Some HR departments need a lesson in professionalism

[Reds4Life]

This is probably more of a rant, so sorry in advance.

Back in March I had an interview with a company (who will remain nameless) here in Cincinnati for a white collar position. The interview lasted 3 HOURS, and I meet with the company CFO, multiple managers, and a HR director. Things went very well, on paper I met all of the qualifications, I had high hopes. They had told me at the time it would be a few weeks before I heard anything back, so I thought no problem, at least they were upfront about it.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I haven't heard anything. I sent a follow up email to my contact in HR about the status of the position, waited a week, no response. So I decided to make a phone call, and got the HR persons voicemail and left a message. No reply.

You know, if you are going to waste 3 hours of my time for 1 interview, I think it's basic professionalism to at least reply to my email or phone call. Even if the answer is they are no longer interested, I'd like to know.

I guess that is to much to ask these days. It seems to be common, HR departments need to start practicing what they preach when it comes to professionalism.

/rant over.

[vaticanplum]

Unfortunately, I don't think this is at all uncommon. Some wonderful hard workers notwithstanding, I'm sure, HR departments are notoriously bad and unresponsive. And in this economy, many are probably quite understaffed and overworked.

March was not that long ago. I think there's a good chance they're still deciding, and want to wait until a decision is made to communicate with you further.

[oneupper]

Crazy as it may seem, the silence could be a good sign.

I've been in that situation (hiring) and you're juggling several candidates. So..you keep Mr. X on hold until you have a decision on Mrs. Y.

You don't want to tell Mr. X "you're not it" or even "we haven't decided yet".
It's not yes or no yet...so you kind of avoid it.

Granted, the HR person should be more responsive...but it's awkward for him/her without any definite input from the people making the decision (the guys who will actually HIRE you).

Think positive. Be positive. You might want to put in a call to the person who you were going to report to. Show interest. It might tip the scale.

The hiring process is always an "extra" thing that managers have to do...its not their PRIMORDAL job. Its a frickin hassle. Checking resumes...interviewing candidates. Trying to get an idea about someone in that time.
Getting a job is YOUR main job, its not theirs right now.

Calm down. This is the way the corporate world works.

[Heath]

No, unprofessionalism is a 3 hour interview and even financial packages discussed.

Then, after a two-week period, I get a call saying there's no problem, but I will have to wait until April to start. I even explained that I had another offer to respond to, but they talked me into turning it down.

I got a call yesterday. There's no job.

The other position is filled.

Obladee Obladah.

[Reds4Life]

No, unprofessionalism is a 3 hour interview and even financial packages discussed.

Then, after a two-week period, I get a call saying there's no problem, but I will have to wait until April to start. I even explained that I had another offer to respond to, but they talked me into turning it down.

I got a call yesterday. There's no job.

The other position is filled.

Obladee Obladah.

Damn man, that is bad.

[LoganBuck]

Reds4Life, my guess is you are being put on the backburner. I had that happen once when I was in college looking for an internship. Everybody else who interviewed got some sort of feedback, rejection letters within 10 days. I hadn't heard anything. I needed the position. I gave them a week and called the guy who interviewed me directly. He offered me a job right then. I later found out that I was choice number 2, choice number 1 had been dragging their feet on formal acceptance of the position.

Good luck!

[Cyclone792]

R4L, I think LB's right here. My guess is you're currently Choice #2, and right now they're attempting to zero in on Choice #1. Of course, if I were in the HR department I'd try to make a point to get back with you and at least tell you that you're still in consideration and a final decision hasn't been made yet. But as you said, HR departments are quite often stupid.

[Cyclone792]

No, unprofessionalism is a 3 hour interview and even financial packages discussed.

Then, after a two-week period, I get a call saying there's no problem, but I will have to wait until April to start. I even explained that I had another offer to respond to, but they talked me into turning it down.

I got a call yesterday. There's no job.

The other position is filled.

Obladee Obladah.

Wow, that's ridiculous. Heath, I feel for ya man because that stinks.

[Reds4Life]

R4L, I think LB's right here. My guess is you're currently Choice #2, and right now they're attempting to zero in on Choice #1. Of course, if I were in the HR department I'd try to make a point to get back with you and at least tell you that you're still in consideration and a final decision hasn't been made yet. But as you said, HR departments are quite often stupid.

I have no reason to believe that I'm choice #2, I have no idea how many people they interviewed. If I am #2, I'd be perfectly fine with them telling me that and they are waiting for an answer from thier top candidate.

I've been in a position of hiring people before, and when I was the hiring manager I made it a point to email or call the folks I interviewed. I always felt, even if it wasn't good news, it was best not to leave people hanging. If I took time out of my day to interview them, and they took time out of theirs to come to my office for an interview, it was the right thing to do.

[remdog]

One thing to remember about HR departments: They are there to protect the Company's interests! And , whether you are looking to be a new hire or you've worked there for years, they have a mandate: PROTECT THE COMPANY!

HR departments are not! on your side. They are not there to help you. They are there only to see that the company gets what it wants. Cynical? Yes. But that's my experience. And, even though I love working where I do right now, they're no better than what I've posted above.

IMO, go around HR and go right to the source. See if you can make them make a decision. Even if it's 'no' you'll be better off. At least you could move on.

Rem

[Cyclone792]

I have no reason to believe that I'm choice #2, I have no idea how many people they interviewed. If I am #2, I'd be perfectly fine with them telling me that and they are waiting for an answer from thier top candidate.

I've been in a position of hiring people before, and when I was the hiring manager I made it a point to email or call the folks I interviewed. I always felt, even if it wasn't good news, it was best not to leave people hanging. If I took time out of my day to interview them, and they took time out of theirs to come to my office for an interview, it was the right thing to do.

Oh I absolutely agree with you; that was just my best guess at what they're doing.

The main reason I say that is because it's happened to me. I had a very lengthy, detailed interview, and then I was ignored for seven weeks, long enough that I wrote the job off. Then I get a call out of nowhere asking for a second interview ASAP, then an offer came mere days after the second interview. I later found out that the reason I never heard anything was because of internal chaos with an internal candidate who wanted the job, backed out, then wanted it again and management finally decided that person had their chance and lost it.

[edabbs44]

No, unprofessionalism is a 3 hour interview and even financial packages discussed.

Then, after a two-week period, I get a call saying there's no problem, but I will have to wait until April to start. I even explained that I had another offer to respond to, but they talked me into turning it down.

I got a call yesterday. There's no job.

The other position is filled.

Obladee Obladah.

You got nothing in writing? Even after they gave you a start date? That should have been a clue.

[Unassisted]

Reds4Life, my guess is you are being put on the backburner. I had that happen once when I was in college looking for an internship. Everybody else who interviewed got some sort of feedback, rejection letters within 10 days. I hadn't heard anything. I needed the position. I gave them a week and called the guy who interviewed me directly. He offered me a job right then. I later found out that I was choice number 2, choice number 1 had been dragging their feet on formal acceptance of the position.

I got backburnered that way once. A search committee made me its second choice, so it took a while before I heard from the job. Eventually I got the job and a few years later got promoted to manage the position I was hired into.

Digging into old paperwork, I found out that the boss who hired me made a lowball offer to the committee's first choice so she wouldn't accept. After she declined the low offer, he hired me at the top of the salary range.

[Tony Cloninger]

If you are a male.....than that sounds like a pretty good case for sexual discrimination to me.

[Unassisted]

If you are a male.....than that sounds like a pretty good case for sexual discrimination to me.

Apparently the "victim" and the committee were never the wiser, even though my salary was public record. I was more qualified than she was, so it would have been easy to justify the bigger offer.