Getting impatient after interview

neilio

I interviewed for a job six weeks ago. The interview was arranged by the company’s HR department and the hiring manager is someone I know from a previous role and I feel the interview went very well. She (hiring manager) said she’d get back in touch with me by the end of the following week. I didn’t hear from her, and it was drifting into Easter holiday weekend, so I left it a few days before starting to chase.

I initially sent him (HR contact) an email asking for an update, by which time three weeks had passed. I got his out of office that he’d be returning the following week. I waited for his return before trying to call him, it went to voicemail, so I left a message. I assume he got in touch with the hiring manager because two days later she reached out to me rather oddly by text message and email saying she had tried to call but wasn’t sure if she had my number correctly (even though she had called me and we had spoken on my number prior to the interview) but that she hoped to get back to me by the end of the week.

I didn’t hear from her, so I left it a little longer before chasing again. I called the HR person again early last week and it went to his voicemail again, so I left another message. He finally returned my call directly at the end of last week to apologise for not being in touch but that they definitely want to offer me the position and were hoping to do so by the end of that day (even though this conversation took place at 4pm on Friday), explaining to me that they want to offer me and another candidate the vacant positions (they told me at interview there were two posts but this time he told me there are four!) but that they need to “sort something out” with the other candidate. I’m not sure what that has to do with me and wondered what the problem is. This was followed by another weird email from the hiring manager, again claiming to have tried and failed to call my number whilst also apologising for the delay, but that she would call me back on Monday. I’m not buying that she is unable to connect a call to me, there is nothing wrong with my phone.

Surprise, surprise, I still have nothing from them. Granted, I had not reached out to the hiring manager directly and went through the HR person, as they had arranged the interview. I am considering calling the manager for an update, because I think six weeks of being told they will call me back within a matter of days, or a week at most, and then nothing is just ridiculous. On the other hand, it sounds like they want me, but they won’t give me any concrete feedback, so I’m not sure what to think. My partner said that if the HR person has said they will be offering me the position then it is mine and I just have to wait, but I’m of the opinion that nothing exists until I see it in writing. I’m also inclined to think it would be a bit cruel of them to do this for so long only for the answer to be no. Nevertheless, I need to know if I should forget about this or not.

ReadingTim

Why do you need someone else's permission to tell you to forget about it and move on?

Appreciate it's frustrating, but I'd simply write them off and spend my time and energies on other companies and other roles, rather than flogging a dead horse with this one.

If they do ever get their act together, you can make a decision as to whether you want to go any further, but with any luck you'll have found something in the meantime anyway.

AstroTurtle

Do you want to work somewhere so chaotic and unorganized?

[Deleted User]

I would forget, sorry. They sound whooly and unsure.

Nathaniel_Essex

They sound unsure and I will move on. I hate when people string you along.

I lost my jobs a couple months ago and had to go through interviews. I interviewed at one place (somewhere I had an unsuccessful interview before and they never got back to me). Promised a call by the end of the week but heard nothing. Oh well I thought until 3 weeks later they called and asked if I was still interested in the position. Told them yes as I did not have a job completely nailed down then only not to hear from them again 2 weeks later.

The weirdest one I had was back at John Lewis. Got offered a job but was bizarre told they have no vacancies at the moment and they will be in contact when they have some. A whole year later they got back in touch with me (after I sent an email) to give me a start date.

WibblyGirly

I had an interview 2 weeks ago and was told I'd hear back in a week. I'm dealing with it by applying to other jobs and not waiting around for it. I've already got 2 more interviews lined up. I have another I want to apply for which would be my first choice of job so even if the first one comes back with an offer it may be too late.

I'd just forget about it and stop calling/emailing them.