This is just a rant. Company I applied for a job with have fucked me about massively.

[LaQueef]

Back in APRIL I applied for a job. I decided that as I had until September that I would just apply for one job at a time, I wasn't totally up shit creek, I could just carry on with my business if no job arrived and I didn't want to swamp myself with interviews etc while still working FT.

SO I applied for this one (dream) job. They immediately called me for a phone interview, that went really well, and then I went on to have five separate interviews/meetings with various directors and managers. Each one ended on a positive, they were clear that they were trying to juggle things to create an opening for me.

The last two meetings were about a specific role, and I left the last meeting with a pretty much verbal offer of a job (yes, all great, I just need to speak to X and I'll get back to you with a job offer tomorrow). He never phoned and so I chased it up, got fobbed off with 'I'll call you back tomorrow' and then this morning have had a letter (a LETTER ffs, everything else has been on the phone or face to face) saying thanks but no thanks, and we'll keep your details on file.

THREE FUCKING MONTHS.

Three months of blowing smoke up my arse and telling me I'm brilliant and they're looking forward to working with me.

Is this just what the process is like these days? I've been self employed for ages.

I have just sent my cv off to all the other local companies and I WILL have a job by September, but I am completely shattered by this.

I have to say that some of my RL friends (who will no doubt see this) will be a bit 'I told you so' (in a supportive and soft huggy fashion, obvs).

I am so angry and sad and fucked off with myself and them.

AIBU?

[TheUnsinkableTitanic]

Aahh LaQ i could have written this post myself several moons ago

the bastards met me about 5 times, at the last interview the CEO came to meet me and berated the other interviewers as they hadn't got my company car details ie what car did i want (any car, name a car type conversation!), and for them to hurry up as i would need it from the off (never even knew the job came with a car up until this point, so it just kept getting better and better :) )

I didn't get the job and was gutted.

several years later........ i found out what had happened....the job went to an internal person who was trying to hold them over a barrel re money, but they were able to negotiate with him because i applied and had a very specific skills set, just like him. the bastards were stringing me along the whole time to save a few fucking grand.

i had the last laugh as it turns out new guy was shit and was sacked and they had to "buy in" the service at about twice what i would have cost

karma :)

[KateSpade]

The exact same thing happened to me. Countless interviews, verbally offering me a job, and then a shitty email saying although you were professional, your lifestyle isn't suited to the job. (Which meant my DD) - longer story. I nearly started a thread about it!

[MrsJamin]

Happened to me too, sounded like I was just waiting for the formal offer to be made then waited around for ages, finally to be told there was no bloody job in the first place. Why do they do it?!

[hermioneweasley]

I am hearing these stories more and more. Unfortunately things can change very quickly, so I wukdn't advise just pursuing one thing, but to have a few on the go, though I know this is time consuming.

[spangledboots]

I only graduated last year so have been hearing similar stories from quite a few friends. They get invited to several interviews, sometimes even offered a job and then kept waiting for weeks and weeks. One friend in particular seemed to think she was getting the job so didn't go to other interviews and then ended up with nothing. It's frustrating but you just need to keep going :)

[ARealDame]

BTW, I would have bailed them out on it. Is that a euphemism for telling them what jerks they've been big-time? I hope so. I think people are far too accepting of crappy behaviour. I understand, its an employers' market, but I think people are entitled to common decency and respect. Its a shame you didnt' get a chance to bullox them (is it too late?!) But, then also think OP, you dodged a bullet.

[ARealDame]

It sounds awful, OP.

In hindsight, I would have "called" them on it. On the phone. And taped it.

Hindsight is a great thing.

[FryOneFatManic]

You have my total sympathy.

I am also applying for jobs at present, and I find it so disheartening that if employers are not interested in you they don't even bother to say "thanks for applying but no thanks".

It's just like application go into a black hole.

I've applied for 5 positions today (in between helping my mum into town in her wheelchair and the school run, etc), with a further 12 lined up to apply for once the DCs are in bed.

I did have one interview near Xmas, and didn't even hear from them afterwards so assume they appointed another candidate. Then I get a call a couple of months later for a more senior role, had an interview for that one, and then again heard absolutely nothing. I've been told unofficially that the new owners of the company are changing things all the time so may have had a lucky escape.

[LaQueef]

To be fair, the letter did say that they had decided not to move x into y and that z opportunity hadn't emerged, hence no job for me.

But still.

Fuckeroo.

[hackmum]

The appalling thing is they didn't tell you why. Clearly there was nothing wrong with you (unless they did some background check and found you were a convicted murderer, which I'm assuming they didn't), so they must have fucked up. Suddenly someone comes along and says sorry, we have no budget, or that role can be done internally, or whatever it is. It won't be that they suddenly remembered they had a much better candidate.

[BellaVita]

Is that you?

Chin up lovely xx

[frostyfingers]

That's pants - I have been in your position and I still can not believe how unbelievably rude some of these companies are. You jump through endless hoops, make yourself available at short notice for interview after interview and then more often than not they CBA to even let you know.

I suppose you could consider yourself lucky they bothered to write...... I had one interview where neither the company, nor the agency I went through bothered to let me know anything.

The arrogance of some of them is unbelievable - I wouldn't treat my worst enemy the way I've been treated.

Sorry to hear you've wasted so much time - just repeat to yourself "I didn't want your poxy job anyway".

[wannabeawallaby]

What was the job? Five interviews in an absolute piss take. Be glad you didn't get the job - they sound like a bunch of incompetent fucktards.

[LaQueef]

I have applied for about twenty jobs today.

Everything from Estate Agency to selling medical equipment.

My dream job is this close...

[carolthesecretary]

"Wanker managers"

Chortle!

There are a few of them about...

[frogspoon]

Sounds like they were idiots and perhaps not getting the job was a blessing in disguise.

Similar thing happened to me once, went for an interview at a school and head phoned me up and told me I was first choice candidate and they they planned to offer me the job. A week later I get another phone call, they had offered it to another candidate.

They then phoned up a couple of months later, as the first choice candidate had buggered off to Australia, and being an idiot I said yes again. A few days later they let me know (by text this time!) that they had asked an old colleague to fill the role instead.

I was incredibly upset at the time, especially as I had no permanent job, but looking back it was probably a blessing in disguise as they were so disorganised and rude.

[Corygal]

Yep, I've been there - the big firm approaches me, lures me to do loads of things and millions of phone interviews/meetings - then insisted on ringing me nonstop to "keep me in the loop" as "hiring takes ages".

The final call was to say, breezily, that the firm "had to promote from within" ie no budget, but they still wanted to keep me "in the loop. Byee!"

Well, good luck with that.

[Kewcumber]

I doubt its budget cuts just wanker managers.

I have gone all the with job interveiws to the point of being told I would be offered a job only to have it pulled due to budget cuts (more than once - advertising in the 90's!). In that position companies have always a been honest about the financial problem and were generally extremely apologetic.

[Kat101]

I had this a couple of years ago. So disheartening and demoralising. I actually didnt mind so much about not getting the job, it was the sheer time spent interviewing and then they didnt even have the balls or decency to call me in person, they sent an email. So disrespectful.

I asked for feedback, they just kept saying that I was excellent but the competition was very high. I pointed out that there must have been something that put the competition ahead of me, but they stuck to the party line too afraid of legal action/comeback. I think that just rubbed salt in the wound.

I believe its been quite common in the US for a number of years now. A good applicant is interviewed, the manager doesnt have the budget but passes them on to another dept who may employ them, they may not quite suit that department but another office might be interested, and so on. Hence so many interviews that come to nothing.

You'll get a better job, and then be glad that it didnt work out with these people arseholes after all.

[Whitershadeofpale]

Completely agree Carol its the lack of common courtesy that really grates. we all understand that things happen sometimes and I understand they can't reply to every applicant but after interviewing people several times its really rude and disheartening.

[SagelyNodding]

The utter cunts

This has happened to me a couple of times, I know how gutting it can be. Something much better will come along soon, and not in a company full of fuckwits.

hopefully for me too

[carolthesecretary]

I agree with Halfling about what is going on behind the scenes. It's the way they go about it which is so wrong.

Whitershadeofpale went for three interviews and chased twice. No one had the common courtesy to come back to her. I've had the same myself but just one interview (on a couple of occasions) and no response despite chasing. I had a telephone interview a couple of weeks ago and again nothing despite chasing.

Would be good if we could name and shame...

[nenevomito]

I think that because the jobs market is so tough at the moment that people are prepared to accept more crap off employers than they would do in easier times. It gives the dick head companies more time to be, well, dickheads.

[Halfling]

I work in the recruitment business. Positions go on hold all the time. In fact, the bigger the company, the greater the possibility of things getting stalled.

In such companies, typically the hiring manager/HR would be handling 20-30 live roles and there is a lot happening internally - employees being moved internally, someone who has resigned gets offered an existing role for which external candidates have already been inverviewed, position put on hold due to new budget cuts etc.

It is not about you but about the incompetent processes of the company.

[gallifrey]

Exactly the same thing happened to my dh, it went on for 9 months of messing him about all the time saying the job was his etc. Then he finally went for an interview and a week later they phoned him to say they were not employing anybody. The thing is they approached him!
We were going to have to move 300 miles away, we had given notice on our house, our dd was told she was going to have to move schools and it all ended in nothing.