Hello,

Anonymous

February 6,2024 at 3:10AM UTC

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Hello,

last week I completed 3 rounds of interviews with a company.

all was moving fast and furious with HR reaching out to schedule the next round same day or early the next morning

Thursday I met with the CEO at 8am. Friday, he responded to my thank you email with the following:

“thank you for your time, it was great learning about your background. Thanks for sending additional insights! I know the team will connect soon on next steps”

it’s now eod Monday and nothing, after being in daily communication with HR.

she did let me know there were 2 other candidates in play who had also advanced to meet the CEO.

has anyone ever received such a positive response to a thank you email that said “next steps” then be ghosted??

thoughts?

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AnonymousFebruary 6,2024 at 10:48AM UTC
Sadly yes
Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachFebruary 6,2024 at 12:28PM UTC
Things can slow down in the HR process, I wouldn't think you have been ghosted yet. I would follow up by the end of the week if you do not hear anything by then!
AnonymousFebruary 6,2024 at 3:48PM UTC
I'd give it time! They have other candidates in the interview process and then have to get together to discuss who they'd like to move forward with. Especially if the CEO is involved, scheduling these discussions can be difficult. You can always reconnect with HR to understand their timeline.
Also, I'd consider "next steps" neutral. As a recruiter, I use the language "potential next steps" whether I am going to move forward with a candidate or not.
Good luck - hope you land the role!
AnonymousFebruary 7,2024 at 1:44PM UTC
Yes. I also went through a 3 step process. Sent a thank you to the Exec Dir( the person I interviews with 2nd time/ decision maker/ and who I’d be reporting to). Each time I’d email directly I got a very nice encouraging email back from her personally( good signs), until I went through the last round of emails then silence. Unfortunately I did not get the job nor any additional reply or explanation. It’s discouraging. I hope your experience is end better .
Shelly EdwardsFebruary 8,2024 at 3:34AM UTC
1 day later is not ghosting by any means . The other candidates may be interviewing this week. They may need to convene the hiring team to make a final selection. I’d wait until Friday to check in.
Alexis GladstoneFebruary 10,2024 at 2:02PM UTC
I always remind people our timeline is not the same as the company's. There are many reasons you may not have heard anything yet. The other candidates haven't met with the CEO, the hiring team hasn't been able to meet to discuss final decisions, something urgent happened in the business they are attending to.
It's only been a few days, I would give it one week.
GirlBossanova934974February 10,2024 at 2:09PM UTC
Sorry but as other commenters have already said, this is NOT ghosting. A day or 2 extra in the hiring process is barely normal. Now if you had heard nothing in 2-4 weeks, you might have a case. THE BEST policy in these matters is to always put yourself in the shoes of the other side. So you now have THREE candidates and you have only ONE job. OK! If we are going to be transparent about this and not make this into some SHAM interviewing process where in fact the INSIDER or FAMILY FRIEND gets the job or the SO CALLED decision maker makes the decision and the rest are just there to stroke someone's ego, then a MEETING will have to be held. Everyone is going to have to find time on their schedule to talk over the candidates and make their case. That may take a week or two.. We don' want people just showing up for the meeting and nodding their heads as Mr. Big or Ms. Big calls all the shots. Understand?
J. Coley AlstonFebruary 10,2024 at 3:38PM UTC
I'm in a similar boat. Screened by a recruiter on a Tuesday, Interview with the hiring manager that Friday, and a second interview with the CEO on the following Wednesday and it's been silent since the 2nd interview.
I hope you get a call back.
AnonymousFebruary 10,2024 at 5:54PM UTC
Whoa, pull up the brakes. Give them time to get through the other conversations. Think positive because the CEO took the time to respond and reply to you. Now his team is likely coordinating the other candidates who may be talking to him later in the week than you so you might have been the first one through. Give it till Friday and then reach out again to the HR person to ask for an update on status because you have other things in play too. If you appear too aggressive or pushy you might be risking concern.
AnonymousFebruary 10,2024 at 11:12PM UTC
I don't think two days would be considered ghosting, maybe a week.
LORI-ANN BURLINGAMEFebruary 11,2024 at 11:58AM UTC
You may need to be patient. HR may be waiting to hear from other members of the interviweing/hiirng team
.
AnonymousFebruary 11,2024 at 1:27PM UTC
Yes. Ghosting happens all the time, at all stages.
AnonymousFebruary 11,2024 at 5:19PM UTC
Yes and you have to get busy pursuing other things. If you're too available and they have reason to believe you'll wait around until they're good and ready to communicate with you again. If more job searchers acted like they had more to their lives than waiting for "THE phone call" it'd teach employers that the interview process is onerous and needs to be rethought. Drawing it out so that applicants don't know where they stand is frustrating and makes them lose out on a candidate who could add serious value. More "No thanks, I've been offered a wonderful opportunity since our last communication" might make them rethink their hiring process.
Amy CollinsFebruary 12,2024 at 1:26PM UTC
EOD Monday is not being ghosted :) but it feels like that! Sometimes the final process can drag on. Hang in there!
AnonymousFebruary 12,2024 at 1:31PM UTC
You aren't being ghosted. Patience. It's tough out there. They can afford to be looking at all good candidates.
sherri jonesFebruary 12,2024 at 3:14PM UTC
Yes, I experienced the very same thing, it's so disrespectful.
AnonymousFebruary 14,2024 at 2:14PM UTC
No update after <48h working hours is not ghosting or disrespectful.
AnonymousFebruary 12,2024 at 3:42PM UTC
Was this your expectation, or did you ask when you could expect to be notified about any potential next steps? This should always be one of the things on your list of questions to ask during the interview. It is an excellent way to wrap up the conversation. I did that at my last interview, and they said they moved "at the speed of government" (it was a state agency), so it would probably be the end of the month. This was after being contacted less than a week after the application deadline (which was the date I applied). Another job I applied for the same day sent the "sorry" email the next day. I am still waiting on this job (it was my preferred of the two.)
Lori Laurito BetzFebruary 12,2024 at 4:54PM UTC
Wait…you met with the CEO Thursday, he responded to your thank you on Friday (the next day), and it’s the end of day on Monday. We already know there’s two other candidates meeting with the CEO, but we don’t know when. So it’s possible they haven’t met with him yet.
No, This isn’t ghosting.