No contact/Ignored/Blown Off after In-Person Interview -- Action?

[Anonymous]

More curious than anything: what would you do if you were bought in for a series of in-person interviews for a fairly high-level corporate position and after the interviews you didn't hear anything for weeks and weeks (say over 3 weeks)?

Yes, I did all the natural follow-up after the meetings. Yes, I have been vetted through a series of phone interviews before these in-person meetings. Yes, I thought all the meetings went well and that the job was a good fit.

I'm basically flabbergasted that a company would bring me in, try to sell me on this job, introduce me to so many people, and then not have the courtesy to call after the fact. I don't plan on calling or emailing with any further follow up but I am curious what others have done (or would do) in similar situations. I am genuinely confused and surprised by all of this. Feels like my time was wasted in a very big way. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Yep I have been there before several times. It’s brutal but more common than you think!!

[Anonymous]

I would name the company in a public forum like this one.

[Anonymous]

I would make one call or send ONE email to the search committee chair/lowest-level person responsible for logistics/coordination.

Depending on the industry, believe it or not, this happens--especially around the holidays.

[Anonymous]

Went through a very similar situation at a large well known corporation last summer. 2 phone interviews, 4 in person interviews then nothing. Not even a “thanks but no thanks” email. Terrible.

[Anonymous]

Accenture did this to me. Very strange.

[Anonymous]

This happened to me - I had done multiple in-person interviews, and they had even called after the interview to ask that I provide references right away so they could contact them. And then nothing. Got an automated email a month later saying I hadn't gotten the position. I was floored. It was for an in-house law job.

[Anonymous]

I had a corporation fly me to another city at the last minute (a very expensive plane ticket), have a whole day of interviews, and then...radio silence. That was about 18 months ago. I saw this week that they just hired someone for the position.

[Anonymous]

When this happened to me, they had told me that I was the first of several interviews and responded to my polite nudge to say "we're still interviewing candidates" (which I took to mean likely, "go pound sand; we didn't really like you after all.") eventually got back to me with a polite decline. like, a few months later.

[Anonymous]

POST your experience on Glassdoor. I was going to interview somewhere, was on the fence. Read the reviews there. Got some insight on the company- how they like to lowball & play games. Decided to go for the interview anyway- same experience as other posters. I wrote about my experience there too. If we call out jerks, they will either change or good people won't play their games.

[Anonymous]

Or, the decision makers are traveling for business or away on vacation or had a family emergency. Or the decision-makers are not good decision-makers, and take a long time. This happened to my husband two years ago. Started the interview process in July, traveled far fror many interviews, a couple of full day panels, and then nothing. They hired him in November. And it had been a month since his last interview before they actually made the offer.

I don't know why companies do this, it's ridiculous. I remember being fed up and saying just to let it go, and I'm glad he didn't, because he's never been happier.

[Anonymous]

It's not an uncommon experience at all. I'd say I've heard nothing from at least half a dozen places...some of which I had so many rounds of interviews at that I felt like I could be the Godparent to the interviewer's child.

Sometimes you're their #2 and they're just waiting to see if things work out with #1...by they time things work out with #1, they've just forgotten about you.

I've also had places call back months later and say that they have a new role and thought of me. I can't get over my ego of not being the top choice for the original job, so I've never pursued any of those. I think they think since they never told me "no" that there's still a chance I'd be open to taking a job there.

[Anonymous]

It shows a complete lack of common courtesy and respect for the interviewees. If you're one of those decisionmakers, don't do this. If you're an interviewee, approach every interview as if its potentially a waste of your time.

This is one area where millenials have it right. Get as much as you can out of the employer as the employer is not going to have any regard for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It shows a complete lack of common courtesy and respect for the interviewees. If you're one of those decisionmakers, don't do this. If you're an interviewee, approach every interview as if its potentially a waste of your time.

This is one area where millenials have it right. Get as much as you can out of the employer as the employer is not going to have any regard for you.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When this happened to me, they had told me that I was the first of several interviews and responded to my polite nudge to say "we're still interviewing candidates" (which I took to mean likely, "go pound sand; we didn't really like you after all.") eventually got back to me with a polite decline. like, a few months later.

Hiring manager here. Please don’t take the “we’re still interviewing” as meaning “go pound sand”. I’m sure that’s true at some places but not everywhere. My HR makes me interview all eligible candidates before an offer is extended. So I can’t hide the first person I interview even they are a perfect fit until everyone else has gone through the process.