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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is shoddy after a job interview?

243 replies

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:09

Had job interview early last week, after a preliminary phone interview. I was there being interviewed by two people for nearly 2 hours and had to complete some written tasks (like a simple test).

When I left the woman who interviewed me said they would let people know by the end of the week or possibly Monday. I asked how many they were seeing and she replied "4".

So I haven't heard anything and just feel in my bones that I'm not going to by the end of today. If I don't, AIBU to think this is an absolutely unacceptable way to treat the unsuccessful candidates, given that there were such a small number?

I WAS sad at the thought of not getting the job, now I feel I'd sooner not work for a business that is so ... rude? is that the word?

OP posts:
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Longwalkwithpup · 30/03/2026 21:55

LindorDoubleChoc · 19/03/2026 10:03

I decided not to email them @ToKittyornottoKitty.

Right decision.

Although shame to have wasted your weekend carefully thinking about what you’d email @LindorDoubleChoc !

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/03/2026 14:17

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You could just click to see all OPs posts. It’s a good idea when you’ve just popped on to an inactive thread to be shitty to the OP for no real reason. Have a nice day yourself.

NavyTurtle · 27/03/2026 14:16

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ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/03/2026 14:14

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Pretty pointless comment well over a week later when she chose not to email them after all.

NavyTurtle · 27/03/2026 14:14

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NavyTurtle · 27/03/2026 14:13

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Ormally · 19/03/2026 11:03

Springiscoming368 · 11/03/2026 12:28

100% give it a bit longer. We interviewed someone had to jump through some HR hoops and negotiate salary as HR wanted lower before we could even offer. Then the candidate declined and we offered to the next person. There can be perfectly good reasons why it takes a while

This does happen quite a lot, and it can be either the no. 1 candidate delaying, or obtaining suitable references to verify them, that draw out the days before the company can definitively say someone is hired or not.

My DH's last role took a very long time to be offered, he was convinced it was 'no chance', but the key HR person had had a serious injury out of the blue and that was behind it. I have once also been contacted after someone's probation period with an offer, where the original appointment wasn't successful in practice. Both universities and charities can also take longer than average to sort out posts (whether to approve for posting on a vacancy board or to offer) - don't know about other organisations but these 2, I've seen from both sides.

Yes, 11 days probably sends messages that it's a no, but not always. If you try to tell them where to stick it, this will definitely ensure it's a no if there was any leeway in the recruiter's process for something like the above situation.

BunnyLake · 19/03/2026 10:36

LindorDoubleChoc · 11/03/2026 05:37

Hmm. But why is it the norm and just accepted with a shrug? It's not good enough.

Show quote history

I remember back in the 80s you’d get a letter posted to you telling you that unfortunately you were unsuccessful (but they’ll keep you on file, lol). Those days are long gone.

Last year I got a message on Indeed asking me to call back for an interview and was immediately ghosted! Never got the interview as they ignored all my forms of getting in touch. It was so odd, surely they couldn’t have recruited in the two minutes between them contacting me and me trying to contact them?

ToKittyornottoKitty · 19/03/2026 10:30

LindorDoubleChoc · 19/03/2026 10:03

I decided not to email them @ToKittyornottoKitty.

Guessing they never got back to you either? Very poor form on their part. I think emailing would have just given them a laugh though to be honest, they clearly don’t care about their candidates.

Original poster
LindorDoubleChoc · 19/03/2026 10:03

I decided not to email them @ToKittyornottoKitty.

OP posts:
ToKittyornottoKitty · 19/03/2026 07:04

Can’t believe after all that fuss you didn’t come and update with what you said @LindorDoubleChoc

veggietabless · 17/03/2026 19:19

I would have emailed on Tuesday and asked what their decision was as I hadn't heard anything.
I agree it's really rude when you've made the effort to apply and given up time to do a face to face interview to then just be ghosted. I don't think they're worth wasting your time on any further though.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 17/03/2026 18:26

So what did you say @LindorDoubleChoc?

ClaredeBear · 16/03/2026 12:39

Hotcrossed · 16/03/2026 10:29

better though to Ring them

I agree, a casual call is best - and don’t burn any bridges!

Hotcrossed · 16/03/2026 10:29

better though to Ring them

Hotcrossed · 16/03/2026 10:28

i wouldnt bother emailing, unless you want feedback,
you could use that as an excuse, people have a right to feedback

Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 21:16

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/03/2026 19:13

No I haven't. It will take me about 5 minutes to come up with something tomorrow morning.

After you have spent the weekend thinking “very carefully” about your email as you say in previous post.

Original poster
LindorDoubleChoc · 15/03/2026 19:13

No I haven't. It will take me about 5 minutes to come up with something tomorrow morning.

OP posts:
Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 14:45

Hope you haven’t spent too much of your weekend “very carefully” thinking about the email you’re going to send them @LindorDoubleChoc

Wildefish · 15/03/2026 12:41

wordler · 14/03/2026 19:03

I don’t think you’re unreasonable to be annoyed at the wait but I don’t understand why you didn’t email on Wednesday giving them two days after their latest deadline?

Or even better phoned them.

It may not be relevant in your industry but be wary of needlessly ruining future opportunities or networking links by telling them off. You never know who knows whom or who is related to a future employer.

Show quote history

Exactly what I said. I’m also wondering why the OP is so upset. We have all had this happen at sometime or another.

Aslighthead · 14/03/2026 21:15

LindorDoubleChoc · 14/03/2026 12:35

So, do you think I am unreasonable or not @Sartre ?

I will email them on Monday (two weeks after interview date) and will think very carefully about what to say over the weekend.

Only if you literally have not one single plan over the entire weekend

Happyher · 14/03/2026 20:40

Are they waiting for a reference from your current employer?

wordler · 14/03/2026 19:05

Also when asking for feedback it’s useful to make it easy for them by asking for the ‘one main area that would have improved my chances’ so that you get a specific focused feedback and less likely to get a waffling ‘it was just a competitive field’ response.

ClaredeBear · 14/03/2026 19:03

LindorDoubleChoc · 14/03/2026 12:35

So, do you think I am unreasonable or not @Sartre ?

I will email them on Monday (two weeks after interview date) and will think very carefully about what to say over the weekend.

I understand you were hoping to hear from them sooner but when it comes to the job market, this is the least of it and the best thing you can do is develop some resilience. Putting energy into chastising the organisation is a negative action and besides, they will just be pleased they didn’t employ you after all. As a recruiter I’ve been in situations where I’m waiting on someone to accept a role, and as a jobseeker i was once contacted months after I interviewed as the organisation has been through a restructure. Of course I’d found a wonderful new job in the meantime, so I couldn’t accept but my point is, they didn’t send me a holding letter and I didn’t think about it, I just moved on to my next interview. Do yourself a favour, don’t dwell on this and focus on being the very best candidate at your next interview. Very best of luck.

wordler · 14/03/2026 19:03

LindorDoubleChoc · 14/03/2026 12:35

So, do you think I am unreasonable or not @Sartre ?

I will email them on Monday (two weeks after interview date) and will think very carefully about what to say over the weekend.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable to be annoyed at the wait but I don’t understand why you didn’t email on Wednesday giving them two days after their latest deadline?

Or even better phoned them.

It may not be relevant in your industry but be wary of needlessly ruining future opportunities or networking links by telling them off. You never know who knows whom or who is related to a future employer.