Job interviews are always difficult, but finding out that you haven’t been selected afterward is even more discouraging. After putting so much time and effort into researching a company and preparing for questions, not receiving any feedback after an interview can be confusing. However, employers usually have one of these eight reasons for not reaching back out to potential candidates.

1. Your contact info was wrong or lost. 

Although your contact info is on your resume, always include it in your cover letter as well. Your papers could get separated from each other, so the hiring manager needs to be able to reach you somehow. Also, don’t forget to triple-check the accuracy of your email and phone number before sending off your application—nothing looks worse than providing incorrect information.

[Related: 9 Things That Really Annoy Hiring Managers]

2. Budget hasn’t been finalized. 

The amount of money in a department’s budget determines how much it can pay new hires and if adding personnel is an option. Companies announce budget changes at different times, so a start-up company may be waiting on outside financing before making any calls. Therefore, you may not have received a call yet.

3. You didn’t follow up. 

After you’ve interviewed, don’t expect the employer to make the first move. It’s necessary to follow up after a job interview if you want to have a chance at being hired for the position. If you reach out and communicate with your potential employer after the interview, even if it’s something as small as sending an email saying thank you and that you’re excited about the opportunity, this will put you above another candidate who didn’t bother with follow-up of any kind.

[Related: What Hiring Managers *Really* Think Your Resume Should Look Like]

4. They’re taking their time. 

If the employer created your position recently, they may want to wait and see more applicants before making a decision. Monitor how long the position has been listed—if you applied soon after it was posted, the employer might be waiting to choose a certain amount of time passes.

[Related: How to Make Sure Your Resume Gets Noticed]

5. They’re on vacation. 

It’s unfortunate but factual that seasonality plays a role in the hiring process. Just like everyone else, hiring managers take vacations, and your interview might have occurred right before the person in charge (or her superior) put on an out-of-office reply. A could be due to arrive soon because of a company-wide vacay during Summer or near popular holidays.

6. There aren’t enough hours in the day. 

It’s necessary to remember that the hiring manager is busy and has several other things on her plate, not to mention there are typically multiple people involved in hiring decisions. If it’s a particularly hectic time for the industry, then hiring could be less of a priority than normal.

[Related: 3 Things That Will Make Hiring Managers Want You]

7. An offer has already been extended. 

. . . to someone else. An employer gives the position to their preferred candidate and then will tell other applicants that the job has been filled. The problem is that this process could take a while-the person they offered it to could be on vacation or trying to negotiate salary. So an employer won’t reach out until everything has been finalized.

[Related: Tips From a Recruiter: Optimize Your Resume]

This article was originally published on POPSUGAR.

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