There's something particularly discourteous about interviewing someone for a job and then never contacting them again.
Consider what goes into preparing for an interview.
The applicant researches the company, reviews the position, prepares answers to questions, adjusts their schedule, and makes themselves available to meet with the employer.
Sometimes that means taking time away from an existing job. Sometimes it means arranging childcare or making other personal accommodations.
Then there's the interview itself.
The candidate meets with the recruiter, hiring manager, or perhaps several members of the organization. They answer questions, discuss their qualifications, and explain why they're interested in the opportunity.
They may even be invited back for a second or third interview.
And then?
Complete. Radio. Silence.
No telephone call. No email. No text message. No explanation. No nothing but glaring silence.
How does a company justify asking someone to invest that much time and effort and then not bother telling them the outcome?
Nobody is suggesting that an interview guarantees a job offer.
Applicants understand that employers have decisions to make, that there are several people under consideration for the position and that someone else may be better suited to the position.
That's part of looking for work. Everyone gets that.
But once a company has personally interviewed someone, the relationship has moved beyond an application sitting in a database or a pile on a desk somewhere.
People have met. Conversations have taken place. Time has been invested on both sides.
Doesn’t that deserve the common courtesy of a response?
And what about the recruiter who says, "We'll be in touch by Friday"?
Friday comes and goes. Then another week passes. Then another.
The applicant begins to wonder “Friday of what year?”
If the decision has been delayed, say so. If someone else has been selected, say so.
Don't make promises about communication that you have no intention of keeping.
An applicant who has taken the time and effort to interview deserves to know when the process has ended.
That's not asking for special treatment.
It's asking for the same professional manners that the company expects from applicants. How about extending those manners back to the applicants?
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Maureen McCullough is a veteran resume writer with over 25 years experience in the field, serving clients nationwide. With a deep understanding of hiring, job searching, nationwide job markets and candidate needs - she offers resume writing for all levels from entry level to executive and C-Suite.
In addition, she offers candidate value proposition services which improve what candidates bring to the table. These include career strategy, career transition, career development, executive coaching and consulting, interview preparation and LinkedIn profile optimization.
She is the creator of the exclusive FAR → Foundation → Accomplish → Rebrand™ executive career strategy framework which gives executive clients our best possible flagship service for their career advancement.
She is also the creator of the Resume Job Match Review, a sophisticated yet extremely practical structured analytical framework based on her own proprietary software which compares your résumé against job descriptions you wish to apply for, helping you cut down on mismatches.
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