No response after interview

daheff

So I've done a couple of interviews lately (1 first round, the other 2nd,3rd round)....neither company has responded with any kind of feedback nearly 2 months later! I've chased the agent & company directly...but keep getting fobbed off with excuses such as hiring managers away, still interviewing other candidates, managers sick, co is making a decision next week...etc etc etc

Now fair enough if they dont want to hire me...but just have the manners to let me know.

I know cos have so many applications these days that they cant respond to every application, but i would expect them to respond to people they've interviewed.

Pixie8

Do agree with you and I work in this field so have seen (and done) a fair bit of fobbing off.

In my current job we can't reply/reject until position has been filled so even if you've come in for an interview you could be left hanging if they want to continue the search or the managers want to see what else is out there before saying no to you. So you will get all the usual excuses you listed above!

It's also easier to use the 'there were more suitable/qualified candidates than you' line if the post has been filled rather than still being advertised so that causes delays.

I would say if you don't hear back within 1-2 weeks, follow up and ask for a timeline of when you will get feedback. It is very poor form for companies to operate this way for people they've invited for interview but unfortunately it seems to be the way these days.

_Kaiser_

Happens all the time unfortunately..

I was recently headhunted by a big online services company who were all over me asking if I'd interview with them - even sending me "study notes" to prepare.

Did the interview anyway.. not a thing afterwards either way though despite me chasing a few times.

Still the way I see it is if that's how they treat potential staff that they came chasing (rather than the other way around), I can imagine how actual staff are treated.

RacoonQueen

I went to one about a month ago and only 5 were called to first round interviews. They called me to interview via email, so I followed up by email. Nothing.

Can't be that hard to email the 2 or 3 unsuccessful candidates that were not brought to second round interviews...

seamusk84

I have been doing a few interviews recently too. I think it depends on the type of company if they get back to you quickly. For example new startups tend to do a lot of interviews and take longer to decide, hence can be weeks.
However if you are dealing with an established company you should hear something within a few days.

My advice: if nothing after a week, send a polite email. Two days after follow up with a call to the HR manager. This has worked for me.

Manach

Whilst it was rare in the past, from my own experience this lack of feedback from companies is seems to happening somewhat more. If it is for a post where one has gone for an interview, then at least two emails to follow up. After that if you hear nothing back, then at least you know you've dodged a bullet by not being employed by such.

skallywag

daheff wrote: »

... but i would expect them to respond to people they've interviewed.

Agree with you completely OP.

It's very unprofessional not to revert back to candidate who you have interviewed.

daheff

I'm pretty sure i'm not getting either of these jobs, but I cant believe that companies would do this. Any time i've interviewed we've either said yes or no within a week or so.

doc11

seamusk84 wrote: »

I have been doing a few interviews recently too. I think it depends on the type of company if they get back to you quickly. For example new startups tend to do a lot of interviews and take longer to decide, hence can be weeks.
However if you are dealing with an established company you should hear something within a few days.

My advice: if nothing after a week, send a polite email. Two days after follow up with a call to the HR manager. This has worked for me.

So you got the job?

Jim2007

Stupid question may be, when interviewed do you know ask them what their game plan is??? The posts here seem to suggest that people leave the interview have no idea of what happens next...

daheff

Jim2007 wrote: »

Stupid question may be, when interviewed do you know ask them what their game plan is??? The posts here seem to suggest that people leave the interview have no idea of what happens next...

I always ask what the next stage of the process is & when to expect to hear back from them...but they can say what they want & contact you whenever they want

TimeToShine

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Happens all the time unfortunately..

I was recently headhunted by a big online services company who were all over me asking if I'd interview with them - even sending me "study notes" to prepare.

Did the interview anyway.. not a thing afterwards either way though despite me chasing a few times.

Still the way I see it is if that's how they treat potential staff that they came chasing (rather than the other way around), I can imagine how actual staff are treated.

I don't mean to be harsh but that's just not true. There is no point in sugarcoating things, you aren't "potential staff" if you interviewed and didn't get called back. You just weren't good enough and didn't make the cut.

Unfortunately it happens all the time - companies aren't arsed with the common courtesy of a rejection letter. If you don't get a PFO/job offer in two weeks then move on.

skallywag

TimeToShine wrote: »

Unfortunately it happens all the time - companies aren't arsed with the common courtesy of a rejection letter

Is this a relatively new phenomenon I wonder? It's been a while since I have been active in the job market, but round the turn of the millennium it would have been practically unheard of not to get the PFO afterwards if things were not going anywhere. These days everyone has email so it's even easier, i.e. no letter even required. I find it very hard to understand how any reputable company could behave like that.

smcgiff

Even after the final round interview it can take time to contact, agree terms, send contract and maybe even wait for the signed contract to be returned before a company will "release" the unsuccessful candidates to ensure they don't have to go through the full process again.

As a general rule of thumb if you've not heard back within 2/3 days it's not yours.

dazed+confused

skallywag wrote: »

Is this a relatively new phenomenon I wonder? It's been a while since I have been active in the job market, but round the turn of the millennium it would have been practically unheard of not to get the PFO afterwards if things were not going anywhere. These days everyone has email so it's even easier, i.e. no letter even required. I find it very hard to understand how any reputable company could behave like that.

It's an employer's market at the minute and it's more common in the last 5years than it was previously. Companies used to want to hold onto your details in case something suitable for you came up in the future. Now they know they will get CVs flooding in the door without even advertising.