When my husband retired from the Army, we both hit the job hunt trail.

We each fired resumes to dozens of employers and within weeks had several interviews scheduled.

After my interview at the job that was number one on my wish list, I waited about 48 hours before I received the, “you got it” phone call.

My husband’s first choice job? He waited a week. Then, 10 days. So he emailed the recruiter to see if there was anything else he could provide to help the process.

No, the recruiter assured him. You would be hearing from them within the week.

Ok, so it was two more weeks. But he got the job.

And word came right before he was about to pull out his very last hair.

Why the wait?

Employers are not attempting to test your patience. I promise.

They may still be conducting interviews. They may have actually offered the job to someone else and are waiting to see if they decline or accept the position before calling you as their second choice.

An employer may still be working the kinks out of the actual position. If they decide to change the job responsibilities during the search process, you may be out of the running if your resume does not support those new needs. For my husband, he was deemed overqualified for the job he applied for. Luckily, the company liked him enough to find a position in the company that did fit his resume and hire him accordingly, hence the long wait.

It is completely appropriate to contact an employer after a week, thank them again for the interview, reiterate your interest in the position and ask what their timeline is for filling the position. It is also wise to hope you get the job, but continue your job search as if you did not. Sitting and waiting to hear back is time wasted that you could spend interviewing with another great company who might make you a better offer.