Bizarre Interview Scenario

[Callace]

Okay, maybe this isn't unheard of, but has anyone ever been in an interview situation like this?:

1. You get a phone interview. HR sounds impressed.

2. During the actual interview, you learn that there is only one other candidate left and most of the time is spent on giving you a tour/orientation.

3. HR acts very, very pleased. They say that you most likely will have the job and that they will notify you by the end of the week.

4. It is now the following week. Not only has HR not contacted you, but they will not answer your calls. You leave a message and wait.

And wait...

Keep in mind this is a small, personal, and friendly establishment, not a large company where files and people get lost.

What the hell!?

Update: received a response that the HR department was swamped and that they were just getting around to the background check.

[Drakain]

You left a message and they didn't respond?

You probably didn't get the job.

[Callace]

You left a message and they didn't respond?

You probably didn't get the job.

I don't understand how they went from treating me like it was in the bag to not responding.

[Gheld]

I don't understand how they went from treating me like it was in the bag to not responding.

Well any time you waste trying to understand can be better spent looking elsewhere for another opportunity.

[Callace]

Well any time you waste trying to understand can be better spent looking elsewhere for another opportunity.

It matters though because I need to know what went wrong so I can adapt.

[Samania]

It could be that you didn't do anything wrong. More likely, something about the other candidate just impressed them more.

[Callace]

It could be that you didn't do anything wrong. More likely, something about the other candidate just impressed them more.

There's no way. They specifically told me that I was "way ahead" of the other candidate. Those exact words. And that they only needed to interview them as a formality. Why would they sugarcoat it so much only to drop contact altogether?

[Drakain]

I don't understand how they went from treating me like it was in the bag to not responding.

I can.

The fact is professionalism is actually quite rare.

Consider the issue from their perspective. They just want a new employee to help them make money. Every interview is geared towards that goal. Once they've made their decision, they don't really care all the much about the people they didn't choose because they don't have to work with them.

Now, ideally, they extend you some professional courtesy and inform you what their decision is promptly. I know that's what I would do. However, my experience has been that businesses, particularly small businesses, don't really follow through on those kinds of promises. From an HR perspective, they might not like giving people bad news (heh - you'd think HR would be use to something like that) or are simply to busy to care.

Anyway, I wish you luck and I hope I'm wrong and that you got the job you wanted.

[sinkline]

I don't understand how they went from treating me like it was in the bag to not responding.

I was once on an interview that I thought went really well until the end.. when I got the impression that the HR guy was just using me to look busy until it was time for him to go home.

[Drakain]

It matters though because I need to know what went wrong so I can adapt.

Don't assume you didn't get the job because there was something wrong with you. My experience is that most people who do job interviews don't know what they're doing, anyway.

[Callace]

I can.

The fact is professionalism is actually quite rare.

Consider the issue from their perspective. They just want a new employee to help them make money. Every interview is geared towards that goal. Once they've made their decision, they don't really care all the much about the people they didn't choose because they don't have to work with them.

Now, ideally, they extend you some professional courtesy and inform you what their decision is promptly. I know that's what I would do. However, my experience has been that businesses, particularly small businesses, don't really follow through on those kinds of promises. From an HR perspective, they might not like giving people bad news (heh - you'd think HR would be use to something like that) or are simply to busy to care.

Anyway, I wish you luck and I hope I'm wrong and that you got the job you wanted.

It's frustrating because there's a good possibility that my background check is still pending (which is clean), and that they haven't notified me yet because of that.

I have no idea what's going on. And I can't afford to assume that they dropped contact because I'm not getting the job yet.

[thefinalwarden]

There's no way. They specifically told me that I was "way ahead" of the other candidate. Those exact words. And that they only needed to interview them as a formality. Why would they sugarcoat it so much only to drop contact altogether?

Places will say a great many things and all you can do is send them a thank you letter for your time. Small, large, it doesn't really matter really. I have been told similar things that I would be a great person for the job, only to find out that they wanted someone else. It happens. If they don't respond to a thank you letter for the interview, all you can do is move on. It's less of adapting and more of just plowing on through.

[Callace]

Don't assume you didn't get the job because there was something wrong with you. My experience is that most people who do job interviews don't know what they're doing, anyway.

So I'm just subject to randomness? That's kind of discouraging. Especially because I was so far ahead of the rest of the field (the other single candidate).

[Deleted]

It's frustrating because there's a good possibility that my background check is still pending (which is clean), and that they haven't notified me yet because of that.

I have no idea what's going on. And I can't afford to assume that they dropped contact because I'm not getting the job yet.

Any chance you can go to the company and meet the HR in person?

Question also is/becomes: do you want to work for a company that treats you like that?

[Neurodilation]

I've had situations just like this happen to me more times than I care to remember. Just because you think it's in the bag doesn't mean it is. Just because they say you're way ahead doesn't mean you really are. Just because they seem to like you a lot doesn't mean they don't like the other person more. When they don't call, it's usually because you lost and they don't care. I once had to harass a company a few times by phone and e-mail before they would call me back to let me know I didn't get the job. They gave me the spiel and hung up on me so fast, I didn't even get a chance to ask how I could improve. And the process leading up to that point went just like you described too.

Welcome to an employer-controlled economy where acing interviews and getting jobs are like winning rigged carnival games.

[Callace]

Any chance you can go to the company and meet the HR in person?

I could go to the front desk and ask for admission, they wouldn't necessarily invite me back to the office, but they would at least talk to me.

To be honest, I'd rather save the gas money and wait. They've called and emailed me before. I know them on a first name basis. But now it's

*whoosh* dead air.

[jb247]

Substitute "relationship" for interview, and "woman" for HR, and this sounds about right.

[Callace]

Substitute "relationship" for interview, and "woman" for HR, and this sounds about right.

The interview was conducted by two ladies. Yes, it is very reminiscent of that...

---------- Post added 2012-06-11 at 07:44 PM ----------

I've had a 100% interview success rate until now. Now I might have to figure out what the new tally is...

[IxilaFA]

It's frustrating because there's a good possibility that my background check is still pending (which is clean), and that they haven't notified me yet because of that.

I have no idea what's going on. And I can't afford to assume that they dropped contact because I'm not getting the job yet.

Background checks, unless you're talking about a top-secret clearance, do not actually take long to process. When I applied for my background check (with a gaming authority, which means LOTS of fact-checking) it was done within a matter of days. Also, they did it after extending me a job offer. It doesn't cost them much if the background check fails before you really start work, because then they can just contact the other guy.

Really though, don't waste your time on jobs you didn't get. If you call them and ask what went wrong, they are unlikely to give you an actual answer, especially if they found out something about the other candidate that impressed them more or made it a better choice to go with them.

I don't mean to place the blame on you, but did they actually tell you any of those things, or did they just give you the impression? I've interviewed for a ton of jobs and have gotten all of those job offers except one. I've never had a company tell me that I was very likely to get a job, or that interviewing other candidates was merely a formality. It's usually the same canned response: "We have a few more interviews to conduct and then we will get back with you."

But really, don't worry about it and don't worry about how you should adjust. There very well could've been nothing wrong with your interview. When it comes down to picking people based on personality, the only thing that's going to land you a job is being confident, calm, and BE YOURSELF.

[Deleted]

I could go to the front desk and ask for admission, they wouldn't necessarily invite me back to the office, but they would at least talk to me.

To be honest, I'd rather save the gas money and wait. They've called and emailed me before. I know them on a first name basis. But now it's

*whoosh* dead air.

Doesn't waiting technically cost you more money, as you have 1 less job than you could have? (don't know your exact situation)

But yes, this seems to leave you with the choice between:

1. a chance on knowing how to improve and less time spent waiting

2. more gas (means more money), curiosity and a lot of free time.