Ghosted After a Callback? Here's What's Happening

You had a callback interview. You thought it went well. It has been two weeks and you have heard nothing. Your anxiety is through the roof. Welcome to one of the most stressful parts of BigLaw recruiting.

Here is what is actually happening behind the scenes.

Why firms go silent

Several things cause delays that have nothing to do with you:

The hiring committee has not met yet. Most firms make callback decisions through a committee that meets weekly or biweekly. If your callback happened right after the last meeting, you are waiting for the next one.

They are still interviewing. Firms batch their callback candidates and want to see everyone before making decisions. If the firm is interviewing 30 people over three weeks, you might not hear back until the last candidate has visited.

Internal disagreements. Sometimes your interviewers had mixed opinions and the committee needs to discuss. This is not necessarily bad. It means someone advocated for you.

Administrative backlog. Recruiting coordinators are overwhelmed during OCI season. Sometimes the delay is purely logistical.

What the silence probably means

In most cases, silence means the firm has not made a decision yet. It does not mean you are rejected. Firms that reject you will eventually tell you, but they often prioritize extending offers first and sending rejections later.

If you hear nothing for two weeks, that is normal. Three weeks is on the longer side but not unusual. After four weeks, the odds of an offer decrease, but it still happens.

When and how to follow up

One follow-up email is appropriate after two weeks of silence. Send it to the recruiting coordinator, not to the attorneys who interviewed you. Keep it brief:

"I wanted to follow up on my callback interview on [date]. I remain very interested in [firm] and am happy to provide any additional information. Thank you for your time."

That is it. One email. Do not follow up again unless you have a deadline from another firm you need to communicate (which is actually a good reason to reach out).

What to do while you wait

Keep interviewing. Keep applying. Do not put all your emotional energy into one firm. Read our guide on what to do after a callback for the full timeline and strategy.

The firms in the firm directory have different callback processes and timelines. Some are fast (offers within days), others are slow (offers after weeks). Knowing this in advance helps calibrate your expectations.