I recently had a first chat with HR after the recruiter with the company said they had issues changing from one ATS to another, where all her chosen candidates went into the wrong field, and declinations were immediately sent out via email. (I was surprised because my background was a real fit for this role, more so than many others I’ve even been hired for.) We set up the brief call and it went well; very nice chat… or so I thought.

12 Comments

1. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 12:50PM UTC

   There may have been internal candidates or too many qualified outside candidates that the department had their first round identified.

   Who knows. Don't drive yourself crazy worrying about it. It wasn't you. What you have to realize is that HR doesn't work in the department and can only assist the hiring manager. That manager and/or team may have compiled their own short list from networking and referrals. Chances are this networking has probably been going on long before the position posted. Thats just how niche positions (especially) work. HR did its job. In assisting.

2. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 12:59PM UTC

   Notice how you said there were 3 candidates including you .

   For me when they disclose the number of candidates always tells me you are never the first choice.

   HR does not have the final say and sometimes is all down to cultural fit. Sometimes it comes down to the tiniest detail that has nothing to do with you and more so the person who is doing the hiring.

3. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 1:30PM UTC

   I'm on a HR committee for interviews and trust me, our evaluations do not go far. Our VP makes the final decisions of who gets hired. Probably they already determined who gets selected. I'm sorry this happened.

4. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 1:57PM UTC

   I agree that it could have been a predetermined/internal candidate, and you didn't have a chance. Another possibility is that they modified this or other job descriptions (making the position redundant) and pulled the original JD from consideration. Neither was your fault, and HR had nothing to do with the decision.

5. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 3:33PM UTC

   What do you mean a polite chat with HR? This was a first interview. A screening interview. And for whatever reason, it was determined that it didn't make sense to move you forward.

   As a recruiter, I find it incredibly frustrating that some candidates treat me as the gatekeeper. My interview determines whether or not candidates move forward. It's not some meaningless "chat" and the interviewer IS evaluating your skills on behalf of the "actual department."

   There are many many reasons recruiters choose not to move forward including the topics you mentioned you discussed - experience, interest in the company, and other candidates. Often times, we cannot share these details explicitly.

   Not worth dwelling on but perhaps worth considering how seriously you take that initial conversation.

6. AnonymousAugust 7,2024 at 6:51PM UTC

   Not connecting the dots from you, the candidate, having a call with HR, makes you think it disqualified you. Businesses re-evaluate all the time on needs, even when they're looking to fill roles, put on hold, move forward with another candidate. That conversation that you want to learn them to evaluate, not sure on the value, as the next will have different standards. Learn and keep going it, this wasn't the one.

7. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 8,2024 at 3:12AM UTC

   I always extend the offers to the candidates - always have in over 20 plus years recruiting.

8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 8,2024 at 3:17AM UTC

   First off, that was an interview - not a chat. Second, this is an exceptionally tough job market - especially in the tech space - with tons of very qualified candidates looking for work.

   I really doubt you did anything wrong. Even if you're qualified for the position, chances are there's someone who is just a bit more qualified.

9. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 8,2024 at 6:36AM UTC

   Please point to where I said I "have the final decision".

   Please point to where I said I was the hiring manager.

   I work with the hiring manager to craft the offer. This is an on-going conversation we've been having since our first conversation about the position - we talk about what every candidate is looking for as we work our way through the interviews - so comp is discussed many, many times.

   The hiring managers have fairly limited say so in what the offer ultimately comes in at as we're working within salary bands, within geographic differentials and with internal equity.

   You wrote: "but you cannot make the final offer"

   I make the offers - the hiring managers do not.

10. AnonymousAugust 8,2024 at 12:34PM UTC

    Don’t bother. It’s not worth trying to figure why you were rejected. They can reject you for all sorts of reasons, some understandable, some just plain stupid. Even if you ask for feedback, it may be a lie to hide what the actual reason was so they can avoid a possible discrimination lawsuit or they may offer a canned response such as someone else was a better fit.

    Trying to determine why you were rejected just distracts you from your job search. Don’t worry; you’ll find the right position for you. Good luck!

11. AnonymousAugust 8,2024 at 7:20PM UTC

    I have had this too, with myself; When that manager interviewed me, she asked if there are any questions she'd like me to haved ask, so she could learn more about me - of course, the question I mentioned was a professional, and I pondered only for a slight moment, and came up with the question; With that, she wrote down the question so she would include it in her future interviews (feeling good about the interview at this point). I got called into a second interview w/an add'l person on her team, so now it's a 2 person panel interview. I thought #2 went superb, and I thought, I got this. Over the weekend I felt really confident about the job, however, Monday's email had different words that destroyed the confidence, ' am sorry to inform you, though you are a strong candidate..' ..........the rest is history. I was floored, disappointed, discouraged, and I was at that moment, thinking should I CALL that manager, because I know I was well skilled and personality-wise equipped for the job; That second person in the room kept saying, it'll take a full year to grasp everything in this job, and he repeated it. Then I recollected all in the interview - perhaps I am over quailifed, perhaps I am too seasoned for the role, perhaps that person was threatened that I would surpass him...Think back on the interview, and evaluate the little details. You might be overqualified and perhaps threatening to others. When one comes from another company to a new one, they may bring more experience than the one's interviewing you. Please be positive on your search, as I am along side you with this....BTW, I did not call the manager, but I would confront her if I saw her by chance, why was I not qualified enough for the role?.

12. AnonymousAugust 9,2024 at 6:00PM UTC

    Right - the problem is when candidates treat recruiters like that. An obstacle, a necessary evil, a "polite chat" before they get to the real decision-maker.

    Those "chats" can and will determine whether you move forward or not.