Is it usual for the private business sector to take a long time from giving a sucessful candidate

[Anonymumandlikeit]

A starting date?

My db has recently graduated and following a lengthy interview and selection process was the sucessful candidate for a graduate training scheme with a well known company.

I work in the public sector and following getting a job the start dates and confirmation and contract have all been prettty speedy.

db was interviewed a month ago and received an e-mail to say he had been sucessful.After hearing nothing for a week he e-mailed the company back who told him the person who dealt with the hr stuff was away onholiday for a week.That was 3 weeks ago and he hasn't heard anytrhing else.

He has been in bed with the pig flu for a week and a half,and has yet again e-mailed them but with no reply.Is this lengthy silence a normal thing for private business or should he be getting concerned?

I have suggested he tries to find the company phone no and ring their hr people,or would this be too pushy?

All previous correspondence has been done by e-mail.

I'd be very concerned - has he not had a contract ?

This happened to a friend - accepted a job, put her flat on the market to relocate, was fobbed off on start date a few times. Then they told her that, actually, they didn't need her after all

Oh CMOT

i really really hope this isn't the case for db

He has had 4 other interviews where he has got to the top 8 or so usually out of a 1000 or so applicants (has a good degree and has worked and taught abroad as part of it,is linguist and business grad) He was sosso made up about finally being told he was sucessful

i just wondered if it were different in private sector as the public sector,depite their many faults,are actually very onthe ball about recruitment stuff.

What kind of company is it and how large? Remember that it's school hols, and HR lady may be having trouble getting the right people to sign offer letters and whatnot.

Don't panic yet - he should ring them, of course it's not pushy, and politely ask them what's going on.

It is a VERY large company.A global one.Think delivery but not the post office!

Thanks WFHIT.

It is just that it is so tough out there atm,so he is thinking all sorts atm.He has no contract,just e-mail confirming he is sucessful,which obv he has saved to hard drive.

Some large companies have incredibly inefficient HR departments - or centralised ones, which take forever to get offer letters etc out. Honestly, I wouldn't panic yet.

My last job the organisation took over a month to get the paperwork out to me - because the guy that offered me the job took his time giving HR the details, and then they were the slowest department ever! I was climbing the walls..

Good luck to your DB!

Thank you.That has set my mind at rest a little.Am tempted to e-mail thread to db but then I would have to namechange yet again

He was very low tonight when I rang him poor love.He is my youngest sib and a lot younger,I hate seeing him so sad.

IME yes, it can take time. My last job was at a very large bank and it took then 2 months to get the paperwork to me and give me a start date. Very crap!

If it's a large organisation they could be figuring out where in the company he's going to go.

He should give them a call, though, won't do any harm.