Frustrated After a Long Wait: Should HR Always Follow Up with Candidates?

Dear all,

I have faced a problem recently. I attended an interview with one of the big IT companies for a team lead-HR role. Having 7 years of experience in the HR field, I was very keen to explore the opportunity with this organization. The recruiter was following up with me even 30 minutes before the interview, which made me feel good, thinking that they are very much interested in my profile. My interview was scheduled for 10:00 AM, and I reached the place at 9:45 AM. I had to wait almost 1.5 hours for the interview as there were many others waiting as well. The interview was very short, lasting about 10 minutes, and the recruiter informed me that the Manager-HR, who had to talk to me, was very busy and would call me at 6:00 PM, which was confirmed. I had taken half a day off for this and waited for the call in the evening, but after 30 minutes of waiting, there was no call or message from the recruiter. I followed up with him, and he mentioned that he would check and give me a confirmation. It has been one month now, and I have not received any feedback from them.

As HR professionals, shouldn't we get back to the candidate at least with a reply or a message? From this experience, should I assume that they are not interested in me?

Hi,

Generally, it can be said that it is an ethical standard that HR personnel follow when communicating the results of the selection process. Most often, they do not respond if the feedback is negative.

In this case, since it has been a long time and they have not responded, I assume either the requirement has been fulfilled or they have found a suitable candidate for the position. So, do not lose hope and keep trying. The requirements are extensive, and you will find the best fit. Don't worry.

Thanks.

I agree. Today, if you don't get any response from the HR team, then do consider that they have found a better candidate for the role. Ideally, we would expect someone to call and inform us of the result or provide feedback on the interview. However, more often than not, many managers prefer not to deliver bad news to potential candidates. I personally believe that feedback is essential and should be provided at all levels. I am sure potential candidates would appreciate the organization taking the time to call and offer feedback.

Your situation could be an example of either delivering bad news, the organization having encountered numerous candidates and forgetting to provide feedback, or the feedback being given to the consultant who failed to share it with you. In any case, keep persevering, and I wish you all the best.