What happens after job interview?

After job interview, there comes those moments where I sit and ponder over the just concluded interview.

But I have come to realize, even after googling and searching the web, I don’t have an answer to these questions:

1) Did I get the job?

Every time after job interview, I have done lots of research on how you can gauge your interview session and demonstrated how you can tell if you did well in an interview.

But I can say authoritatively, I cannot be 100% about the interview results because I was not interviewing myself and secondly because this no way of knowing unless one of my relatives or buddy was in the panel.

But the truth is, after job interview unless you are actually made an offer – no matter what point along the interview process that happens – you just can’t know for sure…and neither can anyone else.

Sometimes not even the people at the company know until they are ready to make the offer. Things happen. New candidates come along. Favorite candidates drop out. Position descriptions are revised – or frozen.

Nothing is sure until you are made the offer and accept….and even then things can happen.Sacred? Don’t be scared but rather be encouraged that you can only go for an interview and do your best and the rest is in other peoples hands whom you don’t have influence over.

After job interview, be patient and don’t be over expectant. Again do try to impose rules on the interview panels and don’t try to read too much into their body language or ‘between the lines’ you might be shocked.

2) Is there actually a vacancy?

This has happened quite often especially in public sector. Its common knowledge in the Kenyan jobs market and in most other African countries that in public sector, we have entrenched tribalism and nepotism so much. Here is what happens.

Let’s say a government agency wants an accounts assistant. The MD has a cousin or nephew whom he wants to fill the position. He makes the advert, communicates with the panel on the person to pick and they all know who will fill the vacancy.

The interview that’s conducted is a sham and you have high expectations but the job is already taken.

I once attended an interview with a government research agency, which am not going to name. As we were waiting for the session to start, I started talking to a young lady seated next to me, so I asked her what she thought the pay was……she was innocent straight from college and did not know some information was just for her……she told me the salary was 80K.

I asked her “how did you know that…” because I was shocked she knew the exert amount. She told me “the day before yesterday my aunt called dada and told him about the position and yesterday dad met with my aunt and she told her about it n he gave her my papers…”I said “...and who is your aunt?”She said “...she is the MD”

You can imagine how shell shocked I was to know I was going through an exercise just to legitimize it. So my point is, there is no way of knowing for sure. But don’t be afraid. Things might change.

3) Will I fit in the job and the company?

There is just no way of knowing. You can get a feel of how you are treated during the hiring process. But until you actually start the job and have been there for a while, there’s no way to know for sure what it will feel like. Your coworkers, your boss, the daily requirements of the job, the environment, even the type of work, especially if you’ve never done it, may be a surprise.

Once again, I’m going to suggest “Don’t worry.” You can only make your best guess and then go with it. Even the worst jobs can bring unseen benefits.

I guess the point of all this is, while there are certainly things about the job search (and job find) process you can’t possibly know the answers to (even though I know some of you are determined to figure it all out), sometimes we just have to let go and see where we wind up.

Truth is, since we’re blind to all the possibilities we can’t yet see, if we controlled every step of the way, it might feel better in the moment…but oh the things we’d miss out on. So take a deep breath – some of you maybe take two breaths – and just let it unfold in its own time.

At times there are some things you can’t have answers to until they happen and you see the results. I seriously mean after job interview.

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