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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. May 5, 2020 at 16:31

1 Answer 1

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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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