New role - crazy slow interview timeframe: too long?
Discussion
I’m really wanting to know other PHers opinions on this - though the fact that I’m asking I think says that I really know the answer.
I’m going through the most drawn out, tedious and frustrating interview process I’ve ever known.
I’m not going to be too specific, but I work in IT in a programmer type rôle. I’m not some mega-pay, executive or manager etc. I’m just a “grunt”.
December last year approached by a firm where a friend and ex colleague for a remote rôle, perfect job spec. Had a first interview start January. There were no other candidates. Guys who interviewed me were really nice. Job was perfect.
Then HR got involved.
End of March I was asked to do an online psychometric test thing (again I’m not being specific). That was all fine.
Finally at the end of April I had the second interview. Again it went really well, very nice guys. Got a call from the friend who worked there saying he had been told it was “in the bag”.
And ever since…… nothing. It’s leaving a bad taste in my mouth to be honest, and a bad impression. It’s affecting my approach to my current role (well paid, wfh but very bored). No formal feedback whatsoever.
They were even asking me if I could get out of my three months notice period early - yet left longer than that between interviews. I’ve even turned down other interviews in the meantime - very foolish given my time in the industry, however that’s my own fault.
I guess this is my way of saying that I think I’m having my time wasted here, and it’s time to just forget about it and move on, get some more interviews under my belt. If this is how they run things I’m not so sure it’s the place for me. Or am I just being impatient? However it’s going to be cracking on 10 months or so from start to finish at the fastest, I don’t think that’s acceptable.
I’m going through the most drawn out, tedious and frustrating interview process I’ve ever known.
I’m not going to be too specific, but I work in IT in a programmer type rôle. I’m not some mega-pay, executive or manager etc. I’m just a “grunt”.
December last year approached by a firm where a friend and ex colleague for a remote rôle, perfect job spec. Had a first interview start January. There were no other candidates. Guys who interviewed me were really nice. Job was perfect.
Then HR got involved.
End of March I was asked to do an online psychometric test thing (again I’m not being specific). That was all fine.
Finally at the end of April I had the second interview. Again it went really well, very nice guys. Got a call from the friend who worked there saying he had been told it was “in the bag”.
And ever since…… nothing. It’s leaving a bad taste in my mouth to be honest, and a bad impression. It’s affecting my approach to my current role (well paid, wfh but very bored). No formal feedback whatsoever.
They were even asking me if I could get out of my three months notice period early - yet left longer than that between interviews. I’ve even turned down other interviews in the meantime - very foolish given my time in the industry, however that’s my own fault.
I guess this is my way of saying that I think I’m having my time wasted here, and it’s time to just forget about it and move on, get some more interviews under my belt. If this is how they run things I’m not so sure it’s the place for me. Or am I just being impatient? However it’s going to be cracking on 10 months or so from start to finish at the fastest, I don’t think that’s acceptable.
You are not being impatient, if indeed that’s how they roll the. Imaging what product development is like…
I would go back to your interviews and say, hi it’s been x number of weeks since we met, Could you please confirm the timeline for the process from here. I have decisions to make regarding my current role and I want to understand whether this opportunity is going to progress to offer stage.
Thanks
Gargamel said:
You are not being impatient, if indeed that’s how they roll the. Imaging what product development is like…
I would go back to your interviews and say, hi it’s been x number of weeks since we met, Could you please confirm the timeline for the process from here. I have decisions to make regarding my current role and I want to understand whether this opportunity is going to progress to offer stage.
Thanks
Sounds like a good idea, Gargamel. It’s just crap manners from them, really. I would go back to your interviews and say, hi it’s been x number of weeks since we met, Could you please confirm the timeline for the process from here. I have decisions to make regarding my current role and I want to understand whether this opportunity is going to progress to offer stage.
Thanks
What do you mean by "given my time in the industry" - are you experienced or new to the industry ?
Im considering a move and in a similar industry (albeit appsec/info sec) but I'm bored of everything tech related in general, like, utterly completely bored - and if they're doing psychbabble tests these days f that, maybe I should just sit this job out a bit longer and retire early.
Im considering a move and in a similar industry (albeit appsec/info sec) but I'm bored of everything tech related in general, like, utterly completely bored - and if they're doing psychbabble tests these days f that, maybe I should just sit this job out a bit longer and retire early.
eltawater said:
They've had an internal recruitment freeze imposed on and off and no one knows when it's going to be lifted, so they're keeping schtum in the hope they can pick it up at a later date.
Unless you're desperate for the role, look elsewhere.
Either that or HR do not allow the hiring of a candidate when there is no competition for the role. I know at my place suitable candidates haven't got the job in the past if there is nobody they can be compared to. I believe it's done in the name of fairness and to prevent nepotism but in reality is stops us bringing in good people into niche roles.Unless you're desperate for the role, look elsewhere.
okgo said:
Just send them a break up email. You’ll find out where you stand by the end of the day most likely. Staggers me that people allow themselves to be walked over in this manner tbh.
I’m sorely tempted, hence my initial question “am I being impatient?”I spent over two decades in IT contracting plus 14 years in perm so that’s a lot of interviews, and I’ve never experienced anything this poor.
Dog Star said:
I’m sorely tempted, hence my initial question “am I being impatient?”
I spent over two decades in IT contracting plus 14 years in perm so that’s a lot of interviews, and I’ve never experienced anything this poor.
Anything happening at the org that could be causing some delays, leadership changes, M&A activity, have they announced quarterly results that may not be great, could be a gazillion reasons behind whats happening.I spent over two decades in IT contracting plus 14 years in perm so that’s a lot of interviews, and I’ve never experienced anything this poor.
If you want to DM me who they are I can see what I can find out ...
I would send them a polite email asking if there's any news and what the expected timeline is.
I've sort of been on the other end of this, some years ago, when I was the hiring manager trying to recruit someone. We went through a couple of interviews, liked the guy and were ready to offer him the job, but the company had just brought in a policy where every job offer had to be signed off by the board of directors in Denver. This was farcical as it was a huge multinational with tens of thousands of staff, and we would sit waiting for news at each weekly board meeting, week after week being told by HR that the board's agenda had run out of time before getting to that item. I think it was effectively a jobs freeze but they didn't want to publicly announce one, so they just made recruitment grind to a halt through bureaucracy.
I couldn't really tell the candidate what was going on (I didn't fully understand what was going on myself!), but I did stay in contact with him and reassure him that we were trying to hurry things along.
Eventually the board gave its blessing and a contract was sent out.
I've sort of been on the other end of this, some years ago, when I was the hiring manager trying to recruit someone. We went through a couple of interviews, liked the guy and were ready to offer him the job, but the company had just brought in a policy where every job offer had to be signed off by the board of directors in Denver. This was farcical as it was a huge multinational with tens of thousands of staff, and we would sit waiting for news at each weekly board meeting, week after week being told by HR that the board's agenda had run out of time before getting to that item. I think it was effectively a jobs freeze but they didn't want to publicly announce one, so they just made recruitment grind to a halt through bureaucracy.
I couldn't really tell the candidate what was going on (I didn't fully understand what was going on myself!), but I did stay in contact with him and reassure him that we were trying to hurry things along.
Eventually the board gave its blessing and a contract was sent out.
I do a similar role to you and That is dragging for a long time. Is it a big multi-national firm with heavy-weight processes? In the small / startup world, the whole process should just be a 2-3 week process depending on how many leads you have on the go. I'll chase it up but wouldn't hold back on looking elsewhere in the meantime.
That’s really frustrating OP.
I’ve been in similar positions and there’s not a huge amount you can do beyond politely chasing.
In fact I’m in this position now. Did a final stage interview for a senior role last week with a presentation and everything. Since then I’ve heard nothing back from them.
It’s already at the point where I’ll likely tell them to stuff it if they do ever bother coming back.
My old boss taught me to prioritise hiring above everything else. Make the candidate feel special and get back to them in double quick time. After all it’s a two way process. As a result we hired some great people really efficiently.
Since then I don’t have much time for companies that drag their heels. If this is how they treat you as a candidate then just imagine what it’ll be like as an employee!
I’ve been in similar positions and there’s not a huge amount you can do beyond politely chasing.
In fact I’m in this position now. Did a final stage interview for a senior role last week with a presentation and everything. Since then I’ve heard nothing back from them.
It’s already at the point where I’ll likely tell them to stuff it if they do ever bother coming back.
My old boss taught me to prioritise hiring above everything else. Make the candidate feel special and get back to them in double quick time. After all it’s a two way process. As a result we hired some great people really efficiently.
Since then I don’t have much time for companies that drag their heels. If this is how they treat you as a candidate then just imagine what it’ll be like as an employee!
I was being recruited by a large company a few years back, for a role to set up a new part of their business from scratch. They approached me, not the other way around, and we both knew that I was the only person in EMEA who had done this particular niche thing in before. So I expected a very quick process.
In the end they made me an offer after five months. I turned it down, as if that's the pace at which they make decision then the work that they wanted me to do wouldn't be successful.
OP if this is how they work it may be a helpful warning sign for you.
In the end they made me an offer after five months. I turned it down, as if that's the pace at which they make decision then the work that they wanted me to do wouldn't be successful.
OP if this is how they work it may be a helpful warning sign for you.
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