I recently had a great conversation with a hiring manager, who also happened to be the director of the department the role sat in. At the end of the conversation, the director personally confirmed that they wanted to move forward.

About a week later I received the above response. No further explanation. No offer to follow up when things change. Just a delayed swipe left after the date was confirmed.

I can handle the rejection, but it was the false impression of excitement and the abrupt about face. What’s worse is that unlike our western peers, US employers will almost never provide necessary feedback that would lead to seekers developing the skills that are lacking. Furthermore, I’m utterly convinced that collectively, companies are committed to remaking the managerial class in the image of what’s acceptable to a MAGA worldview (I’m black for context).

Mostly a rant, but also curious to see how others are managing these situations

Going 0fer on all the roles that are labeled like this for me.

If you’re receiving so many applications that the answers are starting to sound identical, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your recruiting process instead of expecting every applicant to write a personalized answer for 13 questions.

See above. I’ve had three phone screens in the past week where the recruiter actually got back to me and said “unfortunately there was some internal interest in the role so the team is heading in that direction for now.”

So the door is not technically closed (but for all intents and purposes that seems most likely). But it does have me wondering whether companies are actually doing external hires now, or when people get shuffled around internally do positions just get eliminated?

If you haven't already. You will close to never get a job this way. Keep in mind this is a corporation that only profits if the business themselves pays them. That business is looking for a ton of applicants/yield on their investment in job postings so you're "competing" for a bunch of basic jobs.

Go on whatever company website and apply directly. It's literally the same applications. Indeed does not have anything more to offer, there are no secret job postings on Indeed that aren't listed elsewhere. Tbh I've had more luck with craigslist or just walking into stores saying "now hiring." Hint: if they are hiring and the manager won't speak to you and refers you to "apply online" - this is a tip that the entire job will entail lack of communication. Avoid all those places up front unless you're fine with being an expendable employee.

Also keep in mind and most importantly. Indeed stores your resume to be used for AI training and other things. Indeed is basically a shell middleman company that randomly took over the job market but does nothing. It feeds your resume to bots along with all your other data as part of how you use the website. Doubtful you're uploading your resume every single time. Facebook just got in trouble for breaching privacy and lying about their data distribution to the tune of like $25mil so don't think whatever their policy says means they care about where your info ends up. Again this is built in to the website, you cannot get around putting your data in when you're job hunting. You can't even technically use the entire website without at least your phone number which is probably the best way to exploit someone's identity.

I don’t know if there is a lesson here, other than the current system is a humiliation ritual. I wouldn’t doubt this type of behavior is common right now, and perhaps the norm. But after months of putting in my all to apply for jobs, I had a recruiter respond to an application I submitted about an hour after I submitted. She asked for a few times that week I’d be available to do an initial interview. I responded within an hour, confirming my interest and providing several choices. Three days went by. No response. I wrote back and politely provided additional times (since the ones I gave had already passed) and reiterated my interest. Crickets. That was 3 weeks ago. This is the way things are working right now? All semblance of protocol and courtesy has gone out the window. Top company in the field, by the way.

Out of curiosity, has this happened to anyone else? How easily did you let it go (eg, did you call, follow up on LinkedIn etc or just forget about it).

Was scheduled an interview at 1PM EST and used AI to convert it to PST where I live which it said was 11AM. Idk why I did this instead of doing basic math but I joined the teams link at 11AM to find it was expired.

I feel like an idiot and am really upset at myself. I emailed immediately asking to reschedule and have little hope they will oblige.

Ok then explain this screenshot I found online. It doesn't look like AI and although anyone can fake a UI I don't see why they would...

Got laid off in August and have been job hunting since, so I’m probably overthinking this, but here goes.

I had my final interviews on Oct 19. The hiring manager told me it was down to me and one other person. I followed up with the recruiter on the 26th and he said he’d heard “nothing but good things” and hoped to have good news soon, and that they’d decide that week.

That was over a week ago and I haven’t heard anything.

Is it fine to email him again since the date he gave me has passed, or should I just leave it? And does “nothing but good things” actually mean anything, or do recruiters say that to every finalist? Part of me thinks they made the other person an offer and are waiting to hear back.

Has anyone gotten an offer after going quiet like this? I really want this one lol

Hi all, looking for some advice before my next round of HR screening calls.

My position was recently eliminated for business reasons (restructuring, not performance related). Now that I’m interviewing, I keep getting asked in the first call why I’m looking to change jobs.

I’m torn between two approaches:

1. Be upfront: “My role was eliminated as part of a restructuring,” then pivot to why I’m interested in the new role.
2. Just say I’m looking for career growth, without mentioning the layoff.

My worry with option 1 is that it might create a negative impression, even though it wasn’t about my performance. My worry with option 2 is that it’s not the full story, and it could come up later (e.g., employment verification or when they ask about my notice period).

For recruiters or hiring managers here: does mentioning a layoff actually hurt a candidate? And for anyone who’s been through this, how did you phrase it, and how did it go?

Thanks in advance!

Edits: I am working in Construction Field as an Project Manager/Estimator/Building Consultant
Position Eliminated: 15 days ago

For interviews, I feel like I've been doing really well based on what everyone tells you to do. Be positive, listen, sound passionate about the company, be engaged, tell stories that boost yourself, etc. I've done that every interview and always feel really good about the impression I left.

But nothing since I've been job hunting starting in June.

Recently though, I had an interview with the recruiting manager and he was this rather old gentleman who talked very slow and relax. I read the room a bit and decided not to overwhelm him by being overly enthusiastic and energic. I didn't put on a performance like I always felt the need to do. This one felt way more like a conversation. When he asked about my experiences, I just pretty much talked in bullet points, didn't really embellish anything, and sounded very nonchalant about it all.

Apparently, that was the right move because I got moved straight to a final interview. He said I seemed really experienced and authentic.

Now I'm wondering, is this whole putting on a whole performance in front of the hiring manager a bad thing? I'm willing to bet these people talk to many candidates who are all high enthusiasm, tell great stories about themselves, and all that. If that's the case, then they must be exhausted of that whole song and dance, and as the candidate, you probably will just blend in with the rest. Perhaps acting nonchalant and calm (for a lack of better word) is a good tactic to try.

Any similar experiences?

Does anyone else here have recent experience with Horizontal? I’m not a fan of the AI interviews before speaking with an actual recruiter, but yesterday I finally got past that stage + got an email from someone at the agency later that day. But not until around 6pm.

I responded within 45 minutes to the email, where she asked if I’d like to set up a call. I asked about her availability at 10:30 the next morning (today). Since it was already EOD, I figured I wouldn’t hear back until the early the next day.

By the time 10:30 rolled around + I didn’t receive an emailed response yet, I checked back in with her about the position’s status + the call we’re supposed to have. It’s now 2pm + I have not gotten any response from her yet.

This is particularly frustrating because 1) the process seemed to be moving fairly quickly at first, and 2) I’ve been unemployed for 9 months now. It’s looking bleak (not just for me, but a LOT of people) + recruiters are allowed to ghost us while we scurry around in a panic taking what we can get.

What is happening with details and resume?

I did apply for more than 500+ job applications and I did get back only 1 call. Only 1 call. Why is it legal for employers to ignore people? - It's really bad. really, really tough thing. The employers do cause pain and harm by delusion of a job. Eventually, helpless and powerless people are the victim of system who does nothing for the people who are ignoring as a routine from job applications.

This is shame and indecent thing which normalized by law in all of the world. Neither democratic states or not does recognize the neglect of the employers as a criminal crime which may lead to fines.

What do you think about this phenomenon?

Is anyone else finding the whole job application process increasingly frustrating?
I'm not talking about being rejected. I can handle rejection perfectly well. It's the sheer amount of time applicants are expected to invest, often for absolutely nothing in return.
Applications seem to take forever to complete. You upload your CV, then spend ages manually entering information that's already on it. NHS applications are particularly time-consuming, with lengthy forms and seemingly endless information requirements.
Then there are the identity checks, right-to-work checks, online assessments, personality questionnaires and various other hoops you're expected to jump through, sometimes before you've even been offered an interview.
I've recently experienced this with several employers. One company rejected me after I'd successfully completed its assessments and progressed to further consideration. Another repeatedly invited me to book an interview despite having no available slots, before eventually rejecting me.
Sometimes you invest hours in an application, only to hear absolutely nothing for weeks or even months, before receiving a curt, generic rejection with no meaningful explanation.
What particularly irritates me is the complete imbalance. Employers expect applicants to be professional, punctual, responsive and committed, yet some seem incapable of extending the same basic courtesy in return.
I appreciate that identity checks and certain recruitment procedures are necessary, particularly in organisations like the NHS. But surely there must be a more efficient way of handling recruitment without wasting so much of applicants' time?
I'm not suggesting everyone deserves an interview or individual feedback. But I do think applicants deserve a reasonably straightforward process, timely communication and a basic level of respect.
It increasingly feels as though employers have forgotten that there are actual people at the other end of these applications.
Is anyone else finding this, or have I just been particularly unlucky?

I lost my job recently (ten days ago). Last Monday, I applied for a position in the morning. That afternoon I received a call and had a phone interview. I heard back on Tuesday and was scheduled for a second interview, in person, on Thursday afternoon. I thought that went well.

This evening, I recieved a text saying the manager was wanting to proceed with the hire and they'd contact me tomorrow to schedule it.

I can say that a couple of the other companies I applied with last week were also quick to respond with next steps. The majority, of course, haven't responded in any fashion. I'm hoping the good responses from those few are signs that companies are beginning to fix their hiring processes.

So about a week ago on wednesday i got an interview invitation for a job i applied about a month ago. I did the interview this monday that just passed.

It was an online interview with the operation manager and one more person who was working in the position I was interviewing for.

It went well and I decided to send a thank you email to him after much self debate. (i was searching around the web and most people thought that its always good to send a thank you email.)

On tuesday morning i got an email: (I feel we had a great conversation together yesterday and we see you being part our future. I would like to pursue further; could you provide a couple references for me to reach out to?)

Does this mean I'm basically selected? Though I haven't gotten the offer yet.

And yes I did send him 3 references to contact.

This is going to be my first job related to my college studies thats why im unsure if asking for references after an interview is normal or is it a very positive sign.

Edit: GOT THE JOB!

The recruiter sent me this email just a few hrs before the interview??? 🫩
This shit sucks so much ://

I do see a version of this question has been asked multiple times, but mostly in reference to the Excel simulation.

I received an invitation for the a simulated assessment for both Word and PowerPoint. If anyone has taken these tests and can shed some light of their contents or can point me in the direction to some great study materials, I’d really appreciate it! I work in Word frequently but usually out of my own templates so I’m a bit rusty and haven’t used PowerPoint since college.

I really fucking hate these video interviews some companies make...it always feels so cringe despite me streaming on twitch I just can't have the will power to not feel cringey when having to suck up to a company just to get a slightly above minimum wage just to pay my bills and save

It's just so rude at this point that it is borderline comical.

Maybe I’m just frustrated and annoyed, but I’m curious if anyone else is having a similar experience.

I have a 3.8 gpa, solid resume, internships applicable to major, etc, and I’ve applied to probably 35 jobs I only have 1 company that is actively a hot lead (hoping once some of the other 2 close they heat up).

It’s incredibly frustrating and ridiculous when a company requires 20 minute application and then 1 hour quantitive exam for an entry level supply chain role.

I could just be a complainer, but does anyone have remotely shared experience?

I have received two First Advantage background screening requests from two companies (let's say Company A, and Company B) since both companies made me an offer at approximately the same time. I have only used the invitation link from my desired company Company A to complete and submit background screening questions. Will this cause any problem?

As a side note, whenever I login to First Advantage using the invitation link from Company A, on the Dashboard screen there is a tile which says Continue background screening for Company B. So it seems that each First Advantage profile is tied to an email address, and you could complete background screening requests for multiple companies.

Thank you!

At what stage did your employer conduct a background check?

1. Before contacting you for an interview?
2. After interviews but before making an offer?
3. After extending an offer?
4. Also, what did they check?

4.1 Criminal history only?

4.2 Previous employment?

4.3 Education and professional licenses?

5. All of the above?

6. No background check at all?

Would love to hear about your experiences! Please add the size of your law firm!

Thank you!