I had a great interview with a company, and got a job offer via email.

I had a great interview with a company, and got a job offer via email. I finished some hiring paperwork, background check, and drug test. The next day (a weekend) I got an email saying, "We are in the interview process with several candidates and we will notify you once our team has completed this round of interviews and determined the next steps."

Does this mean they decided not to hire me and are just being placating? Or does it just mean I really just need to wait?

The interview went really well and they really need people for this role. I don't know what I could've done wrong.

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46 Comments

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  1. Anonymous

    Forward the automated email to the hiring manager or whoever signed your offer letter and ask for clarity.

    I think they forgot to update their automatic system.

  2. Michele King

    Exactly this. If they're hiring multiple people it might be a mass email to the remaining pool and your email wasn't removed.

  3. Anonymous

    I once got a “sorry we haven’t chosen you for the role” after starting a role ? they had moved my application to a different opening due to my location. It sounds like a system/process error. Ask the hiring manager for clarification. I don’t think it’s indicative of a “bad” company, it’s nothing personal.

  4. Melissa Verdoni

    yeah small mistakes happen yes her e mail should have been removed , but shut happens. i would let HR know of the mistake promptly by e -mail.

  5. Kristie White

    I do not think you need to wait. You got a job offer. That is an indication that the interviewing process is over. Unless there’s more than one position, and you may have been in a pool for example. There’s no excuse for you getting a job offer and then being told to wait thru another round of interviews. There is some kind of mixup or they are treating you badly before you even walk in the door. And you need to find out which.

  6. Jeanie Rant

    You got an offer…that means they want you. The notice was probably sent in error. Check back with HR/the recruiter/hiring manager…I wouldn’t turn in the background check info until you get clarification.

  7. DeBorah S. Walker

    I agree, the email probably was sent in error.

  8. Anonymous

    Perhaps. But maybe not?

  9. rgstaffing@bellsouth.net

    offers are always contingent upon the background check and drug screen coming back clean.

  10. Anonymous

    As everyone already said, this is an automated system and your name was not removed. I’m almost 100% sure this is an anomaly on their part. Reach out to your contact and seek clarification. I had a similar but it was the complete opposite. I had signed the offer via the company’s system, and subsequently I received an email saying they will close my application for the other roles I applied for given I already accepted an offer for one. That makes sense. But to put you in a pool again after you accepted an offer. Is definitely off. Keep us posted.

  11. Anonymous

    I would reconsider or be very careful accepting a position there--if these types of errors are occurring. they need to be and remain organized with such matters!

  12. rgstaffing@bellsouth.net

    We do not know if it is an error or a problem with the background and drug screen. A call will clarify this and very necessary.

  13. Victoria Cianci

    I suggest reaching out to the hiring manager and clarifying it.

  14. Anonymous

    I know how you feel. I have been in this situation. It seems that the company you interviewed with decided to go with another pool of candidates.

    Just keep applying. Hopefully, you will find another job soon.

  15. Anonymous

    Definitely no harm in reaching out to the hiring manager or HR contact you’ve been communicating with on this and ask for clarification. That is the only way to know for sure.

  16. Talia

    In would definitely ask for clarity. Sounds like a mix up

  17. Beth Harrison

    Clarify the email! Remember there is a lot of automation and it could have easily been in error. However if it wasn’t an error, having someone send me new hire paperwork and THEN telling me I’m in the running would give me pause. Go w your gut.

  18. Anonymous

    Clarify. I once had a company tell me I wasn’t a candidate then called me to set up a second interview after I filled out excess and very personal information. Midway through the paperwork process I noped out

  19. Deanna

    I had a similar issue and it was due to an automated email sent from their HRIS or Indeed. I called the person who had made the verbal offer ASAP to find out what was going on. I definitely think you should call!!

  20. Eileen Conte

    They probably are caught in some kind of automation snag. I once had an interview lined up, but about a week prior I canceled it myself due to a firm offer elsewhere and I did not want to waste their time. About 2 months later they sent me an email thanking me for coming in (I never went in) but they regretted they had decided to go with someone else.

  21. Anonymous

    Same

  22. Marlaina

    This email sounds auto generated and likely could be in error. As others have said forward to HR. At a previous job I had I got an email I was rejected from the job I had just started weeks before - clearly a mistake , so this clearly happens, especially at large companies unfortunately. Good luck!

  23. rgstaffing@bellsouth.net

    I would certainly ask for clarification. Are you certain that your drug screen came back clean and do you have any issues such as an arrest or a conviction or a DUI that would show up on your background check?

  24. Anonymous

    Gonna need a thumbs down option for some of these suggestive comments, Fairygodboss

  25. Anonymous

    I am confused as to why this is even a question. It is fairly obvious that you need to reach out and ask some questions.

  26. Anonymous

    This is really a rude and demeaning response to someone who came here for advice. Not everyone is as skilled or seasoned at navigating the professional world as some of us here. This is a platform to support other women in achieving their professional goals and this comment is reflective of exactly how women actively undermine other women professionally to eliminate competition. You should be ashamed of yourself for representing such a negative stereotype of professional women. We rise by lifting others!

  27. Trish Allen

    Step off. If you can't be supportive then scroll on by.

  28. Madam anon663

    Wow Trish. Rude and uncalled for.

  29. Anonymous

    Learn some professional behavior.

  30. Grace Bergeron

    Sounds as if an auto generated was sent in error.

    Contact H.R. for clarification.

    Good luck.

  31. Anonymous

    Call them.

  32. Christi Miller

    Definitely call them. Auto generated emails go out by accident all the time.

  33. Anonymous

    They're probably swamped like everyone else and it could have been an innocent mistake. I would reach out and clarify. It's probably nothing to be worried about.

  34. Barbara White

    Especially since you have completed hiring paperwork, I would just call the person with whom you have been communicating during this process and verify whether this was sent in error or is actually the case. It could be a form email that was supposed to go to someone else whose email had the first few letters that are the same as yours. But it definitely is okay to contact them if you are already in the filling out hiring paperwork phase. Good luck!!

  35. Ida McCarty

    You got the offer, contact the recruiter for clarification. Mistakes happen in the hiring process, and you probably got a automated email.

  36. Michelle S.

    I agree that this was probably an automated email but really weird that they gave her an offer but still claim to be interviewing. Looks like one of those companies that want to make sure the new candidate shows up first before they let everybody down. SMH

  37. Samantha

    My first thought is that it's just an automated email, but call them if you're confused. Or email them back. Better to verify and ease your anxiety.

  38. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | Recruiter

    yup. automated.

    however,

    1. did you apply to more than one job at this company?
    2. did you submit your application for THIS role more than once?

    And pick up the phone, call your contact, and keep going forward!

  39. SANDRA KOPECKY

    Either could have been an automated email or could be that your background check and drug test still need to be accounted for.

    I've been on a government job where people have been walked out due to a something coming up in their background check after the fact. They were already hired, trained, and on the job.

    I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR BACKGROUND!

  40. Anonymous

    I agree that this email was sent in error and you should call HR and verify. However, I did want to point out that sometimes background checks can take a while to come back depending on which company your company uses. I had a coworker who was hired the same time as me but her employment was delayed two months as there was an issue with her background check (the company couldn't find her high school to confirm she graduated). It could be something like that holding up the process.

  41. LORI-ANN BURLINGAME

    You may not have done anything wrong. It could be some kind of miscommuniction. Reach out to your contact and ask them about it. Second guessing yourself, is not healthy.

  42. Yvonne Heholt-Campbell

    I have encountered situation like this and reach out to the recruiter to have it rectified.

  43. Amy Geffen

    Contact your contact at the company and find out what is going on.

  44. C Allen

    You said they need "people" (plural) perhaps they're trying to onboard several of you at once.

    I can't imagine them having you do drug testing and background screening if they weren't moving forward with you.

    Also, as several have mentioned - ASK! :)

  45. Anonymous

    Agreed! Drug and background testing is expensive. You’re still in it!

  46. Valentina Huang, MBA, SHRM-CP

    Anytime you have questions/concerns, its best to reach out for clarification and not make any assumptions.

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