Is it okay to ask this question at the end of the interview?

I'm not sure if it's appropriate to ask and I only ask if I felt like the interview went well, but can I ask them when my potential employer will make the decision on whether to hire me or not?

when will I know the result of this interview?
I've asked this before; why not?

usually you just want to end the interview with "i appreciate this opportunity, and i am excited about the prospect of working with you..."

then send them a thank you email 2 days later to anyone that has interviewed you (make sure you get thier emails on the interview) and then if you dont hear after a week you can call them up and ask them what the f%$k is going on. (wordage might be changed)

but that question isnt a total no-no, however it is a little desparate and it puts them on the spot to tell you a half truth. they will never say "absolutely not, your a loser" so you will most likely hear "we will get back to you in a few days after weve made our decision"

The thank-you note should come the same day (evening). Two days later will be too late in most cases.

To answer the OP, yes it's OK to ask what the next steps of the process are. It's also a good opportunity to state again how much you'd like to be part of the team

In my experience in academia and gov't it is absolutely necessary to ask what their expected time frame is for making a decision. This lets you know when to expect something. But that's because the academic process is notoriously rude and the gov't process is notoriously slow.

b

I've always asked the time frame of the decision making. Usually I will simply say, "what is the next step after this?" Be sure to collect the business cards of everyone that has interviewed you.

I agree about sending the thank you card the same day. If they get it already the next day, it gets your name back in the front of their mind bright and early and probably while they are weighing their options.

As for the question about time frame/hiring, I certainly don't see why it would be rude, especially if asked in the right way. Obviously, you should know when to expect something, especially because in many cases your entire life is on hold while you are waiting for the decision. Some companies/people work in a different time frame then others, so just for your own sanity I think it is good to know what is going on.

Of course, I've been "institutionalized" by working in academia for the past few years, but I remember when I was in the company workforce and doing interviews I never asked at first about the timeframe. But, after having several potential employers who took their sweet time and nearly gave me ulcers while waiting, I just started asking.

one thing i love about the electronic age is resumes and thank cards are so much easier to manage these days for both employers and job hunters. i remember spending late nights at copy places printing out resumes on nice paper, freaking out over whether i made enough copies of my resume to bring to interviews, sending out letters afterwards.

i'm sure the formal process is still done at many places but these days i find emailed resumes and thank you notes from interviewees totally acceptable.

I think it's important actually. Most of the time you should be pursuing multiple opportunities and it's important to get an idea of when they might make a decision.

Originally Posted by a-rock

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i'm sure the formal process is still done at many places but these days i find emailed resumes and thank you notes from interviewees totally acceptable.
Absolutely. In my field, I even find thank you cards a little odd + there is much more at risk with cards (choice of paper, handwriting...) than with an email thank-you note

My experience has been that handwritten thank you notes are very effective.

Absolutely appropriate. As an interviewer, I generally try to provide some sense of our timing. If I forget to mention it, I certainly think it's legitimate for the interviewee to ask.

Originally Posted by gdl203

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Absolutely. In my field, I even find thank you cards a little odd + there is much more at risk with cards (choice of paper, handwriting...) than with an email thank-you note

So, as in American Psycho, you IB guys really do get hard-ons over eggshell white? Or was it bone?

I type-write all my notes and letters.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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I type-write all my notes and letters.

I suppose that would serve the purpose of hammering home the impression that you're an anachronism. Good idea when applying for jobs!