Company I interviewed with ages ago - back in touch. Red flags or normal process?

[KeiraKnightley2]

I interviewed with a company nearly 2 months ago. The first interview I had there was in a different team and she referred me to another team for a role she thought would be a better fit. At the time, I noticed the role hadn't actually been advertised anywhere.

Anyway I had 2 interviews including one with others in the team and a company director. They also asked me to complete a short task and said i'd receive feedback after Easter. Shortly after, they emailed saying apologies for the delay - they were rethinking the role structure but I was very much still in mind for the position.

They contacted me today saying they've firmed up the position and would like to have a video call this week. What do we think?

On the one hand I felt so positive before. I could see myself as part of the team and it's the sort of company I want to work for. They have a decent reputation and good reviews from previous staff (Glassdoor).

But this does seem a bit like being messed about...

Sounds believable and a reasonable timeline. Are you still jobseeking?

Sounds perfectly ok to me. They may have been restructuring the whole workforce which took some time. Why are you worried?

Similar happened here. Job applied for in December, interviews etc. Went v quiet then job offer followed couple of months later (after a re-org).

I am @Lamelie still job seeking

Well because they gave me a task and promised feedback on it after Easter. I never received this and still haven't.

It's been messy because they obviously decided after that they needed a rethink

Sounds fine, recruitment can take ages

I think they employed someone else and It hasn't worked out.

I therefore wouldn't be progressing it further because one of two things have happened

1. The company is so awful the new person doesn't want to stay there.
2. The people who make decisions about who to employ are crap at their jobs.

You could always go for the interview anyway. What they usually say is that the person went on maternity leave and isn't coming back.

I applied for a role that I really liked the sound of and never heard anything back. Disappointed but we move on.
About 4 months later they reached out to me as the person they had offered the job to never followed through. I went through the two interviews and got the job.

I love my job and am glad I took the leap. It's not the exact same situation but sometimes things just work out.

If you still fancy the job, what have you got to lose from another video call.

Sounds like they hadn’t fully got approval for the role before you were referred to the other team. It’s taken a while to get the sign off from senior management and they probably needed to wait until the new financial year to have the budget to make the case and then get sign off. If anything, it sounds like they really want you and have fought hard to get that position funded.

I don't think so @ByUmberViewer

Because the position has not been advertised at any point between my interviews and now, I checked.

It seems like they were looking for someone like me and I appeared before they had firmed up the role.

Possibly @WhereIsMyLight that's a positive outlook!

The person who would be my line manager did suggest she had fought hard to keep me in down consideration. It's her and the colleagues I already met day to say even if the director above is a bit hopeless.

I think you should agree on the video call to find out more and then make your decision. No harm in that.

I think it depends where you are and what they’re offering. Where we live, it’s very hard to get candidates to interview stage as they’re snapped up so quickly. I think they’re arrogant/optimistic to assume you’re still interested. That said, it could all work out well and be entirely genuine. I’d question a company that was so disorganized though - that part doesn’t bode well.

I know @AloeVerity I don't want to look desperate to still be available here waiting!

It's the disorganization that is a bit odd putting.

My gut feeling was very positive initially which usually bodes well for me with jobs but actions since give me pause.

Then again, it could all work out.

Go for it, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain

It is "after Easter" to them. All it takes is one person in a chain of people who have to give approval to be away and these things get delayed.

I have known a situation where we interviewed someone who was right for the org but wrong for the role. We kept him warm waiting for a role that would work for him. When someone else resigned months later we offered him the role without advertising it. He accepted. He now heads that team (years later).

It's only working days after Easter holidays here, loads of people off, decision making slowed. Doesn't sounds too bad to me

Run with the opportunity. You're overthinking the admin. Company's can take time with this stuff. Your objective should always be to get an offer so you have control over acceptance or rejection. If the opportunity fizzles out and there is no offer, you've lost nothing. If you don't go for it you are sabotaging yourself as the opportunity is being given to you. Grab it while you can.