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Have I been ghosted by the hiring

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Have I been ghosted by the hiring

I recently applied for a Business Manager position on LinkedIn that involves relocating. After a brief 15-minute interview with the hiring manager, I received an email indicating they weren't moving forward with my candidacy. However, shortly after, I got another message from the same person, acknowledging it was a mistake and expressing interest in scheduling the next interview with their client and me.

Fast forward a week, and I hadn't heard anything, so I decided to follow up. Now, it's been two to three weeks with no response, and I've noticed they've reposted the job on LinkedIn.

I'm really passionate about this position and would love to join the team. Any advice on what steps I should take next? I'm feeling a bit lost in this rollercoaster of a process.

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  1. Shawna Adams

    I would follow up one more time with the recruiter. If you don't receive a response, then I would move on. Unfortunately, while the decision to move you forward as a candidate is not usually up to the recruiter, their inability to provide you with appropriate feedback is a direct reflection of their personal integrity. Should they be an in-house recruiter (they work directly for the company that is hiring), then their actions may be a result of a poor company culture in general.

  2. Anonymous

    2-3 weeks of silence.....I'd pass on reaching out.

  3. Anonymous

    I would followup again expressing your interest in the opportunity and a brief statement explaining how your background is a good fit.

  4. Anonymous

    "Now, it's been two to three weeks with no response, and I've noticed they've reposted the job on LinkedIn."

    -- clue to not bother reaching out.

  5. Anonymous

    Yep, totally agree with you. I think at this point, with all the evidence presented, it's going to come off as a desperate.

  6. Anonymous

    Nah, no response is a response. Ghosting means not only do we not want to hire you, but also we don’t even have the courtesy or guts to tell you we changed our minds again. When the job market turns in favor of candidates again, I hope employers like the one the OP was talking about will really regret it.

  7. Kristi Marx

    Run.

  8. Anonymous

    Scam. Move on.

    Any organization that says "no-- wait, nevermind, possibly yes"....I'd pass on.

    Plus. If they did mean to move forward and truly an oversight to decline you, why the ghosting??

    Even if it WAS legit, would you want to be involved with this???!

    Please forget about these people and move on.

  9. Anonymous

    Reverse it, if they reach out again, be professional say thank you for reaching out but due to my recent experience and lack of communication you wish them well but will not be pursuing any roles with their company due to the candidate experience.

  10. Anonymous

    Move on. Don't embarrass yourself. If you at any point worked with a recruiter, internal or external, I'd share how disappointed you were in your experience. That feedback is typically shared with hiring manager, and others along with an admonishment to do better.

  11. Anonymous

    They changed their minds. You weren’t going forward in the hiring process, then you were going forward, and now you’re not. In other words, yes. They finally made up their minds. They ghosted you.

    And, actually, I think you dodged a bullet. Who’d want to work for an employer that’s so unprofessional and disrespectful to candidates? What’ll it be like WORKING for them? While working for them, you’d have probably gotten 3 or 4 different answers for a simple question about taking paid time off or being allowed to go on a doctor’s appointment. Yeesh, sounds like a terrible company.

    Don’t worry. You’ll find the role you need. You’ve just gotta keep pushing and interviewing. You only fail to get a job if you give up. Good luck! ??

  12. Anonymous

    I would move on. I was unemployed four moves ago and I still see the same company re-posting the same position. It is not worth your time if a company cannot get their sh!t together,

  13. Colleen Hanson

    I agree with everyone who is telling you to move on and keep looking. I went through a similar situation with a company that I had applied with. I had a brief phone interview and subsequently was scheduled for an in person interview the following week. The day before the in-person interview I received an email (they did not even have the decency to contact me by phone) stating that they had filled the position and thanking me for my interest. I thought it was odd that they did not mention the interview or formally cancel it, so I reached out, via email and phone, and received no response. Fast forward a month and they reached out asking if I still wanted to continue with the interview process. I was desperate for a job so I responded that I was indeed still interested, thanked them and told them I could be available at any time that was convenient for them. I did not hear another word. Two months later I received an email, again asking if I was still interested in the position and if so, asking for my availability. This time I politely declined.

    Since that time I have noticed that this position gets re-posted on the job board every 30-60 days, which is a huge red flag. There is a reason they can't keep an employee in that position.

    Please keep looking. The situation you describe sounds like a huge red flag!

  14. sherri jones

    Move on, they started confused and rather dishonest. At the very least they owe YOU an apology, something that will not happen, but if you're treated with such disrespect in the beginning, imagine what it will be like as a "team" member

  15. Anonymous

    They've already shown you that they don't have their sh&t together. Please don't overlook this. Keep moving forward. I think you dodged a proverbial bullet on this one.

  16. Anonymous

    RUN! They are clearly not organized and will probably layoff soon as they have no idea what they want.

  17. vivienne

    Sorry this is normal practice now!!!. Sadly it is wrong but there has been many posts on LinkedIn about this

  18. Anonymous

    I'm guessing the second email was sent in error.

  19. Anonymous

    If it's a rollercoaster when they are on their best behavior trying to sign you up, think of what it will be like when you have the job. For me this would be a huge red flag to run the other direction.

  20. Anonymous

    I recently had a very strange and similar interview experience. Normally, I would not pursue this kind of chaos...it's a bad sign. But in my recent situation, I just had a "vibe" that the job would be a good fit for me (and I know others who work there and love it)...so I pursued the hiring manager who "cancelled" our Zoom Meeting. Sent her two f/u emails, sincere in nature, stating that I really wanted to share my experience with her-- that I feel Ihave what they are looking for. I did get a reply, then another interview, and this week I'll be meeting *in person* two hiring managers in my state. So....the moral of the story is that you have to go with your gut. Call the person (if you have their phone number at the bottom of an email)- Email is too easy to ignore. It's worth another try if you really feel convicted about this role. You have nothing to lose.

  21. Anonymous

    I'd honestly cut your losses and move on.
    I realize you said you feel passionately about this position but if they are this poor in communicating about the hiring process (even if these are genuine mistakes), it doesn't sound like a good working environment.

  22. Sue

    I’m not sure you need these people in your life…

  23. Anonymous

    This is happening a lot. Companies are intentionally putting out job postings but not hiring. Please be aware of take home tests or homework — they are taking people’s ideas and then hiring for cheaper in other states or already have decided to hire from within but they’re taking ideas from candidates.

    this has happened to me and other folks I know. I was laid off back in October and have gone through manually interviews and rejected for jobs I am qualified for.

  24. Anonymous

    I agree, because it happened to me. My question is, how do we protect our ideas? That is so unethical and dirty.

    To the OP, I have learned to not get emotionally invested in these interviews. If it is for me I will receive an offer. I have been ghosted and rejected from roles I know I am over qualified for but I just delete the rejection email and move on. It is definitely difficult seeing as though I have been laid off since June of 2023. But I have to protect my mental health and peace. Just know something is coming soon. Good luck!

  25. Anonymous

    Run!

  26. Mathieu Dutour

    It is the nature of recruitment. Rarely consistent and full of ghosting.

    Their inconsistency does not imply it is a bad place to work. Maybe they just have fires to clear before going to the recruitment process.

    I recommend to take such events in stride, hope for the best, prepare for the worst and continue applying to other positions.

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