To think employers could at the least have the common courtesy to tell you you’ve not been successful?

[AlternativePerspective]

I’ve lost count of the number of jobs I’ve applied (and interviewed) for where I’ve just never heard from them again.

In fact on indeed there is often an update which states how long it will likely be before you hear back, and I’ve seen one or two which state “based on our experience, you’re unlikely to ever hear from this employer again.”

TBH, if we were in the days of paper applications I could see how writing a letter to each applicant could be problematic especially if you have several of them.

But given everything is now done electronically, and there are generallly systems in place to acknowledge your application/invite to interview/confirm the interview time etc, I fail to see why there can’t also be something in place which generates a rejection email when the applicant is rejected on the system.

It would save a lot more angst when people are applying for jobs and just hoping that they will hear back about one of them, only for it to appear that their application has disappeared somewhere.

i interviewed for a job recently and have assumed I wasn’t successful. But it would at least be nice to have been told so I could ask for feedback.

You seem to assume that all candidates are rejected at the same time for a start.

I didn't.

You do realise that there's a process don't you? And if we did send rejection emails 3 or 4 weeks after you send your application -basically at the end, people would still be moaning.

If we did send rejection email immediately, people would moan about feeling discriminated!

Ah yes - applying for a job and then expecting anyone except the successful appointee to ever hear anything about the outcome is "moaning" - pesky job applicants with their pesky nuisance interest in working for someone who do they think they are? It didn't take long for the mask to slip did it?

As other posters have said, it's common courtesy, just plain decency and wouldn't take a properly organised outfit that placed any value at all on good manners very long to do.

It is infuriating, I once got to a second round interview where it was between myself and one other person. I had to guess after four weeks that I hadn't got it and knew after another four weeks when I saw a newspaper article about the new person they had appointed.

Completely agree with expecting a response after an interview. I think it’s very rude to not get back to people, and not sure where this would be deemed acceptable. However, whilst it is frustrating to not get a response at application stage if you are unsuccessful, sometimes there are hundreds of applicants for a role. I am currently interviewing for a role in my team and have had maybe 50 applications. I asked HR if they could go back to each person who won’t get an interview and they said it’s not company policy...

A rejection email straight after your application is pointless though. why?

I’ve had rejections within a couple of days of applications, then I can just write them off rather than wondering if I’ll get invited to interview.

In this case though I had an interview, although it was a bit strange in that they emailed me to say I was on the maybe interview pile and then offered me an interview about an hour later. I suspect that because I applied under the disability confident scheme they were fulfilling an obligation and that was pointed out to them somewhere along the line.

So having been through being told maybe I will maybe I won’t get an interview, then being told I was invited to interview, I think the least they can do is send a generic “you weren’t successful” a email so that I can at least ask for feedback.

Oh and, it was a government organisation….

@Catswithflamingos

I understand your frustration. I really do. However I had over 200 applicants for a part time admin role. If I let every applicant know they weren’t successful then I get asked for feedback and it takes up so much time when I need to get help because I don’t have enough time.

How bloody hard is it to write an email and bcc all the unsuccessful candidates? You can add on the email that you will not provide feedback.

Interview candidates should have feedback if they want it. Mind you, a couple of times I had unsolicited feedback and actually disagreed with it so it was useless anyway. One was an interviewer who said I was quiet but talked non-stop and wouldn't let me get a word in. The other was where they assumed I had an affair when I mentioned that my boyfriend was a director from a previous company. I didn't. He was divorced and single.

Some people really don't like to realise they are one of hundreds of candidates and no, they are not that important they should get a personalised email to update them on why they are completely unsuitable for the job.

How precious to think a "thank you for your application" is not enough

It's not as straightforward as BCCing all the applicants, as they don't all come in via the same channel and you would have to go through and collate all the emails into a list. We do a standard "thanks for your application, if you don't hear back from us after x date you have not been shortlisted for interview". And we call people who were unsuccessful at interview.

@AlternativePerspective

A rejection email straight after your application is pointless though. why?

I’ve had rejections within a couple of days of applications, then I can just write them off rather than wondering if I’ll get invited to interview.

In this case though I had an interview, although it was a bit strange in that they emailed me to say I was on the maybe interview pile and then offered me an interview about an hour later. I suspect that because I applied under the disability confident scheme they were fulfilling an obligation and that was pointed out to them somewhere along the line.

So having been through being told maybe I will maybe I won’t get an interview, then being told I was invited to interview, I think the least they can do is send a generic “you weren’t successful” a email so that I can at least ask for feedback.

Oh and, it was a government organisation….

I have had similar experiences. The sector im applying to has a scheme that if you've been in the Armed Forces and if you make the minimum requirements for the role you'll be offered an interview.

Great in principle, but ive been called for so many interviews and not got the job because someone more qualified has been offered it. Annoying really.

@fashionablefennel

Some people really don't like to realise they are one of hundreds of candidates and no, they are not that important they should get a personalised email to update them on why they are completely unsuitable for the job.

How precious to think a "thank you for your application" is not enough

Not asking for a personalised mail - just a generic no if it's no.

Your excuses are thinner than Michael Mcintyre's act - and you haven't said how log it would actually take to do the decent thing.

I did a long interview process once.

First I filled in a lengthy application form giving examples of certain skills etc.

I was invited for an assessment session, which was held in a city centre function room. There were several papers I had to do under exam conditions, to show my maths, English, reasoning skills etc.

I passed that and was invited onto site for half a day where I shadowed someone doing the job for a couple of hours, then went through some observed role plays interacting with people from the company and other candidates.

I passed that and was invited back for a formal interview.

I never heard from them again. I rang up and the receptionist just said "oh yeah, you didn't get it!" and that was it.

I was quite annoyed as they'd had a massive amount of my time, three lots of petrol and parking costs, and I'd had to pay for childcare to attend the shadow/role play day. Yet they didn't have the time or courtesy to stick a letter in the post saying thanks but no thanks.

@Catswithflamingos

I understand your frustration. I really do. However I had over 200 applicants for a part time admin role. If I let every applicant know they weren’t successful then I get asked for feedback and it takes up so much time when I need to get help because I don’t have enough time.

I do this all the time. Honestly only takes me 5 mins to respond to everyone with an email letting them know they've been unsuccessful and when there have been so many applicants I add a line saying 'due to high number of applications we'll be unable to give individual feedback'.

@CantHaveTooMuchChocolate

Agreed. What a lot of these companies forget is we are often their customers as well, so it’s hardly a great look for them.

Yes. These days it’s common to get over 100 applications per vacancy. That’s a lot of potential customers you’re going to make an impression on, one way or another. Why not send a polite, tactful Bcc email and make a good impression?

Even vendors who sell to other businesses ought to do this, because some of the applicants you reject are likely to end up working for your clients (or potential clients).

DynamoKev

how long is a piece of string? It's a stupid question, it depends on so many things, I can't give you one generic answer.

I did say that I make sure that people who do attend an interview ARE contacted because for me it's basic manners. I also said that in the real world, it's not as straightforward as people seem to think.

@ForgotAboutThis

It's not as straightforward as BCCing all the applicants, as they don't all come in via the same channel and you would have to go through and collate all the emails into a list. We do a standard "thanks for your application, if you don't hear back from us after x date you have not been shortlisted for interview". And we call people who were unsuccessful at interview.

That's probably a good compromise. At least people know where they stand.

@fashionablefennel

But it takes seconds to send an "no thanks" email, even to hundreds of applicants - why is that not possible?

because people have a job and other things to do!

You don't realise how time consuming it really is, even for recruitment agencies whose job is literally to manage recruitment.

This is the type of attitude that gives employers a bad name. I used to work managing high volume recruitment applications and everyone got a reply. You can automate the process if the volumes are high- its just lazy, unprofessional and rude if you do not bother.

@ForgotAboutThis

It's not as straightforward as BCCing all the applicants, as they don't all come in via the same channel and you would have to go through and collate all the emails into a list. We do a standard "thanks for your application, if you don't hear back from us after x date you have not been shortlisted for interview". And we call people who were unsuccessful at interview.

So each of those applicants would have taken the time to compile CVs, send in application forms or whatever and you can't be arsed to go through them and compile a list of email addresses?

Ok then. Still not seeing anyone come up with a decent reason as to why they can't sent out a generic email other than "we just can't be bothered".

It is rude and unprofessional. Companies used to be much better. It's only in recent years that this has become more normal. I work in the NHS and colleagues were shocked when I said you often don't hear back from job applications unless you're invited for interview and even after interview it's not a given...........

If you've actually been interviewed then yes, they should let you know one way or the other.

If it is just an application then no, as some jobs can attract thousands of applicants, and it would be an administrative headache to contact every one.

This is the type of attitude that gives employers a bad name. I used to work managing high volume recruitment applications and everyone got a reply. You can automate the process if the volumes are high- its just lazy, unprofessional and rude if you do not bother.

I don't agree.

I think advising candidates that they will hear from you within ... a strict timescale if they are successful and going to the next stage is enough.

It's important to acknowledge that the application has been received, people get annoyed or chase you if you don't anyway. It's enough to confirm it has been received.

No need to send another email 2 or 3 weeks later saying you haven't been successful.

We had over 400 applicants for our last part time admin recruit. Most of whom had none of the skills or experience requested. We contact all candidates who have been interviewed and give specific feedback, but we dint contact everyone who sends in a half arsed application, one word answers to competency based questions, CVs ten years out of date. We are always clear invitations to interview will be sent by x date if you have not heard by then you have not been selected for the next stage of application.

@ForgotAboutThis

It's not as straightforward as BCCing all the applicants, as they don't all come in via the same channel and you would have to go through and collate all the emails into a list. We do a standard "thanks for your application, if you don't hear back from us after x date you have not been shortlisted for interview". And we call people who were unsuccessful at interview.

You don't keep a list of applicants e-mail addresses for each vacancy?

Ok then. Still not seeing anyone come up with a decent reason as to why they can't sent out a generic email other than "we just can't be bothered".
Agreed, but apparently saying that is "moaning"

I’m used to not getting a reply if I’ve just emailed my CV and a cover letter, (although an acknowledgement would be nice).

However, if you ask me to complete a 20 page application form and don’t bother to reply, I will remember you, and not fondly. And I think it’s really bad manners to interview someone and not inform them of the outcome. Someone could have taken the day off work to attend your interview. Can you really argue that you didn’t have time to let them know?

You don't keep a list of applicants e-mail addresses for each vacancy?

why would they?!?

Before you jump on me, I happen to have a very good system to manage applications, but why should a business who recruits once a year at most need one?