Job advert taken down

[Threetrees745]

I know no one can know this for certain but just looking for some opinions based in experience.

I applied for a job and a couple of days later, they got in touch to thank me for the application, they passed it on to the relevant department and they will be in touch. This was about a week and a half ago now and I've not heard anything since and they have now removed the position from the careers section of their website.

Would I be unreasonable to think that I probably have not been selected for interview?

It's a senior position so I wouldn't have expected a high volume of applicants and there wasn't a closing date on the advert.

I’d think they had an internal candidate in mind but are obliged to advertised anyway; or there was a temporary recruitment freeze issued so they had to pull it out. I’d bet on the former though.

This.

I think in this situation OP, I'd be inclined to call or email them to ask. If it's only a week and a half since you heard from them, then I certainly wouldn't think the job had gone to someone else, particularly if it's a senior post, as most companies seem to interview more than once for these type of jobs, and it would have all been done very quickly if the job has already gone. However, it is possible of course that it's gone to someone from within the company, but they had to advertise for the sake of things looking fair, and had no intention of interviewing. Just give them a call and ask, after all, nothing ventured nothing gained, and checking in will show that you're really keen if the position is still available. Just my opinion of course.

Ah that is a shame. It would have been ideal for me!
I'm slightly disappointed that they wouldn't email an update in that case, especially since it's a senior position and I had put a lot of thought into the cover letter.

Some companies close for applications when there has been a limit set on how many can
apply.

I'd be inclined to think the closing date for applications has passed so they've taken the advert down.

They'll take [however] long to sift through the applications then contact those they want to invite for interview.

Edited to add: If they're anything like where I work, they won't sift through the applications until after the closing date has passed, although they do acknowledge receipt as and when they receive them.

You know you can get in touch and ask for an update?

I've often thought that only inviting for interview those that get in touch to follow-up after sending in their applications would be a good way of selecting those with initiative and confidence.

So it could be they are looking through the applicants they have received and sorting for interview, it could be a recruitment freeze ( the company I work for has just entered one), I would chase at the end of the week and see if they had interview dates pencilled in

Thanks, I was going to follow up if I hadn't heard anything by the end of next week. I'm just trying to mentally prepare myself for a disappointment as I think the longer you don't hear, the less excited they are by you.

They may have taken the job down due to the closing date or they have had a huge amount of applications. If they already have a packed week or so of meetings or deadlines, then they may just be taking a bit of time to get through all the applications.

I remember one role I advertised for and received 180 applications within 3 days. I had days planned in my diary to shortlist, but that was once the closing date had been reached (which was 3 weeks away). I closed the role very quickly, but then it took me nearly 3 weeks to get to read all the applications and then respond to everyone.

Don’t give up hope just yet.