 2 weeks and 1 month
• Only 16% of employers report filling their open positions in less than 2 weeks

4 things you shouldn’t do while you wait for a job offer

1. Don’t follow up too much.

It’s best practice to send a thank you message after your interview. Do this within 24 - 48 hours after your interview. Thank the interviewer(s) for their time and express excitement for the job. If you don’t hear back after the first thank you message, you can send one more email as a follow up, but wait at least 1 week before you hit send. After the two emails, hold on any other follow-up messages. If you send too many, you can appear desperate or too forward. 

2. Don’t lose hope. 

Even if you don’t hear back from the employer about their plans to fill the position within the first 30 days, don’t lose hope. It’s clear from the stats in this article that some employers take 31 - 60 days to fill their open positions. With this knowledge, rest assured that if you haven’t had a rejection email, you may still be in the running for the position. 

3. Don’t rescind your candidacy. 

During the waiting period between the interview and the offer, don’t let your emotions get the best of you. It can be tempting to send a third email or even to call or message the recruiter to remove your name from consideration for the role. Be patient and realize that hiring is often not the priority for employers and it takes time to hear back after an interview. 

4. Don’t stop looking for other jobs.

If you’ve nailed the interview, heard back from your follow-up emails, and you’re expecting an offer soon, it can feel like the right move to stop applying for new jobs. Don’t stop your job hunt. Even with a good interview and hints that you’ve got the job in the bag, nothing is secure until you have a written offer. Continue your job hunt just in case you don’t get the offer. 

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Need more resources? Check out these links: 

7 signs you will get the job after an interview

What to do before you accept a new job offer

6 tips on how to decline a job offer

How long does it take to hear back after an interview

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