Waiting in Limbo After Interviews: Why Do HR Teams Often Go Silent?

Recently, I have been interviewed with a company for a senior position. It started like below:

Step 1: Phone screening by HR executive

Step 2: Scheduled telephonic round with HR Head (lasted about 45 mins)

Step 3: Scheduled face-to-face with COO (lasted about 45 mins to 1 hr) in a hotel. The COO asked me to share my portfolio that he had gone through during the interview. I didn't find anything negative during the conversation.

I sent a thank-you email with my portfolio to HR, who needs to forward it to the COO. The HR Executive said she did. After that, no reply on status, waited for 10 days and tried to reach HR but got no response. So, I sent a text stating, "Thank you for the opportunity, it seems like I am not in for the position as I am not getting a response."

Immediately, I got a call from her and was informed that they are waiting for their Chairman's schedule as I have to meet him in person for the next round. This information was shared with me about 10 days ago, and since then, there has been radio silence. Not sure what to think. Can some expert here help me understand whether I am in or out of it? Why does this happen in most interviews? Even when a candidate spends time and money, why do HR people not bother to communicate? Your valuable suggestions would be highly regarded.

If you have gone through two rounds of interviews, one by the HR Head and another by the COO, it indicates that you must have applied for a senior position. If you received a call from the secretary informing you of a potential interview with the Chairman, it suggests you have successfully passed the earlier two rounds. However, the interview with the Chairman has not occurred, even though 10 days have passed.

Inferences from the Interview Process

From the sequence of events you described, I draw the following inferences:

a) The company appears to be owner-driven, and not just owner-driven, but heavily owner-driven. For what designation have you applied? Please consider whether it warrants an interview by the Chairman for this position.

b) Why is the COO not empowered to make decisions on the selection of the candidate? Is this a C-level appointment? This indicates that the Chairman does not delegate power, and the company has a heavily centralized power structure.

c) If the Chairman could not interview you, then the COO or at least the HR Head should have communicated with you to explain the delay. Their silence speaks volumes. This is an unprofessional approach by both the COO and HR Head. Their silence indicates a disconnect between the Chairman and these two authorities. Neither the HR Executive has sent you any mail. This shows the company does not have a culture of communication.

Final Comments

Now it is your decision whether to rely on this company. I recommend conducting market research and gathering information on the Chairman's psychology. If you fail to align with the company's culture, you could face challenges. Therefore, be cautious!

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar