UPDATE***NWR: Is anyone in HR/Recruiting on here? I have a question if you are!

I would just say something like,

"I hate to bother you, but I haven't heard from X and was supposed to receive and official offer Monday. I am guessing there are delays in getting everything together, but I wanted to check in on the status since the official offer will have details I need to review before making a decision. Thank you!"

Is it weird I haven't heard ANYTHING, not even a response saying "There is a hold up, we will have it done by X date, thanks!"?

You can respond and ask what the next step is. Usually recruiters will be the ones talking with the employer

Yes, I currently work in HR and was a Recruiter up until July.

I would give it a few more days. The hiring manager may be out of town or hard to get a hold of and the Recruiter is likely anxiously awaiting the info, too. Another thing to consider is that the hiring manager may be seeking approval for the amount of money they're going to give to you for relocation (we do that at the company I work for), and so maybe the people who are approving are delaying the process, too.

Thanks guys!

@beachbride -- would there be a reason why the recruiter wouldn't follow up and say that, since I was told a deadline of Monday? (We are waiting on approval, sorry for the delay!)

I'm currently working as a recruiter. Don't feel that you're a bother. Sometimes people get busy and unfortunately don't respond in a timely matter. It's inappropriate that they haven't, in my opinion. I agree you deserved an email just confirming that they would be sending you the proper paperwork.

I wouldn't email a new person. I'd wait a little while then send an email saying just wanted to confirm my employment with the proper paper work and would like to know my official start date.

I also work in HR and do recruiting and I wouldn't think you would be a bother. Did the offer you received verbally include a salary offer and discuss start date?

There really aren't set "rule of recruiting" each company has different practices & policies on how they do things. For instance, at my company we send offer letters (with on-boarding paperwork) withing 2 hours of having a candidate accept a verbal offer. I also think that is strange that no one has responded to you and would absolutely follow up again, but to the same person. Reaching out to another HR person might make the original one feel like you're going around them and frustrate them.

Thanks @alicia! Its nice to hear from a recruiter's view. I understand people are busy, but as a future employee I keep running through the worse case scenarios that I am ghosted, or they found someone else... but I went through 3 interviews and flew out for one, and they verbal offered... why would they do that if they didn't like me? Also, I would pass these just fine, but no background check or drug test has been run yet so it couldn't be that. I just don't want them to thing "Wow, she's annoying, she keeps emailing us!" (i've only sent one email following up, I sent one more last week clarifying benefits that were stated over the phone and the recruiter responded to that).

You're worried about your future as a member of their team. Believe me you're not annoying!

Do you know if the HR department is in office or outsourced. That can make a huge difference in the communication and time you wait.

Agreed with Alicia and Jade - the Recruiter definitely should have followed-up with you regardless to let you know there was a delay out of her control and that she'd get the official offer/details to you ASAP. But, wait until tomorrow or Monday to follow-up again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

My mom does this so full disclosure, not me. I also would say not to worry, but also that you were fine to follow up. Sometimes there are delays in official offer letters, they're probably just waiting to figure out when to expect it by before e-mailing you back. No need to follow-up again I'd say. Congratulations on the new position (hopefully lol)

@Alicia -- exactly what I am worried about. Especially since it would include moving... as you can imagine it's ALL I think about. I am sure DH is going crazy because Its all I wanna discuss Lol. I need to chill. But I can't. The recruiter I worked with is in-house, I believe they only have two recruiters (not a huge company, but could be reasonably busy!) and the other person I worked with was an HR Coordinator.

@BeachBride -- thank you for the good thoughts!! I appreciate it.

@Emily Agreed -- that's probably it. The no-communication just worries me. I mean they could reasonably be tied up in things and be busy, but from my end its a life changing decision. Of course the weight of it means different things to both parties which is why it's driving me crazy but to them could just be another task on a long list :X

I'm also in HR and recruiting, in the academic world though. Once we are at the step of verbal offer and you have accepted, the final offer is one of the longest process in our hiring steps, especially when we have to wait for the letter from the Provost office, collecting the appropriate signatures and when moving expenses are attached. Also, if the candidate countered w/ a higher salary and we were able to have that new amount approved, that could also delay the final offer letter. If the recruiter has a high volume too, it's easy to miss moving the process a long to final offer.

Is there anyway you can call instead of email?

Also in HR. They should have followed up with you but probably got super busy. HR departments for mid-sized companies are in my experience quite understaffed for what is on their plates. Recruitment might be a small part of their job and so when there are lots of open positions, it can be a lot of juggling. They likely are keeping open communication with lots of candidates. Or maybe they were even out of office, sick yesterday and are playing catch up today.

I wouldn't worry too much because I don't think any HR person would give a verbal offer if they didn't intend to follow through (and have all the right permissions, etc.). Did they give you any specifics (salary, vacation, etc.)? If so, then it would be pretty quick for them to put together an offer.

I'd follow up just saying you're excited for the offer and were wondering if there's anything you should be doing in preparation. It's likely that it just wasn't as urgent as other matters that came up but that will remind them that they need to keep you in the loop. They should have contacted you but sometimes that doesn't translate into reality.

Good luck and hope you hear back soon!

Hi Tia, yes I could call! I didn't know if that was overkill... I don't want to "sound the alarm" but even if the process is delayed (i know lots of signatures were required do to relo) it would be nice to know.

I didn't officially accept (and they didn't ask for a decision) because the verbal offer was very simple "We'd like to offer you the job at X salary, details to follow" So I have not seen any benefit information. I'd like to see the whole package before formally accepting.

Thanks @MayBride! I didn't officially accept (and they didn't ask for a decision) because the verbal offer was very simple "We'd like to offer you the job at X salary, details to follow" So I have not seen any benefit information. I'd like to see the whole package before formally accepting. It seems they have numbers in mind, and I agree with it, but I just want to see everything (since i have a current job) and see if it makes sense. I really like the opportunity, but for instance if they didn't offer health insurance, that would possibly be a deal breaker (I'd have to see if I can get it through my husband).

On HR experience, have been in HR for 5 years from small to large companies. Have also been on HR side of recruiting,training, HRIS, and compensation and benefits. Usually larger companies have systems Applicant Tracking Systems like Taleo, Adp, and etc to help them keep up with candidate status. But these systems can get expensive for smaller an mid sized companies, so sometimes they just have to remind themselves the other ways like Outlook Calendar and tasks, post it's and etc. There is nothing wrong with calling them and I would say do it to see the status of your employment. Yes they can get busy so it's ok to call to follow up. Also sometimes the management over your position tells the recruiter to wait to send you correspondence because they don't have everything ready for you on their end so recruiter may want to reach out to you but management is saying to wait.

Thanks Future Mrs R --- Do you think if I call, the recruiter can tell me something, if management is saying wait? I just don't want to be intrusive, but from posts here it sounds like I wouldn't be. It's been 48 hours since they stated they would get me the offer, and since last Friday when I last corresponded with them

I would absolutely call them to inquire on the status. Especially since relocation is a part of it and you were given a time frame that has passed.

Thanks Rachel! Yes, she did tell me during verbal off that it has to be signed by many parties do to the relo package. I guess I am just worrying about the Monday deadline coming and going and I keep replaying the interview in my head like "Did I screw up?!" But obviously they offered! But like you said waiting is HARD!

Do you think it's okay to call tomorrow morning to get an update(Thursday) if I don't hear today? (offer promised by Monday. emailed Tuesday afternoon)

Yes call. Now can recruiter give you exact details of what's going on? More than likely no unless management says it's ok. Usually they can give you brief summary status of where you are at in their process and you may get a we have to follow up with etc and call or email you back at rhis time. Have had a lot of mangers that just wanted me to tell the future employee barely to little info until they felt ready. Only had 2 mangers in my whole career that were ok with giving me details. Had one employer where we did a lot of offers of employment to out of state individuals and would purposely call the candidate to make sure we were keeping them in the loop of what was going on because as he told us in HR relocating future employees come first in recruiting because they are moving their life to be here and work for our company and you wouldn't want someone to keep your life on hold cause they are not following up with you.