I haven’t heard back after an interview I had with a law firm about two months. What should I do?

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I Haven’t Heard Back
After An Interview?
What Should I Do Now?

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Summary:
I haven’t heard back
after an interview I had with
a law firm about two months.
What should I do?

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Question:
I interviewed with a law firm over two months ago. I thought it went very well
and the initial feedback I received was very positive. I haven’t heard from the firm
since then, however. At this point, I assume I didn’t get the job. Is there
something I should have done differently? Is there any way I can salvage this?
Answer:
First of all, I understand how frustrating it can be to feel like you had a good
interview and then hear nothing but silence from the law firm. You invest a lot
intellectually and emotionally when you decide to interview for a new position
and then actually do the interview. I’m sure there are lots of questions running
through your head – did I say something wrong? Is my experience or skill set
deficient? Did they hire someone else?
See What Should I Do If I Didn’t Hear Back After a Good Interview? for more
information.
Unfortunately this happens all the time. Before we answer your questions about
what you could have done differently or how you might salvage your chances of
getting the position, let’s consider what might be going on behind the scenes.

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The first possibility is that the firm may just not do the best job about
communicating rejections to candidates. I’m not saying it’s right but, due
to the large number of applicants that a firm receives for any given
position, sometimes it can be a challenge for the firm to respond to
everyone.
Second, it’s possible that, for some reason, the hiring process for your
position has simply stalled. This could happen for a variety of reasons:
maybe the partner leading the hiring process is swamped or on vacation
or maybe some action item with respect to the hiring the process has
simply slipped through the cracks.
Third, perhaps the law firm’s circumstances or workload changed and
they are reassessing whether there is still a hiring need. This happens
often as law firms have become increasingly cautious with hiring post-
Great Recession.

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Fourth, it’s possible that they’re still interviewing candidates for the
position. Even if they meet someone they like very early on, law firms
often continue to interview looking for the person they view as the
“perfect fit.”
Fifth, and probably the least palatable possibility, is that the firm has
decided to hire someone else and they are simply waiting for that person
to accept their offer, clear conflicts, or start work before sending formal
rejections to other candidates.
So, now that you know the possibilities, what could you have done
differently? I definitely encourage candidates to follow up with the firm’s
recruiting contact (or whoever arranged your interview) a week or two
after your in-person interview, to touch base, reiterate your interest in
the position and ask about their timeline for making a hiring decision.

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While this interaction will likely not be enough to sway your candidacy
one way or the other, it’s another opportunity to make a positive
impression, express your enthusiasm for the position, and also glean
some information about what to expect going forward. A phone call is
typically the best way to handle this, as emails are easily ignored. If
you’re unable to reach your primary recruiting contact after a few days,
you can always reach out to one of the more senior attorneys with whom
you interviewed with the same message.
I would encourage you to take this exact action now. While it’s my guess
that you’re unlikely to get the answer you want to hear given the amount
of time that has passed since your interview, at the very least you’ll get
some peace of mind and closure. With any luck you might get some
valuable feedback you can take into your next interview process.

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Finally, going forward, I would encourage you to use a recruiter when
applying to a position, as we can help you navigate the process and
advocate for your candidacy. Recruiters can often also get valuable
information from law firm recruiting contacts that they may not share
with you directly, making the interview process much less stressful for
you as the candidate. A recruiter can ask some of those direct questions
about the hiring process and your candidacy that may feel too awkward
or uncomfortable for you.
This article “I Haven’t Heard Back After An Interview? What Should I Do
Now?” first appeared on LawCrossing is the world leader in “pure”
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