Really upset not to have heard back after interview

[BlueBar]

I applied on a bit of a whim, but after the interview felt quite excited about the role and thought it had gone well.

The interview was early last week and they did say they would be interviewing all week, but that they'd make a decision by Monday (yesterday).

I'm assuming therefore that I've been unsuccessful. How rude?! It was quite a high level post and they sent loads of stuff for to prepare before the interview (ie i spent a pot of time on it) and they can't even get in touch!

I'm trying to be charitable and think something happened to delay the decision, but even then, wouldn't it be courteous to let people know?

It's so rude when they don't get back to you to tell you the outcome.

It might be that they've made a decision and they're just deciding on the offer. Don't lose hope just yet.

Still very early days!

No news is good news. My last interview I didn’t hear and assumed I hadn’t got it and they called me the following week to offer the job. She apologised but someone had gone sick and then they’d had training day so we’re a bit delayed.
fingers crossed!

My DH had one like this and it was due to a hold up with their preferred candidate. Who subsequently turned it down. So it was offered to DH about 3 weeks later. At which point he'd accepted an offer from somewhere for whom he was first choice.

As far as I can tell, they sometimes do it so they have a backup candidate in case the first choice doesn't accept. Sorry, that might not be what's happened in your case.

They might have made an offer to someone and are waiting on that person's response / negotiating with them before sending rejections to the other candidates.

I went through an interview process that took 6 months. This kind of thing is the norm..everything takes forever.

We do this at work when we are waiting to hear back from our first choice, then if there were others we liked we will let them know when we've had a confirmation. A bit cut throat but that's recruitment for you! Might just be that they're delayed.

I'm only waiting to hear if I've got to the next stage.

It makes me wonder if I want to work for them anyway

Have you tried contacting them?

I've been told a decision by x, then heard over a week later I've got it. Sometimes timescales slip eg due to illness

I applied for a job two months ago that I could have easily done. I had all the requirements and experience (and more) requested in the job spec. It was a public body and when I didn't hear from them, I presumed they were moving slowly.

Approx a month later I received an email telling me that I hadn't got through to the interview process as others fulfilled the criteria more than I did.
I am still baffled tbh. I guess they filled the post internally.

I'd contact them OP. Nothing to lose.....

If it's a high-level post - people who are making the decision could be dealing with something bigger than deciding who to choose to move onto the next stage in a recruitment process - and I don't mean that in an insulting way - but you should know that sometimes the shit really does hit the fan. Someone dropped the ball - it doesn't mean anything.

I had an interview 7 weeks ago and haven't heard back yet. I've basically given up, but it is annoying.

This.

Recruiting is not necessarily the most important thing on their plate at the moment. It's at the forefront of your mind, but it's not the only thing on theirs.

Maybe they've decided, but need to run it by HR first. Maybe whoever is making the decision was off sick, tied up on something really urgent. Maybe their PA or whoever sends the emails is.

It's not even been one full working day since the time they told you they'd make a decision and you're already in a mood and assumed you've not got it because they haven't jumped to contact you at 9am this morning?!

It's not public sector is it? If so you'll be waiting WEEKS...

It's only 2 days since they were meant to be in touch and a week since the interview. Maybe they had a candidate rearrange, or they had to. Or something came up; someone panicked it was month end - affects more than just accounts.

A busy Friday or Monday, and they just haven't decided. Frustrating they said they'd come back by Monday but it happens. Give till lunch time, and maybe give a call if you're keen, but I'd at least give it a week before I wrote them off as a 'if you don't hear back, it's bad news'

I know but they said they'd be doing 2nd interviews end of this week

It’s really common for interview timescales to slip in my experience. The interviewers have to score candidates and then all agree who comes back to the next stage. All it takes is for something urgent to happen or someone to be ill to delay things. Ideally they’d have let you know but I’ve been guilty of being optimistic when interviewees ask when they can expect to hear before (I over estimate now).
I genuinely wouldn’t read anything into it but contact if you haven’t heard by say midday tomorrow

Plans for interviews get moved - it just happens, no one gets overly fixed on timelines - candidates get ill, interviewers get ill...sometimes you don't get anywhere near the quality of applicants you were hoping for and you have to decide which way to proceed - stop and readvertise, reach out to a head hunter etc. Don't you know this stuff - haven't you recruited before?

The previous poster who said about it not being their top priority is right. When you're job hunting and waiting to hear I totally get that it's top of mind to you but they could be interviewing for multiple roles, juggling diaries, fighting fires etc as others have said so don't panic yet. It is rude if they never get back to you but it's still early days

OK. Thanks for your views. I actually interview myself and getting back when I said I will is something I am scrupulous about, even if it's just to let them know the decision's been delayed.

We're interviewing at the moment for three high-level positions. We've informed the successful candidate from last week, but are awaiting their acceptance in writing before we can let the unsuccessful candidates know. We can't tell the unsuccessful candidates yet in case the successful one declines the role and we need to go to the next down the list.

Anything could have held them up, I think you need to have a little patience before you write them off as rude?

But surely you still let people know? When I've had to delay a decision after when I told them they'd hear, I always do, even if it's just getting my assistant to drop them an email.

Yes I have and I always keep in touch and let people now what's going on.