Have I been ghosted?

[PinkTonic]

A external recruiter came to me re a senior role. I liked the look of it so made myself available for 1st and 2nd stage interviews in the same week. Both went very well and I was told they wanted to hold 3rd stage and wrap up the process by end of following week. I’ve heard nothing since 2nd interview which is now 11 days ago. I rang the recruiter last Friday and left a message but he hasn’t responded. I assume it’s dead in the water and am not inclined to chase him again, but wtf! I am tempted to message the hiring VP on LinkedIn and let him know that the recruiter they’ve used hasn’t had the courtesy to let me know the outcome, which reflects poorly on the organisation. Would you assume you’d been ghosted at this stage?

He might have been off with his kids for half term and not answering his personal phone. Just send an email. It’s always better to do that than ring so there is a paper trail.

to me it sounds like a no
and he is a coward not to tell you

Honestly, recruiters are all over you especially when the role pays £150k. I’m ready to bet you’ve been ghosted as the job has gone to someone else and they are too cowardly to/not interested to tell you. Sorry OP, please keep us updated but I know the drill unfortunately

I've been in similar but it turned out to be a variety of problems with hiring freezes, manager changes and poor company to recruiter communication.
I was successful at 2 stage interview then everything went off the boil. I saw same position re advertised months later so phoned up to explain I had in theory already been offered that job and I still wanted it. The recruiter remembered me and sorted it all out. I've been there ever since.

I think it's bad business practice and unprofessional to have left you hanging. If you'd put in an application and not got to interview stage, possibly it would be fair enough, but you've had 2 interviews, I think legally you're entitled to feedback.

And if this recruiter thinks he is going to have any future with potential clients who suit roles, he's going to have to do a lot better with his people skills.

I would be enraged as well, actually.

I have no suggestions as to what to do in an active sense - I agree don't contact him again. I think contacting the company might look a bit intense / sour grapes so would also avoid that.

This for sure. Very common.

I once interviewed for a job got told they were still making a decision. Didnt hear anything for weeks so gave up.

Two mo ths later got a call breezy as anything saying I had got the job! Declined because I found something else and I pushed and they admitted they had offered someone else but it didnt work out

I agree you’d be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you didn’t at least send a follow-up email. All it needs to say is “Just checking you received my voicemail of the 31st” or similar. If, after that, you don’t hear, you can reassess, but at the moment it seems like you’re giving up a bit easily.

I don’t know what my age has to do with it? I’ve been in my current role 2 years, and was at the company before that for 3.5 years. Both times the external recruiters contacted me. I wasn’t looking to move at the moment but I would for this role.

I’m actively job hunting right now and I cannot begin to describe the shit show it is.

Ive been ghosted more times than I can count. Including getting a verbal offer and the poof… I’ve done 1,2,3 interviews and then never hear from them again.

Its utterly soul destroying.

Let’s not even talk about the AI chop 10 minutes after you apply for the job. Clearly no person checked my transferable skills.

Its depressing.

Same happened to DH a few months ago at a large company but internal recruiter - was given a business plan to prepare after the second interview but then ghosted and no date for the third interview followed.

Quite possible the recruiter doesn't listen to voicemails - I never do. Email them then assume you have been ghosted if no response.

You sound disproportionately angry and I suspect it is more to do with the fact that you know you are not the preferred candidate. They are clearly keeping you warm whilst sorting things out with the preferred candidate, but not doing a very good job of keeping you warm. Do not contact the company directly, aside from being embarrassing, you are potentially cutting off your chances if things don't work out with the preferred candidate. Can you not accept that these things need to be a little fluid and are not always linear? And be patient?

How dare you call righteous anger "flouncing"
Talk about misogyny. Shame on you.

Honestly I think you’re overreacting. Just send the recruiter an email. Voicemails can easily get missed, I wouldn’t see that as on the same level as sending across a chase email. You’re not at the stage where you need to report the recruiter to the employer and tell them how badly this all reflects on them etc. That makes you look bad.

It doesn’t matter that the role pays £150k, if anything I think that means it’s less likely you get interview feedback. Regardless of the salary, generally when you’ve had an impressive interview they tend to progress you pretty quickly

if anything, I’d say the salary and combination of you not hearing back, suggests things didn’t go as well as you think. It could be the case that they intend to send a rejection or have you as a reserve candidate, because again employers tend to move more quickly with impressive candidates. Whereas you’re getting the 5-10 working day speed…

To be honest I don’t see why the age comments are relevant- not all young people are immature. I’m in my 20s and disagree with OP’s approach, I don’t think your generalisations about “young people immature/flouncing” holds true.

What is ironic about it?

Saying something is "ironic" without detailing WHAT isn't clever, it's just an empty statement.

I'm not the OP you realize.

I’ve emailed the recruiter asking for an update. Didn’t get his OOO so we’ll see if he replies.

@Ducklove this is in the Work topic, not AIBU

You're wrong. Nobody is "legally" entitled to anything!

It's best practice, yes, it's professional, yes but it's absolutely not a legal requirement.

The job market is brutal at the moment and it's a buyers market.

👍

Let us know what happens OP!

I think I'd have been inclined to leave the ball in their court a bit longer - I don't know what size the organisation is but bigger ones in particular can move quite slowly even when keen... My last set of interviews took 3 months in total due to various absences, work busy periods etc. But now they know you are definitely keen and hopefully they will respond soon one way or another

Calm down.

It's bad manners, yes, but it would be bad manners whether it were for a £150k job or a £25k one. You're not enttitled to better treatment because of your salary bracket. It could also be, as PPs suggest, that they're waiting for another candidate and keeping you on the hook, which isn't exactly flattering, but that's business.

I'd be cautious about pissing off recruiters. IME everything goes through them now and there are only a few in each field that get the really good jobs. You have no idea what their relationships with HR/Talent Managers in your market are, it'd be foolish to go badmouthing them.

As some reference points - current employer wouldn’t dream of leaving anyone with no contact for 11 days after interview.

Previous employer, responding in any way shape or form in 11 days would have been mindblowingly fast.