to think this is shoddy after a job interview?

[LindorDoubleChoc]

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?

Capitalism has a lot to answer for and lack of manners becoming the norm. It's certainly infected the public sector too. If a process is taking longer than you expected, I'm not at all clear why a holding email can't be sent saying "the process is taking longer than expected."

One time, I interviewed for a teaching job and the thing is about teaching is that due to safer recruitment, you have to supply a reference from your current school before interview. So they know you are looking.

There was nothing particularly wrong with the job I had but I was keen to stop relying on the Tube as there had been a lot of strikes, so I applied somewhere I could drive to.

I was interviewed on the Friday (including teaching a lesson) and there was only one other candidate who they'd already seen (the current post holder was retiring). I was pretty sure I was the preferred candidate.

No salary or pension information was provided. As in, no numbers at all, and you really can't ask on the day.

By the middle of the next week I'd still heard nothing and I'd decided a) if the salary was that good they'd have mentioned it, so it was probably less and b) it wasn't fair to my current employer to leave them hanging.

They rang and offered it to me and I said no. I'd probably have accepted if they'd offered on the Friday night or the Monday!

The mad thing is teaching is a seller's market in most cases but schools still act as though they've got candidates queuing up for jobs and they make no attempt to sell it to you.

I hope you get the outcome you want, OP.

I think lots of recruiters are really rude and especially so with more ‘menial’ jobs and with young people.

There is no need for it and I believe in treating everyone decently.

i wouldn’t bother telling them what I think though. Or if I did I would make sure I did it in a professional way and not an angry rant!

I do still boycott a restaurant who treated my son badly though we seem to have forgiven Greggs!

Why? They don’t care for your opinion otherwise they’d have called and asked for it. It’s only you that will suffer from creating a name for yourself as being ‘that person’. It would be energy better spent sending a polite follow up email today to understand the revised timeline.
When you send your ‘opinion’ email, they’re going to have no regrets about not hiring you. It’s a very immature approach.

I can remember back in the mid-90's, I helped my Supervisor with arranging interviews etc, for a vacancy within the department. We chose candidates to interview, and he wasn't going to send rejection letters to the others who'd applied. I remember telling him that not acknowledging the fact a person has applied and taken time in doing so, even if they haven't reached interview stage is rude, we should tell them they haven't been successful. I said it's sole destroying to never hear back from companies. He agreed in the end for me to send out rejection letters to candidates and also those who were interviewed and weren't successful.

Unfortunately, the above appears to be very normal nowadays. It's even more rude, when you consider an email takes a couple of minutes to type out! There's no need to type a letter out etc now!! So it's even easier for an employer!!

It depends how many applications you get - some jobs get several hundred - I think in industries where you know the application numbers are high then it’s accepted common practice not to expect a rejection email at the application stage.

After an interview it’s rude though.

Id just give them a call today, keep it light and friendly and ask if you can have some feedback. At least you know and can move on. Sending an email giving your opinion isn't ideal if you're looking for work. But I can understand needing to know and agree after a face to face interview there should be a follow up.

You don't know what happened, one of the hiring managers could have had an emergency straight after your interview for all we know.

Or something happened at the company that put recruiting on the back burner (sounds like a small place). Sometimes at small businesses recruitment is almost like a side quest "oh shit we need to make a decision". I've seen this before. And is it lazy? Yes. But it happens. That's the way I see it anyway.

This would be weird and achieve the square root of nothing.

are you currently unemployed @LindorDoubleChoc ?

They always know straight after the first interview if you are successful or not. You have to learn to sell yourself.

This happened to me in december and it's a big company in legal education.

They said I would find out by the end of december and I gave them grace for the holidays and then I emailed them mid january, it wasn't a generic email, it was a specific person who had interviewed me and i asked when they would let me know, and I never heard back...

not true

You could have a very strong candidate
and then someone else comes along even stronger

They should be letting people know either way, especially when only a small number. It’s possible that they’ve offered the job to someone and they are thinking about it, so they don’t want to tell everyone the outcome just yet incase they need to offer to someone else. Or just possible other priorities have overtaken, a crisis or something. Although it’s incredibly important to those applying for a job, for the recruiter it’s a lot of admin and if something more important kicks off, recruitment will drop to lower priority.

I wouldn't wait, just politely chase now. If you've not got it you won't lose anything and if they're just disorganised it might get an answer. If they want to offer you the job they won't suddenly change their minds because you chased it up when they're late.

sounds like they had a lucky escape…

Do email them to politely require about the outcome. Do not email them to let them know your opinion. It's a small world. You never know when paths cross again. Always, always leave making a good impression.

YANBU in saying it's just not nice letting people wait on the final answer and never coming back with any kind of it. A simple email that says thanks for your time but we decided to go with another candidate wouldn't be a huge burden on them but it would be respectful for the candidates' time. Sadly, never hearing back if you weren't chosen seems like a norm which it absolutely shouldn't be.

I am saddened by the number of posters queuing up to defend employer's shoddy treatment of candidates. How hard is it to send a quick 'thanks but no thanks' rejection email - not hard at all. I can see no defence for ghosting people who have gone to the trouble of preparing for and attending an interview.

Some people are so forelock tugging and desperate to lick the bosses boots it is like a pathology. You see it in the Royal Family threads too - innate deference and servility to anyone with a wee bit power.

My guess OP? You're not their first choice, but still in the running. Be bright and breezy if you do email back.

Are you genuinely feeling “saddened” @EnterQueene ?

That would be quite foolish when you’re looking for a job. Don’t burn your bridges for some short-term sating of your anger.

Yup - I am saddened by the servile class deference that seems to be part of our national character - aren't you?

Not unusual unfortunately. A few years ago I went for an entry level, face to face interview. I thought it went well - but no word from the employer. I sent a couple of emails and tried calling - nothing. Then out of the blue, 6 months (!) later I had an email saying I hadn’t been offered the position.

We absolutely contact the unsuccessful interviewees, and give individual feedback, but only once we have a formal acceptance of the role by one of the candidates! And for the reasons I and others have explained, that can take longer than expected. I tell candidates at the end of the interview when they might expect to hear from us, but not to worry if it takes a bit longer as we have a number of processes to go through, but we will be in touch to let them know one way or the other.

Always shocks me how many people work in recruitment departments, or as they now call it, "talent acquisition" and yet NO ONE can write and say "regretfully you were not successful". I have been working since the late 90s and trust me I have had my share of this behaviour!

I have also been made to wait (without being told to, you just get to know when to give them space) and then they sometimes apologise for the delay and tell you that you DID get the job.

Would I bite off my nose to spite my face if they took ages to get back to me but said yes? No. I can't recall ever turning a job down because they were late in telling me I got the job.

Have I ever gone on an interview, knew that I wouldn't enjoy the environment, and then not got the role and been happy about it? For absolute sure.

Yes, I have absolutely had my fair share of being ghosted after interviews, and the worst for this is 3rd party recruiters. They drop you like a hot brick if you don't get the role and never speak to you again.

Not in the slightest. Not even a teeny tiny bit of me 😆

It took over a week for me to find out if I had got the position I recently applied for and 2 weeks later I'm still waiting for a contract, sometimes it all takes awhile I'm afraid. I understand the waiting is horrible though.