AIBU to think this is pretty poor form (job interview related)

77 replies

Itsmeanttobesummer · Yesterday 13:09

Went for a job interview last Tuesday. Bit of a long story but the interviews were being held in central London, despite the role not being located there.

I know from where the role is located that none of the candidates, including myself live in or near central London.

For me, it was 3 hours on a train each way which cost me £78 return. All day travelling, days preparing for the interview etc, time off work.

I’ve heard nothing so I’m assuming I didn’t get the role, which is fine but AIBU to think it’s really poor form dragging people down for an interview (which in hindsight, they really could’ve just done over Teams) hours from where they live, knowing that it would’ve cost them a lot of time and money, only to not even be bothered to tell them they haven’t got the job?

I chased yesterday and haven’t heard anything.

Is this what the job market is like nowadays?! I wouldn’t be bothered if it had been a local interview that was an hour of my time and a fiver in fuel or whatever, but this really wasn’t and it makes me angry they can’t even be arsed to email and say ‘sorry, you’ve not been successful’ over a week later!

OP posts:

aCatCalledFawkes · Today 11:21

browneyes77 · Today 11:08

Well quite.

I can honestly say in my 25+ years of recruiting, I have never had several back up candidates. I may have one additional candidate that did well at interview and passed but was just pipped at the post, that I can tell that to and offer them another role as soon as one becomes available. But I’ve never had 3 or 4 candidates that I’ll go through if the one before declines an offer.

Where I work, we pride ourselves on ensuring candidates have a good experience and if there’s any hold up in decisions/the process they are contacted by me. But that’s because there is communication with the candidate all the way through the process.

I don’t choose the final interview outcome but I am fully responsible for the entire recruitment and shortlisting process and ensuring Hiring Managers know the process and how to interview. I also challenge my Hiring Managers pretty hard if they’re dragging their feet and tell them to give me something to go back to the candidate with, so they have some communication from us.

And if a candidate is successful and they’ve had a really positive experience, they’re far more likely to refer colleague’s to the business also. Lots of businesses seem to forget how powerful word of mouth is.

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I was actually interviewed for a part time retail job for high end fashion (which I'm glad now I didn't get), I have to say that shop has a more strategic focus on how to interview and the interview process than a lot of places I have interviewed for, and they take pride in the process.
Lots of senior managers saying they invest in people, well obviously not courses on how to interview. Fine if your company is informal, baffling if you say you hold high recruitment standards.

browneyes77 · Today 11:52

aCatCalledFawkes · Today 11:21

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Ironically the industry I work in is retail.

The people you interview aren’t just potential employees, they’re potential customers too.
So I think for that reason we do take a bit more of a focus on the recruitment process, getting it right and ensuring people have a positive experience.

It simply boils down to how would you like to be treated. Then applying that to how you treat others. It’s not difficult, but clearly some companies struggle with that concept!

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