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Original poster

Waiting to hear from interview - should I give up hope?

21 replies

Mikkelsmum · 05/03/2022 16:27

So I went for an interview last Monday morning with a big bank. The interview went really well and went on for an hour and a half. They seemed really interested in what I had to say and the questions and answers flowed.

At the end of the interview I told them that I was moving away from the city so I would prefer to come up once every two weeks, rather than every week. They didn't seem against it and talked a bit about how they could make it work.

All in all very positive. They told me I would hear back from HR that week.

The job itself is very specialised and there wouldn't be too many people qualified to do it. They didn't give me any indication if they were interviewing any one else or anything.

I thought I would hear by COB yesterday, but nothing. The policy in their website is to get back to candidates within 4 days of the interview.

I figure there's no hope and I should just move on. Any thoughts welcome though!

OP posts:

DarlingCoffee · 05/03/2022 17:02

Don’t jump the gun OP there may be a justifiable reason why they haven’t come back to you yet. Why don’t you send them a follow up email? There’s no harm in being proactive

mdh2020 · 05/03/2022 17:34

I once had an interview at a very big company and never heard back. I phoned them and it turned out that my file was misplaced on a window ledge and they wanted to offer me a job.

Nsky · 05/03/2022 17:38

You could phone up and ask why

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 05/03/2022 18:45

Thanks guys, I appreciate your replies!!

Good idea about the follow up call / email.

@mdh2020 - God almighty! I hope that's not the case!!

OP posts:

glasslightly · 06/03/2022 07:13

I work at a big bank, would frankly be a miracle if we managed to get back to anyone within four days!

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 07/03/2022 04:22

Thanks @glasslightly, I also thought a four day turn around was quick, especially given they published their results last week and the Ukraine crisis.

Fingers crossed!

OP posts:

MissDynamite23 · 07/03/2022 04:38

It may well be that they’ve offered to the first choice and you’re next in line if they don’t accept. I think 4 days is a long time to keep someone waiting. They only times I would delay feeding back is if I’ve offered and am waiting for acceptance before rejecting the rest, or if I’m interviewing over a long period. I’m usually very clear at interviews about the time periods involved though.

Personally, as a general rule around interviewing, I’d hold on asking for special/flexible requests until offered a job. The interview is not the place for this. Once offered the job, then you have the opportunity to negotiate, knowing you’re the preferred candidate.

Maybe it’s just me, but if there were two equally good candidates and one was talking about moving away and not wanting to be in the office as much as we had asked, I’d pick the other one.

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 07/03/2022 08:08

@MissDynamite23 thanks for replying. I did consider holding out until I was offered before raising the moving away aspect. But to be honest, I thought that being honest from the start was a better approach, I thought if I was interviewing someone I would prefer if they told me from the start. Maybe I was wrong to mention it at the interview. Maybe I should have waited.

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts on it.

OP posts:

glasslightly · 07/03/2022 08:36

I think you did the right thing. I think there is a difference between what you would need and someone who needs a smaller degree of flexibility (ie WFH a couple of days per week). I would be significantly underwhelmed by anyone who raised something as significant as that late in the interview process/ after offer.

Don't underestimate the level of bureaucracy that has to go into an outcome to an interview process in any large organisation. Take into account that the team who is hiring is probably under resourced and doing their day job whilst interviewing.

girlmom21 · 07/03/2022 08:39

It's only an extra day. Someone in HR might've had the day off and the interviewer didn't know, or they might be trying to move some things around to accommodate your request.

ninnynonny · 07/03/2022 08:55

Similar here. Had an interview 2 weeks ago today and have heard nothing despite them saying they would be back to me by the end of the week.
I emailed them on Saturday as I think it is quite rude. It's easy to send an email saying 'we're still deciding' or similar (small charity).
It actually makes them not want to work for them!

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 07/03/2022 10:26

@glasslightly yeah, that's what I thought. I thought if I was interviewing someone with particular requirements, not only would I be grateful if they were honest from the start, but I would be annoyed if they weren't. I would appreciate the honesty and actually respect them more for it.

But I can see both sides, I guess, anyway, it's done now!!

@girlmom21 - you're right. I guess it's hard not to read all sorts of everything into it!!

@ninnynonny - oh no, hopefully you'll hear soon!! I understand why it would put you off them for sure. That's a seriously long time to wait!!

OP posts:

girlmom21 · 07/03/2022 10:27

It's definitely much easier to see clearly as an outsider! I hope you get some good news today!

Asiama · 07/03/2022 10:33

OP, almost the same thing happened to me! I gave up and started applying and interviewing for other job, and a month later they came back to offer me the role. Turns out the line manager's husband suddenly died so she was off with bereavement and they couldn't move forward without them.

Hopefully nothing as awful has happened in your case but I think no news is still good news!

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 07/03/2022 14:38

Thanks @girlmom21!

Thanks @Asiama. You're right, anything could have happened! Hopefully no news is good news. Nothing yet anyway.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 08/03/2022 15:10

I still haven't heard anything, even sending an email. It's a bit annoying, but my guess is they have offered the job to someone else and they are waiting for them to accept before sending me a rejection email.

Oh well, onwards and upwards. It's just a bit annoying, because part of me is still hoping! I would like to just draw a line underneath it!

OP posts:

Asiama · 13/03/2022 10:03

I understand and really wanted closure too so I could move on to look for another job. Hopefully you will hear soon either way.

froggybiby · 13/03/2022 16:55

I had an interview on 17th January and I was informed, I would know by the following week or the one after at the latest (which is long enough) if I was through to the next round. I sent a thank you email on 28th, explaining I was still interested and thanking them....well despite knowing the interview went very well, I still did not hear anything until....11th February! By this time I had accepted another position, which I much prefered anyway as it is within 20mns drive from home or less outside rush hours! Although I understood one of the ladies who was interviewing is based in another country, taking so long to make up their mind means that they would have to start the process all over again!

Original poster

Mikkelsmum · 14/03/2022 10:49

Thanks @Asiama and @froggybiby!

I still haven't heard anything, even after sending a follow up. To be honest I think it's really disrespectful. I am very senior in what I do, and I would have expected a bit more respect. Not that you have to be senior to be entitled to respect. Everyone is. But I'm just really shocked.

I'm still searching, I'm happy enough where I am, I just want something that would allow me to move away from the city!

Anyway, I'll let you know if they cone back to me!! And in the meantime I will keep looking.

OP posts:

IngenueGinny · 14/03/2022 11:01

It's terribly disrespectful.

Babyroobs · 14/03/2022 16:41

@Mikkelsmum

Thanks *@Asiama and @froggybiby*!

I'm still searching, I'm happy enough where I am, I just want something that would allow me to move away from the city!

Anyway, I'll let you know if they cone back to me!! And in the meantime I will keep looking.

It is terrible. I had this the other week ( NHS ). I've worked in the NHS in various roles for more than 30 years but they couldn't even let me know I had not got the role and the first I knew about it was when I saw the role re-advertised. It is so hurtful. They don't care. Good luck in your job hunt.

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