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Jan 15th-applied for a job Jan 23rd- an interview was scheduled for Feb 1st. Jan 31st - job listing closed Feb 1st- I take 2 pre-screening test before being interviewed for a position that I applied for and another one that had the same pre-requisites and general skills required but more work and higher pay and a different department. Had I seen that job listing I might have applied for that also. According to the interviewers I passed both test well above what was required. They also told me that they had been interviewing for over a month and seemed ready to hire already. They told me that I should hear back in about a week.
When I got home I decided to look at the listing for the other position and saw that it and the one I originally applied for had been extended for another week, to Feb 7th.
Feb 3rd- I received a text and email from 2 of my references saying they'd been contacted. I also received an email from the department head saying that the number for my 3rd contact was outdated. (When I asked him for his number via email he apparently sent me his old one that he had changed about a week before. ) Within an hour I had the correct phone number and emailed it to her with apologies. She emailed me back thanking me and saying that once she completes the reference checks she will send my information to the hiring manger.
Feb 6th- they contacted the final reference.
Feb 16th and I haven't heard anything. The position is a government job, but it is not a high level one or one that involves a lot of security. I was told they only perform a basic criminal background check which wouldn't take long and I have nothing on record at all. Some of my references work for the Office, though a different department, and can verify my resume and skills and I was made to provide proof of my education (official transcripts, etc). The only concern is that for 3 years I worked as an assistant for a relative and was paid "under the table" so to speak. It's been years since I spoke to them and I decided not to provide them as a reference this time around, but the job is still on my resume. I usually discuss the nature of this job in interviews just in case it pops up (or rather doesn't) in background checks (you can do a simple google search and find him if necessary, LinkedIn and all) but they mostly focused on my more recent government job and it never came up. Everything else on my resume is verifiable
I was thinking of emailing for an update but I also don't want to rush things. I really want (and need) this job. Everytime I've had to wait this long after an interview to hear back, I didn't get the job. Only in 1 of those instances were my references contacted, but afterwards I flopped on a skills test and didn't get the job.
Thanks for the reply.
I did email them, at the beginning of the work day, but it is now the end of the day and no response. I recognize that they might be busy or maybe had Friday off, but I'm just going to take this as a lose, so I can fully move on.
Jan 15th-applied for a job Jan 23rd- an interview was scheduled for Feb 1st. Jan 31st - job listing closed Feb 1st- I take 2 pre-screening test before being interviewed for a position that I applied for and another one that had the same pre-requisites and general skills required but more work and higher pay and a different department. Had I seen that job listing I might have applied for that also. According to the interviewers I passed both test well above what was required. They also told me that they had been interviewing for over a month and seemed ready to hire already. They told me that I should hear back in about a week.
When I got home I decided to look at the listing for the other position and saw that it and the one I originally applied for had been extended for another week, to Feb 7th.
Feb 3rd- I received a text and email from 2 of my references saying they'd been contacted. I also received an email from the department head saying that the number for my 3rd contact was outdated. (When I asked him for his number via email he apparently sent me his old one that he had changed about a week before. ) Within an hour I had the correct phone number and emailed it to her with apologies. She emailed me back thanking me and saying that once she completes the reference checks she will send my information to the hiring manger.
Feb 6th- they contacted the final reference.
Feb 16th and I haven't heard anything. The position is a government job, but it is not a high level one or one that involves a lot of security. I was told they only perform a basic criminal background check which wouldn't take long and I have nothing on record at all. Some of my references work for the Office, though a different department, and can verify my resume and skills and I was made to provide proof of my education (official transcripts, etc). The only concern is that for 3 years I worked as an assistant for a relative and was paid "under the table" so to speak. It's been years since I spoke to them and I decided not to provide them as a reference this time around, but the job is still on my resume. I usually discuss the nature of this job in interviews just in case it pops up (or rather doesn't) in background checks (you can do a simple google search and find him if necessary, LinkedIn and all) but they mostly focused on my more recent government job and it never came up. Everything else on my resume is verifiable
I was thinking of emailing for an update but I also don't want to rush things. I really want (and need) this job. Everytime I've had to wait this long after an interview to hear back, I didn't get the job. Only in 1 of those instances were my references contacted, but afterwards I flopped on a skills test and didn't get the job.
ThoughtS?
I know you got the job, but you provided so much detail, I wanted to respond to some of the things you said about your search. It sounded like they contacted your references and did your background checks before the interview? Maybe I'm getting my time line wrong, but that would be unusual.
In general, government can move slow and take time to get back to you, even if you are a perfect candidate for the job. It is not unusual for them to take weeks to respond to an application or get back to folks. It is ok to check in weekly to see if they've made any new decisions. I would use their preferred contact - usually it's email.
In reference to one of the jobs you had on your resume: It sounds like you might have gained valuable skills working under the table with a relative, but in general, I would take that off your resume all together. It seems like it would be hard to explain and I wouldn't wait for them to bring it up in an interview. It would be better to not have it on there, unless it is the only job you've ever had. If they want to know about a gap in employment, they can ask you about that. But an under the table job may not best represent your talent. Furthermore, when you don't provide that job as a reference (especially if it was a recent job), then that could look suspicious.
Congrats on getting the job!
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) Within an hour I had the correct phone number and emailed it to her with apologies. She emailed me back thanking me and saying that once she completes the reference checks she will send my information to the hiring manger. 
