To think ignoring candidates after two interviews is fucking rude?

[Dinosforall]

Had two interviews a few weeks ago with a huge multinational, at their request, all fine, then complete radio silence. Not via a recruiter. I have chased politely for feedback (once via email and once via voice message) and nothing, not even a form email. I get that people are busy, I get that decisions take time. But AIBU to think even if you're short on time, or courtesy, you must realise it give a terrible impression of your company?

Very rude of them. I know this probably doesn’t help but they are probably rude nightmares to work for

YANBU

Where I work we dont always give feedback on unsuccessful applications (ie to those who arent shortlisted) but if you get as far as interview then most definitely.

I feel your pain. It’s a disgrace that they can’t even be arsed to send a two-line ‘thanks but no thanks’ note. Recruiters are quick enough to chase you when they’re head-hunting to fill their quotas.

Bloody rude but surprisingly common. Not a company you would want to work for!

YANBU at all. Although even at the application stage, in this day and age it would take seconds to send a mail merge/automated mail to the unsuccessful applicants. But to not reply after the interview stage is just plain rude.

If you take time out to go to interview the company are utter scum for not getting back to you,I'm sure someone will be along to make excuses but there is none.

There may be a good reason for it. We couldn’t get back to candidates for a period during negotiations with the front runner which took time. We didn’t want to let go anyone who was appointable in case we couldn’t settle the terms. It’s a horrible situation for those waiting but it does sometimes take time.

Two interviews and nothing? Really poor of them.

I went to look round a school last year, handed in my application. Nothing. A colleague then went and did the same. Also, zero. I find it very rude. If someone has spent the time filling in a huge application form, at least send an email saying no thanks, sorry.

I interviewed for a job with a large national charity and they never bothered even telling me I hadn't got the job. Eventually I managed to get someone on the phone who knew I hadn't got it (because they'd been involved with the induction of the person who did). I requested feedback a few times but that was ignored. Really pisses me off when they do that. It was a full day for the interview and I had presentations to prepare so I used annual leave and put time and effort into that. Really changes your opinion of an organisation

That’s dreadfully poor.

Arses. I bet the job advertisement stated what a 'wonderful' company they are to work for.

YANBU. It’s very poor, especially after two interviews. I did have a situation at the beginning of the year where I had an unsuccessful candidate chasing for an update a week after HR had supposedly contacted her to let her know the outcome. That was quickly sorted though.

Do you have a contact for the actual person that interviewed you rather than say an HR department? I ask because 1 company I worked at, the HR department would ask for feedback on each candidate, then contact the candidate either way. I found out some weeks later that HR had a new manager who decided that HR would no longer contact candidates, and the interviewee needed to instead. Problem was, they never told this to the department managers! I spent days going through the interview notes and getting in touch with everyone we'd interviewed, including the person we wanted- who also hadn't been contacted!!!
It might just be a bad company in terms of communication. I'd maybe get in touch 1 more time, then leave it. good luck.

Out of curiosity, I responded to a job advert that stated 'Due to the high level of interest we anticipate for this role, we cannot guarantee that we will contact applicants whether they are successful or not.'

I haven't heard from them, but that could mean that I was successful, so I am taking Schroedinger's approach and assuming that I got the job!

Thanks for the moral support. The thing is, the hiring manager spoke very highly of the team and firm culture, so I'm aware it's probably just one HR person who can't be bothered. To be honest I'd still work there in a heartbeat. I'm pretty sure of the outcome, obviously, but it did take a while for the penny to drop as I couldn't quite believe they'd be that rude.

Elouera Thanks - I found the hiring manager on LinkedIn (for the pre interview research) but I think contacting him that way would just be awkward and a bit stalkery (don't have his email address).

@SmallChickBilly

I applied for a job at university in the Midlands. They asked for a reply to each requirement in the very, very long advert and for the interview I had to do a half hour presentation about how to solve the issue the job was created to solve. I spent a total of at least 36 hours in total to apply for this job and I also had to rent a car. When I contacted them after a month to hear if I got the job (interview was before X-mas so I had been warned it might take a while) the reply was: "If you want to apply for a job here. please do so via the online form". I had sent my question by replying to the email in which I was invited to the interview. But of course, why would they hire me now I told them how to solve the issue for free? Bloody cheapskates!

I once went for an interview, it was quite late in the day, and as I arrived the post man was collecting their outgoing mail for the day.

First thing the following morning, I got a rejection letter. So they’d posted it out before I even arrived for the interview 😳😳

My favourite interview experience was the one when, after the interview, they rang me to tell me they "wanted to offer me the job" but couldn't officially yet because they'd messed up the advertisement process (the funding for the post required them to advertise in a particular way for a specific period of time and interview qualified candidates). I had multiple phone calls from the would-be-manager trying to persuade me to hand in my notice without a formal offer so that once they'd gone through this process of readvertising and interviewing I'd be able to start asap... then I never heard from them again.

(This was also one of those quite involved interview processes with a long application form and then they'd asked you to prepare a piece of work for discussion at the interview)

OP YANBU, it’s really rude and unacceptable. I would turn them down on the basis of this unless an explanation and apology was forthcoming.

I had an interview a while ago which lasted 36 minutes and I was really pissed off - I’d prepared well (which took several hours), travelled over an hour and they couldn’t be bothered to spend more time, lucky escape, who wants to work for people like that?

Have just had this with a university job: had first interview last Monday, they phoned on Tuesday to invite me for a second interview “at about midday on Thursday” and said they’d follow up with an email. No email, so I tried to phone and email HR but no response. Decided to just show up at 12pm on Thursday and luckily they were expecting me. Was then told they’d definitely let me know either way if I’d gotten the job or not on Friday. Have I heard from them? Have I fuck. Just a shitty recruitment process and I’m tempted to write and tell them so.

Amusingly though I’ve also had it the other way - heard nothing after an interview and then been very surprised about a month later to have my contract of employment show up in the post!

@billybagpuss

Similar thing happened to DD. She was invited to interview but was unable to attend and emailed them back saying sorry she wouldn't be there. She got a letter a few days later, thanking her for attending the interview, that she'd performed really well and they were very impressed. However at this time they would not be taking her application further, but good luck for the future.

It is rude and soul destroying for the candidate. I am actually shocked at how common this is!! It really does set a very poor example to young people and given the amount of mental health problems and anxiety I find it extraordinary.

What did they say about feedback in the job advert (if anything)?

It does depend on where you work. In my line of work, you would not necessarily expect feedback this fast. It would be standard practice to wait until the first-choice candidate had signed papers, because if you're the second-in-line, you could still be hired. It also wouldn't be usual to say anything during the period of uncertainty.