Not being offered a second interview

[christinarossetti19]

Is it usual to be informed that you're not going to be offered a second interview?

Not a recruiter, small organisation, so bit unsettled to not even receive a 'thanks but no thanks' email.

Believe it or not, it's polite. Most places just ghost candidates these days. It means you are not kept waiting.

Yes, I do think it would be polite!

I thought the interview went well, and I really wanted the job, so feeling pretty gutted tbh.

It's horrible but I always think - do I really want to work for an organisation that cares so little about its potential workforce?

Sorry, OP, it's a tough job market out there right now. I hope you find the right job soon!

It would be a basic courtesy for them to let you know the outcome when you've given up your time to attend an interview. It probably signifies that they don't have much respect for people, so think of it as a lucky escape!

Yes, agree with PP. Remember, the interview is just as much about you assessing them, as they are assessing you.

I've recently gone through this process, so I feel for you. You'll find something, it's just a matter of time.

If it's any comfort, OP, I've been rejected from tons of jobs in recent months, but the one that I was finally offered was way better (in terms of career, salary, job title etc) than any of the ones that I didn't get. I'm therefore grateful for all of the rejections because, although they were difficult at the time, they led me to a much better opportunity in the end! Hopefully it will be the same for you.

OP- have you asked for feedback? They will likely just say 'someone with more experience etc' but worth asking. They may already have someone ear marked internally for the role, but have to take external candidates as a tick box exercise. best of luck.

Small organisation here - we always let candidates know - but giving useful but kind feedback is the tricky thing for us (we're getting better at it), and just in case someone gets upset, it needs to be signed off by the boss, who is often incredibly busy - we still manage to do it though because it matters.

Thanks for your responses.

I'm just about to email to ask whether a decision has been made about a second interview. They had said by yesterday, and it's now very definitely not yesterday. Can't quite work out how to word it though.

I'm not going to ask for feedback. The last time I did that, I was told that I didn't seem to know much about the field that I've been working in for 25 years which knocked my confidence sideways for months.

They are a day late with the decision - I don't think you can assume it's been made - I'd leave it till Friday.

Also, how do you get better at interviews?

Online is so difficult, but it's difficult for everyone, so it can't be just that.

Ok, definitely wait to get in touch, they will know that they are late in replying and hopefully will be apologetic about that.

Getting better at interviews takes practice. I endured 28 interviews before I secured my current position, and I was definitely better at the end than I was at the beginning.

I wouldn’t worry quite yet. Often decisions on who to take forward can require various inputs.

Tbh in recent (online) recruitment I’ve been doing candidates fell into 3 buckets after 1st interview

• not suitable - reject
• best suitable candidates, perhaps 2 - see for 2nd interview
• liked but but others currently stronger - don’t actively reject but manage - see how 2nd interviews pan out and perhaps bring in if no winner has emerged b

I wouldn't assume a decision has been made yet either.

DS2 had an interview in September & was told they would be making a decision within the week. 5 weeks later he received an e-mail offering him the job! His manager had made to wait for the final authority to recruit form to come through before he could make anyone an offer.

I did send a very brief, friendly email saying that I was wondering whether a decision had been made yet.

Given that they'd said they'd let people know yesterday and that the second interview date is this week, I think it's fair enough and shows ongoing interest in the position.

Yep, just received email - no second interview.

This is so hard. I no longer fit in the work area that I've done for 25 years, but don't seem to fit in anywhere else either.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear it.

Keep going, OP. There's something out there for you. This is a numbers game, more than anything else.

Applying for work is a bitch.

I have applied for various jobs on indeed lately, and they send you a summary of what you’ve applied for that week and underneath each company it states how long they typically take to get back to candidates. I applied for one, and underneath it said: “based on experience with this company, you are unlikely to ever hear from them again.”

I had an interview this morning and although I think it went well I’m already waiting for the rejection. I was sent an email telling me that I was in the reserve category for interviews i.e. I wasn’t going to be offered one but they would let me know if anything changed. Then they offered me an interview. I suspect someone cocked up there so I am fully expecting a rejection.

But it’s soul destroying.

It's totally soul destroying.

I've been self-employed for a long time and, despite it being a very high profile field, at the moment my work has dried up and I haven't been able to generate more.

The bit of work that I do have is extremely stressful and poorly paid, which isn't doing my confidence any good at all.

Ah, OP, it's shit. I'm sure you'll find something eventually though. I had almost given up hope and then everything suddenly fell into place!

I’m sorry OP. I’m job hunting too and feeling like I don’t fit anywhere either. It’s tough. I get carried away in my head when I apply for things, I over-invest and throw myself into it in my imagination. It’s hard trying to stay positive when you’re told thanks but no thanks. It was rude of them to keep you hanging and make you ask.

Yes, I agree that it was rude not to let candidates know that they weren't successful when the decision was made.

It was a very friendly and nice email, offering a brief chat, but I won't be asking for feedback for the reasons I gave above.

I’m in the same boat OP. Job Interview number 16 for me tomorrow...5 of those interviews have been 2nd interviews, so I am presuming that I am good but just not good enough. And because lots of unemployed people in my sector are applying for things, it means that employers have more choice. It’s rubbish though. I am currently waiting for 3 companies to get back to me about previous interviews. When they say they will get back to me by a certain date, I have realised that they mean they will get back to the selected candidate by that date, whilst the others wait until the final selected person agrees a contract, the remainder are just ghosted until that time.

BakedBeeeen my sincerely commiserations. Utterly miserable for you.

The ghosting is particularly horrible.

For one of the jobs that I didn't get (and realised during the interview that I wasn't sure that I wanted), the interviewer took the time to call me the next day and offered me feedback question by question. Their courtesy was very appreciated, especially as the 'correct' answer to one question wasn't what I truly believe in so it sort of confirmed that it wasn't the right job for me anyway.

Good luck for tomorrow - hope that this is the one for you.

Maybe it was rude or maybe it was that they are a small company and something else was going on. My Dad died the week we were interviewing - that made making recruitment deadlines particularly tough, as I'm the lead and there was no one else to do it. Good luck with the next opportunity.