Question:
I’m getting interviews but afterwards the companies almost always seem to ghost me. They don’t return my calls and never reach out to share a final hiring decision. What’s going on? How do I get feedback?
Answer:
Friend, I am sorry this is happening to you. It’s entirely unprofessional for a company to interview a candidate and then leave them hanging. You can take some comfort in knowing that a company’s silence says more about their lack of leadership than it does about you and your abilities.
Silence could mean any number of things. The position might be on hold. Maybe they haven’t reached a decision yet. Maybe they’ve decided to go with someone else. A lot of recruiters don’t realize that communicating “there is no news” actually IS news to the candidate, and delivering bad news with grace is a skill that many have not mastered because it’s just plain uncomfortable. Oftentimes folks go the wimpy route and ghost instead.
The bad news is that there’s no way I can tell you why you’re being ghosted, but I can help you avoid it next time around.
The 3 step Guide to Eliminating Post-Interview Ghosting
During your interview, collect business cards from everyone you meet. As the interview is wrapping up ask, “When can I expect to hear back from you?” Make a note on your calendar to follow up the day AFTER that day. So if they say you can expect to hear back in a week, make a note on your calendar to follow up on day 8. Send a “thank you” email within 24-hours of your interview and then sit tight. Seriously. Just be patient.
Wait until the day you’ve marked on your calendar. If you still haven’t heard back, follow up with HR via phone and email. If you have the email addresses of the hiring managers, it is absolutely appropriate to email them as well. Allow 48 business hours to pass and then repeat this process one more time.
If 48 business hours have passed since your 2nd attempt to contact the company and you still haven’t received a response, it’s time to turn up the heat. Send an email to HR that says:
Hi <NAME>,
I’ve attempted to follow up several times but have not heard back. Should I assume that you’re no longer interested? I continue to be excited about opportunities with <COMPANY NAME> and I hope to hear back from you soon.
Sincerely,
<YOUR NAME>
This trick almost always works. It’s subtle, but it shifts the balance of power ever so slightly in your favor as it implies that you’re about ready to move on. If the company is still interested in pursuing you, you should have a reply shortly after sending this. They’ve invested a lot of time and effort in identifying you as a candidate and bringing you in to meet with the team. They’re not going to want to let all of that hard work go to waste if you’re one of their top contenders.
If they don’t respond, move on. They’re not interested enough to make further follow-up worth your time. Take some comfort in knowing that your handling of the situation was first class.
Keep going, friends. You’ve got this!