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No Response After An Interview

  • Last Updated:
  • Oct 21st, 2021 5:36 pm
Member
Sep 23, 2016
284 posts
143 upvotes
I say move on and be glad that you do not have to invest your future with a company that treat you like that.

I used to work for a large well known company for almost a decade after my graduation but due to my health, I had quit my job on very good terms/transition with the company. (Yes, I could take a sick leave but I did not want to be a leech and make my team and boss affected without a replacement.)

Fast forward a year later, my old boss asked me personally to re-apply to my exact old position as he just let go my replacement for some reasons.

Because my health is better now, I applied and went through the whole HR hiring and interview process. Been almost six months and heard nothing. Asked the first time, was told they will let me know next week, nothing. Two months went by, asked again, no answers and getting ghosted by HR. Asked the third time to the boss personally after another two months, was told that he will get back to me next week...a month later, nothing.

Then today, I was told by one of my old coworkers that the position has been already filled LOL. My old boss whom I worked with for almost a decade did not even have the common decency to let me know about it. And this was for a managerial position and he was the head of the department.

What a waste of time but just want to throw out there that it even happens to people who has strong connection with the company and perfect fit for the role.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 4, 2010
7156 posts
7137 upvotes
ChrisT363328 wrote: I spent a week and a half on a take home coding project. Sent it in and didn't hear anything from them. Don't do that.
1.5 weeks? Do you think that they were just trying to get some free work done?
vince201 wrote: I say move on and be glad that you do not have to invest your future with a company that treat you like that.

I used to work for a large well known company for almost a decade after my graduation but due to my health, I had quit my job on very good terms/transition with the company. (Yes, I could take a sick leave but I did not want to be a leech and make my team and boss affected without a replacement.)

Fast forward a year later, my old boss asked me personally to re-apply to my exact old position as he just let go my replacement for some reasons.

Because my health is better now, I applied and went through the whole HR hiring and interview process. Been almost six months and heard nothing. Asked the first time, was told they will let me know next week, nothing. Two months went by, asked again, no answers and getting ghosted by HR. Asked the third time to the boss personally after another two months, was told that he will get back to me next week...a month later, nothing.

Then today, I was told by one of my old coworkers that the position has been already filled LOL. My old boss whom I worked with for almost a decade did not even have the common decency to let me know about it. And this was for a managerial position and he was the head of the department.

What a waste of time but just want to throw out there that it even happens to people who has strong connection with the company and perfect fit for the role.
Wow. Why did even bother contacting you in the first place? Honestly, this just comes down to being a decent human being - I do believe what comes around goes around. Their loss, you seem like a really thoughtful person/employee.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 18, 2004
5534 posts
2000 upvotes
Wat
You might be candidate #2 or #3.

The company is possibly waiting for acceptance from their first choice candidate before rejecting everyone else.
Deal Addict
Jun 3, 2006
1006 posts
376 upvotes
Markham
It'll vary based on employer. I work for a big 5 bank. I will communicate with anyone that I have personally interviewed. That said, regardless of who's responsible, it's common courtesy to let someone know. For clarity, I'm not talking about someone that just went through a phone screening with a recruiter. I'm talking about someone that has done an interview with the leader (or other employee).
StatsGuy wrote: In large organizations, it's upto HR to do it and hiring managers don't communicate with the applicants to follow HR policies who get really worked up if you bypass HR at any point during hiring process as it opens them up to liability (and also to be as impartial as possible and non HR people may say something that is non professional or opens up liability for company even telling applicant/interviewee they aren't suscessful and why)

I get emails from people who don't pass interviews/hiring process and they are supposed to go straight to HR

As companies bulk up their risk management practices, this seems to be one of the byproducts
Deal Addict
Jul 30, 2003
2087 posts
504 upvotes
Toronto
Very common practice for companies to not respond/acknowledge if they are not interested in hiring you. However if a company sends out an offer, even if the candidateis not interested, the company expects a response. I have seen some verbiage on an offer letter along the line of 'if no response is received within X days, you will not be considered for future applications'.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 2, 2013
5697 posts
1522 upvotes
Edmonton, AB
Don't dwell on it. Keep looking or doing your thing. Believe something when it actually happens. If they actually want you and aren't lazy about it, they will call you. You can be the most qualified person there is, but they might be too lazy to reach out to you, or decided to pay the next sucker with a fraction of your skills, a fraction of what you're worth.

That being said, typically employers don't contact their interviewees unless they want them at that moment, or want to tell them at that moment about the new job.

Larger organizations tend to be less efficient and the message has to go through more layers and people. For example, someone in X department may urgently need a new hand. But this message has to go through some manager or supervisor, and then to HR, and then to the right HR person... and so on.
Accountant (Public Practice)
Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
119 posts
99 upvotes
Calgary
hierophant wrote: 1.5 weeks? Do you think that they were just trying to get some free work done?
That's possible, but I think that's just how they choose their new hires. He said that everyone who had been hired had completed the code project given to them. He also spent half the interview on his phone, and didn't apologize. As others have mentioned, probably not a company I'd want to work for.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Dec 3, 2009
6029 posts
1391 upvotes
Toronto
StatsGuy wrote: In large organizations, it's upto HR to do it and hiring managers don't communicate with the applicants to follow HR policies who get really worked up if you bypass HR at any point during hiring process as it opens them up to liability (and also to be as impartial as possible and non HR people may say something that is non professional or opens up liability for company even telling applicant/interviewee they aren't suscessful and why)

I get emails from people who don't pass interviews/hiring process and they are supposed to go straight to HR

As companies bulk up their risk management practices, this seems to be one of the byproducts
I agree on the risk management. If the rejection communication goes out and that's it, everything is ok.

Unfortunately many candidates want lots of details and the channel remains open after the rejection. Some of the questions become too technical on how the decision was made with information the company can't give. Then the company just says the "right fit".

Telling a rejected candidate "right fit" leads to all kinds of assumptions which then leads to crying foul and at times, using the D-word.
Remember to be an RFD-er and NOT a degenerate.
Member
Feb 7, 2019
337 posts
248 upvotes
Since 2008, I would say 9/10 interviews I've been to won't bother following up with me if I didn't get the job. I normally will ask the interviewer when they will make a decision and if I don't hear back from them by then I move on. I don't bother sending a thank you email after the interview because if they want to hire you they'll reach out to you.

If you really want to hear from them you can also contact them. I did that a few time when I really needed a job and they will usually get back to me with the standard, "the role is filled" reply.
Jr. Member
Dec 6, 2009
109 posts
9 upvotes
I must be odd. I don't like the company to contact me if I wasn't selected. No courtesy decline letter please because it doesn't tell me the reason or give any suggestions.

Good luck to OP.
Deal Addict
Feb 28, 2006
4218 posts
938 upvotes
Toronto
unfortunately this is the norm. too many people applying for the same job. people told me the job application wasn't like this before 2000, i guess you could say there's too many people in canada now.

from experience if you dont hear back within a week, your application is unsuccessful

like another user said, treat this like a first date.
...
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jan 27, 2004
52935 posts
18144 upvotes
ONTARIO
sushi604 wrote: Since 2008, I would say 9/10 interviews I've been to won't bother following up with me if I didn't get the job. I normally will ask the interviewer when they will make a decision and if I don't hear back from them by then I move on. I don't bother sending a thank you email after the interview because if they want to hire you they'll reach out to you.

If you really want to hear from them you can also contact them. I did that a few time when I really needed a job and they will usually get back to me with the standard, "the role is filled" reply.
I only got a courtesy declined call back once. Your 9/10 sounds right. More like 99/100!
It seems standard to be ghosted if you didnt make it past the 1st interview… i actually thought no call back was to be expected.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Feb 4, 2015
1341 posts
878 upvotes
Yes, same thing with me. I only receive interview invitation and/or test emails. Rarely do I get notified of a rejection.

Recently, I completed and passed a technical test, got invited for an interview. Did the interview on August 4th and was told to expect a feedback by the end of last week. Nothing yet!

I already moved on, assumed I wasn't selected. Their loss!
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jun 11, 2001
9475 posts
1610 upvotes
From my experience... if they are interested they move FAST! I took a semi-break in 2018 and looked for work again in late 2020. The companies that did reach out to me I noticed they moved VERY fast after the initial contact. Usually went something like this...

1. HR initial interview, standard questions 30-45mins
2. 1-2 days later HR 2nd interview, deeper questions 45-60mins
3. 1-5 days later Hiring Manager/Manager, interviewer 45-60mins
4. 1-2 days later HR call / negotiation if they are interested 20-30mins
Last edited by sleepyguy on Aug 15th, 2021 7:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Deal Addict
Jul 21, 2011
1577 posts
2071 upvotes
Knowhere
I am talking about applying a senior job, for entry level job, the info below does not apply....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
any company give a week long homework, I usually just move on to the next company.
any company ask me to do a hour long questionnaire/question so I can be qulified to be considered just for interview, i usually just move on to the next company.

I never really ask for feedback, hardly you get your chance to speak to the hiring manager, mostly is the HR people you will be talking with, and these guys are not the decision maker, and do not have a clue of what should you have or what should you not have....

finding a job is like finding a girl, if she likes you, and you wear dirty jeans, she thinks you hot; if she does not like you, and you wear 2000$ suits, she thinks it is 100$ suits. if it not like you go ask them how is it going/whats the status, and they are going to do anything differently

just move on with your job hunting, and try not waste too much homework time BEFORE interviews are scheduled....
Deal Expert
Feb 29, 2008
21738 posts
21353 upvotes
Tarrana & The Ri…
A lot of applicants....companies flat out don't give a shit. As long as the job market is full of candidates, companies will continue to function this way.
Deal Addict
Sep 28, 2006
1769 posts
1901 upvotes
Toronto
It happens, its part of the process. I had to go through a year of them during the height of the coronavirus after I was laid off. Just keep at it, you will get something.

I keep hearing that employers are having a hard time filling jobs with the shortage of labour, and then I hear as much about them ghosting people.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 23, 2005
3499 posts
1688 upvotes
Mississauga
Hey guys,

I feel like I should give you an update. I finally got a job! I started this week and I can't believe how much I had to go through before getting here.

If there's anything that I learned about this whole process, is that applying for jobs is hard, really hard sometimes but the right job will be there for you eventually.

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