to think this is shoddy after a job interview?

LindorDoubleChoc · 2026-03-09T13:09:22+00:00

Had job interview early last week, after a preliminary phone interview. I was there being interviewed by two people for nearly 2 hours and had to complete some written tasks (like a simple test). When I left the woman who interviewed me said they would let people know by the end of the week or possibly Monday. I asked how many they were seeing and she replied "4". So I haven't heard anything and just feel in my bones that I'm not going to by the end of today. If I don't, AIBU to think this is an absolutely unacceptable way to treat the unsuccessful candidates, given that there were such a small number? I WAS sad at the thought of not getting the job, now I feel I'd sooner not work for a business that is so ... rude? is that the word?

Oreosareawful · 09/03/2026 13:11

Give them chance, its only lunchtime!

ToKittyornottoKitty · 09/03/2026 13:11

Im not sure why they are so rude, it’s Monday lunch time still? Things can be delayed occasionally, but it’s not even delayed yet.

Enyastar · 09/03/2026 13:12

Its only Monday...

ACIGC · 09/03/2026 13:13

Do you have much work experience? Your interview process isn’t the only thing the recruiter has to focus on, they are balancing this with their day job and may have had other urgent matters land unexpectedly.

That having said, they always contact the successful applicant first so if you don’t hear back today, you’re probably not their first choice.

JassyRadlett · 09/03/2026 13:14

Honestly? You're making a lot of assumptions here.

Do you know for a fact that all the interviews were on the same day? I've done a few interview rounds recently where we stretched interviews over a week - mainly due to trying to accommodate candidates' availability, but once to make sure we had the same panel throughout.

And they need to have time to review the written work and meet to agree overall results, scoring and paperwork - and often HR policies mean they can't tell a candidate until all the paperwork is submitted. Each of these people will have day jobs that they are fitting this around.

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you never get to know more than a fraction of what's going on with someone else, and so making assumptions about them is foolish.

KarmenPQZ · 09/03/2026 13:14

I think this is totally normal and people are usually very guarded about timeframes for this reason.

ie perhaps there’s not a clear front runner but a couple of people they’d be happy with. They still have to pick one to make the offer. they’re not going to want to rule out the other person or people til the contract is signed which usually takes at least a few days.

or perhaps the people deciding can’t quite agree just yet. Maybe ones off sick so they can’t get final consensus on who to offer.

you just need to calm down and sit tight. Why burn your bridges with ‘is rather not work somewhere with rude people’. Seems extreme.

Meadowfinch · 09/03/2026 13:17

They interviewed 4 people. Then they have to:

discuss which they preferred.
agree on who to offer the role to - if any
meet with HR
agree a salary and other terms they are willing to offer
get sign off from the divisional director
HR then need to write and send the email

if any of those people are off sick, at the dentist, in a different meeting or just busy, it will take a while.

The other three applicants will be held up, until choice 1 accepts their terms
if not, the job may be offered to choice 2 and so on.

Suggest you wait a week before giving it up as a bad job.

MonsteraDeliciosa · 09/03/2026 13:18

My DSonIL just got a great job… it took them forever to tell him though! He got in touch a couple of times.
It could be that you’re second choice and they’re waiting for a yay or nay from the first?
Whatever, there’s still time. Be patient. And good luck!

WhereIsMyLight · 09/03/2026 13:19

They said they would make their decision by the end of the week or by Monday. It is still Monday. If tomorrow you hadn’t heard, then yes they should have reached out to say we just need a bit more time (which is code for your second in line for the job but they are negotiating with their preferred candidate). There can absolutely be delays, even with the preferred candidate and when that happens those should be communicated but you’re not at that stage yet.

now I feel I'd sooner not work for a business that is so ... rude?
Is this maybe misdirecting your sadness at feeling like you haven’t got the job? I have done similar before. If they offered you the job at 2pm, would you not honestly not take it? Or even at 9am tomorrow? If you would still take the job, you’re misdirecting. If you genuinely wouldn’t accept that position, take back the power and email them to say thank you for your time, after reflecting over the weekend I don’t feel the position is for me but good luck in recruiting for the role.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 09/03/2026 13:22

So they told you that you could expect to hear by Monday, and you're annoyed that they haven't told you yet? It is still Monday!

By all means, start a thread tomorrow if they still haven't contacted you, but you're jumping the gun to complain when they haven't broken any promises just yet

Regardless of what you might be feeling "in your bones".

madaboutpurple · 09/03/2026 13:24

A friend of mine was once told she would be told on a certain day after going for an interview and gave up hope. She was contacted a few weeks later and it turned out the interviewer's husband had been rushed to hospital and the lady had been visiting him in hospital. You cannot account for things happening. All the best anyway.

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 09/03/2026 13:24

Give them a chance! Good luck, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

TheCurious0range · 09/03/2026 13:26

Tell me you've never recruited before......

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 09/03/2026 13:31

As others have said, it's only lunchtime!. And that's likely when they'd be talking to their preferred candidate, they'll not be getting in touch with the "unsuccessful" ones, until they know that the person they're offering the job to has accepted it.

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:38

TheCurious0range · 09/03/2026 13:26

Tell me you've never recruited before......

No, I haven't ever recruited before and how is that relevant?

4 people in total, just 4. It would take less than two minutes to write a suitable "thanks but no thanks" email. I reckon I could do it in 60 seconds.

All interviews were last week or how else could she say "we'll let you know by the end of the week ... or possibly Monday". As in Monday would be unlikely, they were aiming to do it by the end of the week.

And in my op I did say "If" I don't hear by the end of today then is that shoddy? I'm not holding out hope as they would have contacted me by now if they'd wanted me.

Their kitchen area was pretty gross tbh and only 1 toilet between 15ish people. And short hours and long commute. Nah, I'm over it .

OP posts:

TheCurious0range · 09/03/2026 13:40

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:38

No, I haven't ever recruited before and how is that relevant?

4 people in total, just 4. It would take less than two minutes to write a suitable "thanks but no thanks" email. I reckon I could do it in 60 seconds.

All interviews were last week or how else could she say "we'll let you know by the end of the week ... or possibly Monday". As in Monday would be unlikely, they were aiming to do it by the end of the week.

And in my op I did say "If" I don't hear by the end of today then is that shoddy? I'm not holding out hope as they would have contacted me by now if they'd wanted me.

Their kitchen area was pretty gross tbh and only 1 toilet between 15ish people. And short hours and long commute. Nah, I'm over it .

Show quote history

It's clear because it's not even the end of Monday, which is when they said they would notify you and you seem to have no understanding that things happen or get in the way, crisis in the business, ill health or emergency leave for one of the panel, one of the candidates they were meant to interview today had to be rearranged until Thursday etc etc. Your interview isn't the most important thing to anyone other than you.

ACynicalDad · 09/03/2026 13:44

It could be one of the people is unwell and had to reschedule to this week and they haven’t met them yet or away on a holiday last week and so they’re seeing them today. It can also be that they haven’t been able to get time for everyone involved in the recruitment to sit down together and agree who they want if I interview multiple candidates I’ll tell someone unappointable no quite quickly but if you’re appointable but not my first pick I will keep you until I know for sure I’ve got an acceptance from a better candidate, an occasion that you might just get it. I guess someone else has been offered and asked for the weekend to think about it is the most likely scenario but it doesn’t mean you won’t get it.

Schoolchoicesucks · 09/03/2026 13:48

They may be taking up references for their 1st choice, they may be waiting for their 1st choice to accept or decline but think you were an appointment candidate if the 1st choice declines.

Or there could have been an unexpected delay if the hiring manager was ill or something.

Just wait it out until the end of the day.
If you don't want the job (or wouldn't accept it if you were their 2nd choice) then email and withdraw.

GlasgowGal2014 · 09/03/2026 13:50

Give them a chance - they've not even missed their own deadline yet! They might not have been able to make up their mind on Friday and have taken the weekend to sleep on it, or they might have offered to someone late last week who has asked for some time to think about it so they're not yet in a position to let down the runners up. There are any number of scenarios that can lead to a recruiter not managing to get back to a candidate within the promised timelines, but despite that yours aren't even late yet!

Bearbookagainandagain · 09/03/2026 13:53

You need to chill really. A week is perfectly fine.

If you had the same attitude during the interview, you probably won't get it, indeed.

BillieWiper · 09/03/2026 13:54

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:38

No, I haven't ever recruited before and how is that relevant?

4 people in total, just 4. It would take less than two minutes to write a suitable "thanks but no thanks" email. I reckon I could do it in 60 seconds.

All interviews were last week or how else could she say "we'll let you know by the end of the week ... or possibly Monday". As in Monday would be unlikely, they were aiming to do it by the end of the week.

And in my op I did say "If" I don't hear by the end of today then is that shoddy? I'm not holding out hope as they would have contacted me by now if they'd wanted me.

Their kitchen area was pretty gross tbh and only 1 toilet between 15ish people. And short hours and long commute. Nah, I'm over it .

Show quote history

But they haven't made the decision yet.

They're asking if you've recruited before because it's a few different parts of a business and a process that must be followed. If their number one candidates can't be contacted yet then they'll wait to confirm them. Or they might need to go to a B list. The whole thing might not definitely happen on the dot of EOB Monday.

I wish you luck and hope you get it if you want it.
But just be a bit patient. Then by all means mid week if nothing follow up with a brief email.

InveterateWineDrinker · 09/03/2026 13:56

I've been ghosted multiple times after face-to-face interviews. You might still hear back from them, but I'd start to mentally write this one off if I were you.

Swiftie1878 · 09/03/2026 13:57

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:38

No, I haven't ever recruited before and how is that relevant?

4 people in total, just 4. It would take less than two minutes to write a suitable "thanks but no thanks" email. I reckon I could do it in 60 seconds.

All interviews were last week or how else could she say "we'll let you know by the end of the week ... or possibly Monday". As in Monday would be unlikely, they were aiming to do it by the end of the week.

And in my op I did say "If" I don't hear by the end of today then is that shoddy? I'm not holding out hope as they would have contacted me by now if they'd wanted me.

Their kitchen area was pretty gross tbh and only 1 toilet between 15ish people. And short hours and long commute. Nah, I'm over it .

Show quote history

Sounds like they made the correct decision not to recruit you!

Passingthrough123 · 09/03/2026 14:00

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 13:38

No, I haven't ever recruited before and how is that relevant?

4 people in total, just 4. It would take less than two minutes to write a suitable "thanks but no thanks" email. I reckon I could do it in 60 seconds.

All interviews were last week or how else could she say "we'll let you know by the end of the week ... or possibly Monday". As in Monday would be unlikely, they were aiming to do it by the end of the week.

And in my op I did say "If" I don't hear by the end of today then is that shoddy? I'm not holding out hope as they would have contacted me by now if they'd wanted me.

Their kitchen area was pretty gross tbh and only 1 toilet between 15ish people. And short hours and long commute. Nah, I'm over it .

Show quote history

Well, yes, anyone can write an email in 60 seconds, but as someone said above, any offer would have to be signed off by whoever interviewed you, possibly their boss too and any bosses above them, potentially a head office, plus HR and accounts, and there's no guarantee everyone's in the workplace to do that straight away.

If not hearing by the end of the day is making you decide you're not interested in the position any longer, I fear job hunting is going to be quite the slog for you. Go on LinkedIn where people are complaining about applying for dozens of jobs and being constantly ghosted – that's the reality of recruiting these days.

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 09/03/2026 14:03

InveterateWineDrinker · 09/03/2026 13:56

I've been ghosted multiple times after face-to-face interviews. You might still hear back from them, but I'd start to mentally write this one off if I were you.

I'm sorry to hear that. If you've had a face to face interview I don't think it's too much to ask not to be ghosted!

OP posts: