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How long should I wait before following up with the company on an official written offer after receiving a verbal offer?

Here are the facts:

Very large global organization - I'm interviewing to work in the USA Division [say 3000-5000 employees]

First discussion: With HR two months ago - it was general info gathering by HR including if I was ok with their salary range [I told them I was] and HR had me text my current salary [I couldn't say it at the moment of the call as I was at work]

Second discussion: Roughly two weeks after the 1st discussion - Phone interview with the person who would be my boss which went great. Received an email from HR a couple of days later, that another interview would be scheduled sometime in the next two weeks.

Note: between the 2nd discussion & 3rd discussion - the Corona Virus has made most of the USA go into lockdown and into a work from home scenario. Not only am I part of that scenario, so is the organization I'm interviewing.

Third Discussion: ~4 weeks from the prior phone interview - Skype interview with future boss above, the next level boss and SVP. Went great from my perspective.

Fourth Discussion: 4 days after above - this was on the Phone with HR. HR stated how well it went, stated that they wanted to offer me a position and if the salary range discussed in the 1st discussion was still adequate [I said it was]. She asked if I could start in early May. I said yes. She said for me to expect a written offer by the end of the week.

The end of that week has come and gone without any communication.

Somewhere during all of this but I just don't recall when, I'm presuming it was either right before the 2nd or 3rd discussion, HR stated that they finally obtained approval to fill this position.

Even when I factor in the Corona Virus and the work from home factor for those involved in the hiring decision,

How long should I wait before doing a follow-up email with my HR POC?

Edited to add: One thing that I noticed, they did not ask for references and I know for a fact that I have not provided any references. Does anyone else find that odd?

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  • Does this answer your question? How do I properly follow-up with a hiring manager, to check on the status of a position?
    – gnat
    Apr 21, 2020 at 18:37
  • The question about the references would be a separate question to ask here if you want a proper answer - likely there are already questions in that regards so a search might help for that. That being said, the need for references is highly regional and also very company culture depending. If you don't find a satisfactory answer for that topic and want to open your own question for that, add a region tag. Btw. I've maybe provided reference contacts once or twice in my professional life outside academia (i.e. very rarely) and have never been interested in references when reviewing interviewees.
    – Frank Hopkins
    May 5, 2020 at 16:31

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How long should I wait before doing a follow-up email with my HR POC?

Wait a week beyond the promised date before you contact them again. And then call, rather than emailing.

When you talk with her, ask when you should now expect the written offer.

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  • Update: 5/7/2020 - Shortly after I posted the original question, the recruiter did contact me with a verbal offer which was followed up by an email with a contingent written offer subject to my passing a 3rd party background check. I signed and accepted the contingent offer. I completed my piece of the background check and now am waiting for those results. I have a tentative start date in Mid-May. She stated that with everyone working from home and the quarantines that things have been slower than normal. I do believe that. As for the references, I threw that in there just for more info.
    – user117694
    May 7, 2020 at 11:05

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