Unexpected HR Call After Two Months: Is My Friend Still in the Running for the Job?

Hi friends,

One of my friends was interviewed (technical) telephonically by an MNC two months ago. My friend was hoping for the next round as he had a really good interview, but no communication was made to him. Now, all of a sudden, after 2 months, the HR called and asked him to appear for a personal interview.

I am not an HR expert, but I think in these 2 months, they might have searched for a more suitable candidate. However, the results were not promising, so I believe my friend is the closest candidate suited for this job. Although he still has to appear for a personal interview.

Please share what the expert HR professionals in this forum think?

Regards

Dear Nischal,

Please ask your friend to investigate the market position of that company. Inquire about the brand reputation, how the company is perceived in the job market, etc. If possible, suggest that he speak with current and former employees as well. This will provide him with a better understanding of the company's culture.

It is noteworthy that there was no communication from the company for two months. The lack of communication is somewhat surprising and should be taken note of.

For Ravishank: Please exercise caution before making sweeping statements like "All HR people are management crooks so beware." Such stereotyping does not bode well.

Okay...

[Dinesh V Divekar]

Guys, you two are quite over-criticizing the situation. The situation that you two mentioned is quite true, that after one interview, HR makes a call after 2 months or 4 months. There are many processes and decisions that are needed to be done before taking any candidate on board. Candidates interpret that HR is delaying the situation. But my question is when HR dept is deputed to recruit new employees, then why should they delay the process.

Second point is you two are saying that HR made a call after 2 months and 4 months in both cases. And Mr. Ravishankar is suggesting his friend Mr. Nischal demand a high CTC or quit. My question to both of you is "Are you both that knowledgeable, skillful that any company should recruit you just like that? If yes, then why were you both sitting without a job for so many months?

When you will come into corporates, you will come to know about the thousands of activities that are carried out before a company recruits any candidate. It might take time as little as 1 week and a maximum of 2 months.

I also accept that, in some cases, what you have mentioned can also be true. But it's not the same all the time. And you should be thankful that the opportunity again came to you because the company finds you capable enough to work with.

Hi,

I would say that it's dependent on the situation. There could be many reasons that affect the situation intentionally or unintentionally. It might be that the position got closed and didn't find the exact match, and they want to replace the current one from another. It might be that there is a need for a larger team or to expand the current team size. It might be that the position got frozen or put on hold. So many reasons could be there. If you are still looking for a job change, then it's up to you whether you want to apply for the same or not. Stay positive.

I partially agree with "Ms. Purnima" that no one has the right to blame HR in this regard, as I already mentioned there could be many reasons behind that situation.

An important thing I would like to say is that this is a vicious circle: companies need employees, and employees need companies. So, we all have to respect each other's work.

T & R

A position comes up in an organization based on the requirements given by the technical team, marketing, consulting team, etc. HR will post the advertisement, use the criteria, and then shortlist candidates for an interview. There are multiple chances the requirement itself is closed due to the non-committing client, project closure, etc. How can anyone hold HR responsible for that?

I strongly resent that statement of Ravishank. I don't think Mr. Ravishank has any right to comment on an HR person like that when he himself advises people to demand high salary and then walk out. How professional will be a person who exploits the situation and calls others crooks? Let the readers in this forum decide about that.

Mr. Ravishank, my apologies if I have said anything offensive. However, you could have mentioned the complete situation, that you are currently employed somewhere but are looking for a new job. It is a common tendency among freshers to blame company processes or specific departments when faced with rejection. That's why I assumed earlier that you were unemployed.

If you are genuinely against HR, then I cannot assist you further. In our previous conversation, I also explained that various factors influence the recruitment cycle. Let me illustrate this with an example: suppose you attended an interview in a company. The department head interviewed you and asked you to wait for HR to follow up regarding further proceedings. Similarly, they might have interviewed other candidates as well. In the candidate ranking, you might be in the 2nd position. Therefore, HR will first contact the 1st ranked person to complete all formalities, which can take anywhere from a week to a month. Sometimes, candidates decline job offers at the last moment, leading to the 2nd ranked candidate being contacted. If even the 2nd candidate declines, then the 3rd will be considered, or fresh interviews will be conducted. This is an internal process that HR handles. Do you expect HR personnel to provide explanations to all candidates about internal proceedings?

I doubt you work in HR; otherwise, you would have understood this process. Instead of being critical, try to analyze the situation, as it will benefit you in the future. There may come a time in your career when you have to keep a candidate on hold because, as an HR professional, you wouldn't want to lose a good, capable candidate for your organization.

The comments you made are from a candidate's perspective. Therefore, I urge you to understand your own profession rather than placing blame on it.

Mr. Ravishank has no idea how HR works. Please don't use such language (HR being crooks) on this forum. You may not agree with certain things, but there are better ways to show displeasure than using such language. If you hold HR people in such high esteem, I see no reason why you are a part of this community on this forum. We should say ta-ta, bye-bye to you.

Hi,

I do agree that since this is an HR forum, no one has the right to blame HR or use bad language towards HR people or management. The HR forum is meant for sharing views, ideas, and good professional experiences, not for blaming.

Regards,
Kala.

Hi all,

In this regard, I would like to address that it is not a matter of joke or fun to hire a candidate without any prior discussion with the management of a company or the concerned department. In the recruitment cycle, numerous processes are involved, so I believe that it might have taken this much time.

Yes, I agree that a 2-month wait is quite lengthy, but sometimes the situation may not allow the company to hire a new candidate immediately.

Ms. Poornima is correct.

Thank you.

Hi Jaya,

Can you please provide me with some questionnaires on employee satisfaction survey processes or a similar process?

Hi, my name is Obin Millan from Cochin. I have received a job offer from Cochin Hospital. I am unfamiliar with how to calculate PF & ESI as I have not used them in my previous experience. Therefore, I kindly request instructions on the normal ESI & PF rates, rules, and regulations. I would like to understand how to calculate and how they work. I am looking forward to your response, including any helpful links, tips, and instructions. Thank you so much, and have a nice day.

- Obin Millan

Hi Nischal
Recruitment cycle differs from company to company. In certain organizations the process of recruitment will be slow for which the HR cannot be blamed. There might be some reasons for the same like what Poornima have already explained in detail. Even I have come across situations like that where the short listed person will refuses the offer at the last movement and we will be contacting the other candidates who have been rated 2nd or 3rd immediately to close the position. This happens in many concerns.
So you ask your friend to attend the interview but don't ask for high CTC which might end up in loosing the opportunity.
And Mr. Ravi – If you say that all the HR are crooks, then why still you are working in the same profession. So kindly think twice before commenting on others.

I do very much agree that there is a whole lot of background processes that go into staff recruitment. Sometimes, it takes my recruitment team more than 2 months to recruit for a particular position. The reason is that organizations, just like individuals, like to keep their options very open. Also, as far as recruitment is concerned, the right person for the right job should take precedence. Having that in mind, even if it is going to take 5 months to recruit for the right person, then so be it, as a lot of resources go into employing staff. So what if he/she was not the first preference? Is it still not a job?

I say whoever it is should go in and prove why he/she should have been the first option instead of the second. Employment culture is about proving yourself, Ravishank, and not making unnecessary demands when you have not proved your worth. Consider also that most likely this organization has a salary structure in place, so high demands will mean you losing out and someone else getting in. Ravishank is wrong. That is a very unprofessional advice you have given, Ravishank! Are you telling attri_nishchal's friend to demand a high package and walk out when most likely he/she may be desperate for a job, or this is actually the job that is going to tap into his untried capabilities as a worker?

Hmmmm... think about it for a minute right there. I say the person should go for it if still looking for employment and see how it goes.

Hi all,

The fact is that in some instances, we try to hire the first shortlisted candidate. Still, if he receives a better offer or if his current organization has offered him a better salary and retained him, then it is usual for us to call up the second shortlisted candidate. The purpose of the HR department is to hire the right candidate at the right time and at the right price. Therefore, it would be unprofessional to demand a high cost to the company (CTC), as suggested by one colleague. If you consider HR professionals as unethical, then the person demanding a higher CTC just because he has been called after 2 months is even more unethical. It is important to note that each company has a specific CTC for each level, and no company goes out of its way to entice or lure a prospective employee into the organization by paying beyond the stipulated CTC. A professional HR practitioner would not upset the apple cart by engaging in such actions. This is a public forum, so I suggest that you all think carefully before responding off the cuff.

M.V.KANNAN Head - HR & Admn

I agree with Dinesh. Ravishankar, one cannot generalize all HR professionals as the same or as management crooks. However, it is important to understand the HR philosophy and culture of the company. In my experience, the company may be a joint venture of an MNC and an Indian company by name, but HR can be merely a nominal function. The term "HR" may have been adopted just to enhance the corporate image, while the actual mindset could still be more aligned with traditional administrative or personnel or industrial relations departments. In such cases, the culture of the corporate office can be disrupted.

I understand Ravishank may be wrong in his wording, but what about Purnima? "Are you skillful..." "Why sitting without a job for 2 months?" Is this justified to write until you know the whole situation?

I mean it's not me who is idle, it's for my friend who is also not idle, doing well with the grace of God. If by any chance a guy like me sitting overseas has extended a hand for seeking help back home from you guys, will you give me these sorts of intense comments?

I expect you all are management gurus with at least an MBA degree, so behave. If you read the first comment of this post and then Purnima's comment, it's shocking where I have criticized HR; she says "both of you." I wonder about the resumes of the guys which were being reviewed by her.

Rest is up to you. Regards, Nishchal Attri.

Hi Purnima,

I also worked as an HR Head in my organization. I do agree with you because most of the time, we HR people have some restrictions to get new employees on board. Directors suddenly ordered to hold any position at any stage, and people said that the HR persons made a delay. The circus we HR people do to manage the management and the employees, nobody can understand. Most of the time, different types of audits and visits make us helpless to make decisions regarding any post or candidature.

Anyway, glad to read your opinion.

Regards,
Ravi Kulkarni

Dear all,

I have gone through the entire discussion and it is evident that we seem to be engaging in a blame game here. As mentioned earlier, there are several factors that can cause a delay in receiving a return call from HR. One of these factors could be that, even if you were considered a potential candidate for the position, you may have been viewed as a backup option. This is contingent upon how well you performed in the initial HR interviews. The recruiters' responsibility is to establish a pool of candidates, given the uncertainty of who will ultimately accept an offer. Furthermore, project timelines may be extended by a few months beyond the originally scheduled timeframe, contributing to potential delays.

Blaming the recruitment process for such delays may not be appropriate. It is essential to trust and understand the process.

Regards,
Jay Nair

Dear,
i would suggest before deciding anything on company´s behalf first check wether they are a domestic company looking employees for there new unit or they are international company looking employee for there indian unit.
its a general procedure now a days that they collect information online, from recritement company´s etc.. then they call short list & wait once they are ready to strt the units they call for final rounds. and it really needs time. like in my case i knew the company everything was final my name was selected but it still took them six months just because the unit was started.
so u have to know the story from both the sides before deciding anything like higher ctc or quitting.
last but not the least for RAVI i dont feel if somebody is stupid enoughf to paly games of keeping expected new joiness on hold, we r more stupid to call them CROOKS. i dont want to hurt u but we should be always polite for which hr people is always known DIPLOMATIC ANSWERS

One reason could be that the MNC first conducted telephonic interviews for all suitable candidates. As it is an MNC, a lot of candidates would have applied for that particular post. Therefore, telephonic interviews were conducted for all those suitable candidates, and the company is now calling the shortlisted candidates for a personal interview. Another reason could be that the hiring decision for the particular post was put on hold for some reason. When HR got the green light, they then contacted your friend. Whatever the reason, it is always advisable to go well-prepared for the interview.

Regards,
Swati Verma

Dear,

i would suggest before deciding anything on company´s behalf first check wether they are a domestic company looking employees for there new unit or they are international company looking employee for there indian unit.

its a general procedure now a days that they collect information online, from recritement company´s etc.. then they call short list & wait once they are ready to strt the units they call for final rounds. and it really needs time. like in my case i knew the company everything was final my name was selected but it still took them six months just because the unit was started.

so u have to know the story from both the sides before deciding anything like higher ctc or quitting.

last but not the least for RAVI i dont feel if somebody is stupid enoughf to paly games of keeping expected new joiness on hold, we r more stupid to call them CROOKS. i dont want to hurt u but we should be always polite for which hr people is always known DIPLOMATIC ANSWERS

Pinky

more at https://www.citehr.com/252767-when-h...#ixzz0ngp4d4qA

HR People are Crooks?

What a nerve for this individual! I see a boastful and conceited person behind such a statement. And he may still be living in the past when people had to "suck up" to managers and HR managers in particular. Come back to earth. Live in the 21st Century.

I have been in HR Management for over 30 years and have risen to the level of a Strategic partner with corporate, national, and international scope and growth. This I have achieved by valuing people and contribution, adding value to people through sensible human resources practices.

For a moment sit back and think... could this particular scenario have been like this: Interview concluded, candidates shortlisted in the order of: (A) Best suited Lowest Pay (B) Best suited Medium pay (C) Best suited High Pay

Imagine you are called back for the second interview... you are the person (C) Best suited High Pay

What is your opinion of the HR person now?

In many organizations, the HR person is a "service provider" to other managers. They have to match each candidate as required by the user department, and that too within the constraints of budget, etc.

So don't shoot the messenger.

Hi,

Even I call some candidates after a 1 or 2-month gap. Sometimes the situations are like this. Maybe the position was filled, and it is open again, so HR will call those who were telephonically passed at that time but were not asked for a personal round as the position closed at that time.

Hi, Mr. Ravishankar,

I totally agree with Pournima. She has explained the process very well. The most important thing is to receive an opportunity. Even if you are not jobless but you are looking for a better place, right? And beginning yourself in HR, how can you talk about HR people like this? If you know everything, then you should understand everything and help people make the right decision for their career and not misguide them.

Before asking for a high salary, one should know their own capabilities and ask themselves if they are worth that or else they will make a fool of themselves and lose a good opportunity.

"You'll never understand the reason until you look deep enough into the cut to see the emotional pain that put it there."

Thanks & Regards,
Supriya

When a person receives a call after a gap of 2 months, there may be N number of reasons, but I feel the most important thing is that he has received the call again. So, take it as a positive thing. If he is really interested in the job profile, then he should attend the interview. Sometimes, it happens that the management makes a decision to recruit a person for a certain position, but due to various reasons, the vacancy may be put on hold. In that case, such things can happen. Therefore, it is not always true that somebody was appointed, left, and now they are searching for that position again. I believe that to get an idea about the situation, a person should attend the interview. After all, attending an interview for a good job profile will not go to waste.

Hi,

Well done, Purnima!

I truly appreciate Purnima's point of view. A true HR professional who has been handling recruitments very well knows how the entire structure flows. She is absolutely correct that a position might take a week, and a position might be delayed for a month. Candidates presume that the delay is from the HR side, which, in general, is not. There can be many reasons for the delay.

It was truly shocking to read that HR professionals are considered management crooks. I humbly request people who have such perceptions against the HR profession to understand the true meaning of "HUMAN RESOURCE."

Regards,
Shailja

Well, when I saw the whole conversation above, I found Mr. Ravi a bit reluctant to the fact of how HR literally works. Ms. Punima had given the best answers by far. Hats off to you, Mr. Ravi. Using languages to support is damn easy, but one should not as it shows the true picture of what one is. So many have listened to your talks but have gained a bad overall image. "Think before you speak" is a common phrase, but for HR, "think before you write" also applies.

Regards,
Priyanka

Hi, I do agree with Purnima and the other individuals who are opposing Mr. Ravi Shank's statement. Ravi, one thing you should remember is that being a part of the HR forum, how can you criticize an HR manager? Do you know on what basis candidates are selected nowadays? Every organization requires not only talented individuals but also multi-talented people who will become valuable assets in the future. Therefore, HR must select an effective and talented individual. To achieve this, HR needs to make strategic decisions and cannot make decisions blindly. It takes time to go through the process of selecting the right candidate for the right job.

My only comment I have to say is that I am saddened to read that some users think that HR people are 'Management Crooks'. How unobserved and misunderstanding you people are.

My fiancé is a HR manager and I am a Commercial Manager - anybody in these positions will agree that each situation calls for a different approach and every vacancy requires a specific candidate for that role.

Sometimes people don't work out which is why new employees will usually have 3 - 6 months probation to complete before being offered any decent role. This is so the company and the candidate can decide whether they wish to continue the employment beyond these terms, otherwise we hire again for the same position.

This happens more than you might think as a lot of people can 'Blag' their way through an interview but do not deliver when they put into the position.

Far from what is common belief between the under achievers of this world, you cannot 'play the game' with tricks and insider knowledge - you get to where you are going through genuine determination and drive, you certainly do not influence your success amongst prospective peers by making sweeping, ill informed statements.

Please think more carefully before broadcasting your opinions about HR and management people unless you are sure that you understand what you are talking about...

Hi Friends,

I agree with what Purnima said above. Friends, we need to understand the functionality of any department first and the route it follows. There are several procedures, rules, and regulations through which any company operates, and the same applies to the HR department, which is somewhat different from others.

I believe there is no point in blaming HR for such delays. Sometimes positions are put on hold, and sometimes last-minute backouts occur, leading to the restart of the recruitment process. Purnima's suggestions above are true and fair.

Thanks & Regards,

Roshan Pratihast
Manager (HR & Compliance)
SDPC, New Delhi
Email: roshan.pratihast@sdp.in

Hi,

This is Ganesh, working in the HR Department. One thing we have to understand here is that the final decision will be taken by the management, not by the HR person, regarding whether to appoint or not. As disclosed by some of our friends, it is true that there are many procedures involved in the recruitment process. Your friend received a call from HR after two months to attend a personal interview. It is up to him whether to attend or not. If the job is truly required, he should attend; otherwise, there is no need to go for the interview.

In a small company, the recruitment process will be completed in one week. For a middle-level company, it may take 15 - 30 days based on their procedures. In a corporate-level company, it may take 1-2 months. We can't specify the exact reason for this timeline. Since your friend received a call after two months, it is understood that your friend is capable. He might be in the first list or the second list. Please think in a positive way and advise him to attend the interview. Before joining, ask him to find out the details about the organization.

Hi,

Please inform your friend that if he is interested, he can attend a personal interview; otherwise, he should remain silent. I kindly request not to use this site for these unrelated issues, as this platform is essential for HR professionals to discuss important HR-related matters.

It depends on a case-by-case basis. In both cases, there could be many reasons for such a significant delay, such as the position being put on hold, recruitment freeze, no suitable match, and non-availability of the interviewer.

Please refrain from using such language on this type of forum.

Hi Ravishanker!

See. The discussion has no tooth. They delayed probably because:

a. They were looking for more suitable candidates. They did not find any. If they found, they were asking for a CTC far more than the company's budget in the situation.

b. Someone joined and left.

c. The hiring plan was dropped for the meanwhile as the company was looking/waiting for something (Quarter results, Top management approval, revision of HR policy, implementation of new pay structure, process reengineering...).

So there can be so many reasons. How can we discuss things like this??? This is like college students discussing tricks to get a higher package or Mr. Marx talking about how bad these HR/management guys are.

Dear All,

Now we can stop this very debate. Yes, it has been a mistake, and this chap (Ravi) should learn something from it. Well, for Nischal, waiting might be rewarding in some cases. It all depends on the company structure and system how long it takes to close a position. For an HR, it is always the priority to close a position if the right candidate with the right profile is found. There is no reason why an HR should delay a selection process unnecessarily. So, please tell your friend to do a little research about the company in such a case. He or she should not lose the opportunity if it is a good assignment, only to resent later on.

Warm Regards,
Bina

When the company is recruiting any person, there are many formalities to be completed. Sometimes, it may happen that a technical head finds a certain CV interesting and conducts an interview without the knowledge of HR. If the technical head finds the candidate suitable, they direct the CV to HR. It may occur that the position is not budgeted and approved, but the department head wants to recruit the person. In this case, special sanction is required, leading to a delay in the recruitment process. The company never considers recruiting based on only one candidate and selecting that person. Therefore, it is important to understand the challenges faced by HR and the company in taking the time to recruit before commenting or giving advice. Additionally, someone suggested negotiating for a higher CTC. When a company hires an individual at a higher salary than existing staff members of the same grade, it must ensure that the new hire's capabilities justify the increased compensation to avoid disrupting the current team.

Always be patient when seeking to join a reputable company and thoroughly research the company profile.

Regards, Govind Desai govind_desai2003@yahoo.com

The availability of jobs and recruiting differs from concern to concern. I strongly object to the words of Mr. Ravishankar. Basically, everyone should be accepted based on their talents in an interview. They should not think they have done their best without knowing the total process. If you need that job, you can opt for it; otherwise, you can gently avoid it. They may call you even after 6 months; at that time, you may badly need a job or a change.

Mr. Ravishankar must accept one thing: candidates are available for each and every post. However, for the candidates, the ratio of employment is still very low. Before 30 years, after completing the very hard process of Railway SI, I was selected as one of 5 from 2000 candidates. However, the selection was canceled before issuing appointment orders. We don't know what the problem was. First of all, we should stop blaming others.

AMH - GM.HR. 9655243405

Dear Purnima/Ravi,

There is no meaning in arguing through emails. Since you both are associated with this forum, I believe you are HR professionals. If we, as HR professionals, argue like this, how will we be able to effectively deal with other departments? We should be equipped to handle problems from others and not amongst ourselves. The forum was developed by our seniors to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and information, rather than engaging in arguments or conflicts. Attri is seeking information about HR, and instead of providing him with insights, we are engaged in arguments. Please consider changing your attitude. Let's focus on sharing and developing ourselves.

Cheers,
Prabhu.R

Well, there are examples in hiring where the appointment letters were handed out 3 months after hiring by HR. I think HR works within a certain framework. It's quite normal to take 30-45 days to close issues.

Somesh

Some HR professionals are so irresponsible that they mention one company's name during the interview process, but upon joining, individuals end up working for their affiliated sister concern. Please be cautious of these irresponsible HR individuals.

Whatever Mr. Ravi Shankar said about HR and management, that's very bad. I personally believe that Mr. Ravi Shankar doesn't have much knowledge about the background process for hiring a candidate. It's a humble request from Mr. Ravi Shankar not to use such kind of word which makes an issue.

Good morning All,

I think people like Ravishankar have no right to be on this forum. The use of poor and offensive language for the entire community is unacceptable. His remarks clearly indicate a complete lack of awareness about the Human Resources function. If he is an HR professional, then I am saddened to add that he has not learned his skills.

Regards,
Col Chauhan

Good morning All,

I think people like Ravishankar have no right to be on this forum. The use of poor and offensive language for the entire community is unacceptable. His remarks clearly indicate a complete lack of awareness about the Human Resources function, and if he is an HR professional, then I am saddened to add, he has not learned his skills.

Regards,
Col Chauhan

Well,

Having received the call after two months does suggest that they have found you suitable, but you need not assume that you are the only one. It is fair to assume that there are others also in the race. As such, do not demand more than what you yourself think you are worthy of.

Be positive; there may be a hundred reasons for the late response depending upon the size of the organization, work quantum, and the labyrinthine process involved.

Good luck.
Rajendra.

Hi friends,

As per my opinion, to Nishchal, as you got a second chance from that MNC company, you should try and give your best because at times, even well-qualified candidates get rejected. Regarding salary, ask for a normal hike even though you have not been working there for a long time and there is a break in your career. Give your best.

Thanks,
Shilpa Singh

Oh come on, guys... Everybody has the right to express themselves in their own way. Maybe Ravi was harsh, but that doesn't mean he should be removed from the forum.

Hi,

Please tell what the expert HR's in this forum think?

As this was the question that came from your end, and I guess this thread is all about this post, so my reply to this is, YES, you are right. The company might have given an offer to a better candidate, and he might have rejected it because of some reason. So now the company has called the second-best candidate. OR maybe the management might have held the position for some time. It's a positive sign, and your friend should appear there with full enthusiasm and a positive approach. My best wishes are with your friend. About salary, it all depends on your friend's expectations and the company's decision. This is my opinion as an HR Professional, now it's up to you. :)

Hi,

Now, since you have mentioned in one of your threads that your friend is already working, it's all about checking and finding out whether this new company would actually help him in his career in the long run. As a working professional, whether in HR or non-HR roles, you should consider how this company is going to help you grow. Also, it shouldn't matter at all whether you are getting a call after 2 months or 6 months. That's how corporates work, my dear. It's all about opportunity. Grab it or leave it. :)

Hi Avik Roy,

I would like to know if the statement "your position" being on hold after a very good interview means the candidate is indirectly rejected by the company or if they still have any hope of receiving a call for further rounds of interviews. I would also be grateful if you could discuss the various reasons why a position is generally kept on hold.

Looking forward to your valuable replies.

Kind Regards,
Avik Roy
Kolkata