Why Don’t Employers Call You Back?
By rachel zupek on Sep 10, 2009 in Employment, Featured, Interviews, Job Search
Of all the complaints we hear from job seekers, one of the most popular is, “Employers never call me back.” They say that not receiving any communication makes them think their application materials weren’t received, and it’s frustrating. After an interview, they expect to hear something, even if it’s bad news. They just want to know, one way or the other, if they might be in the running for the position.
It’s a valid frustration and one that we’re all familiar with. It’s understandable that employers are swamped with applications, especially because they’re getting up to 75 resumes for a single position. Job seekers get that they can’t always respond to every single applicant…but to never so much as e-mail or call someone back after an interview?
Our sister blog, The Hiring Site, decided to help us out with this question by asking their audience of employers to give us the low-down on why this might happen. Last week, we got an answer that was worthy of telling you, as it was filled with sound advice.
HRPro gave this response:
“Job searchers, please understand that hiring managers and HR professionals are receiving 10times the amount of resumes than they would have a year or two ago. Their time is spread thin and it is difficult to respond to each resume or application. Don’t expect to hear from every company that you’ve applied. The position may have filled and the manager has moved on.
If you interview for a job, though, a good hiring manager will always follow up. Additionally, be mindful of several things.
- First, don’t apply for a job for which you clearly are not qualified.
- Second, prepare for your interview. If you know nothing about the company you are interviewing with, it’s an immediate red flag to the hiring manager.
- Finally, if a hiring manager indicates that she will contact you in two weeks and you have not heard from her, you should follow up with her. It may be that the process is taking longer than she expected. Remember, two years ago, job seekers were particular about the jobs they would accept. Today, managers are trying to find the “perfect” candidate rather than settling on a candidate.”
So there you have it. What do you think, job seekers?
Also, read this article by Anthony Balderrama to gain some more insight on the topic.
Dani | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
In terms of answering applicants people would appreciate ever a standard email. The only thing the company has to do is sending a generic email for all the unwanted applicants.
Bruce Welty | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
Pity on the poor understaffed HR departments. Weren’t they the dynamic behind lean operations? Well understaffed is the working definiton of lean. Other departments that have unproductive employees terminate them. All in the need to find the “perfect” candidate.
Jennifer | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
I work in recruiting and make an effort to reply to almost all received resumes for positions…however, a few things that irritate me: As mentioned, people who apply when they are CLEARLY not qualified (eg, we are looking for someone with 7+ years exp and someone applies who has one year, but is a “quick learner.”) Another is when we state that only local applicants will be considered because it will require 2-3 in-person interviews, normally with a cpl of days notice. I will then receive resumes from everywhere in the country. If you are a 5 hour flight away, are you really going to fly here 3 times on your own dime to interview??? That being said, I keep a list of everyone I need to touch back with and try to keep everyone in the loop, and also always send an email acknowledging receipt of resume, unless the candidate has committed one of the above sins.
Rodney Cooley | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
As someone who has used lean manufacturing to gain large efficiencies, I would politely disagree with Bruce’s definition of lean. IMHO it’s more about getting rid of the wastes that can be brought about by disorganization, outdated processes, lack of cross-training, etc.
I can appreciate how busy HR is with today’s job market. My experience with the follow-through has been mixed. Some companies have updated me after the interview, but others have not given me any information, not even after I checked in with them after the date I was given has passed.
Not sure what to make of it when I have followed steps 1, 2, and 3, but I don’t hear anything.
AD | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
I understand no sending messages to applicants who send resumes. What I do not understand is not replying back to messages AFTER an interview and AFTER the timeframe a decision would be made. If a decision is taking longer than expected, why don’t hiring managers/HR email/phone the candidate to let them know that? Maybe the applicant can provide additional information to help sway them or at the very least be informed of the process. The hardest part of interviewing is the silence. Even when I have emailed/phoned the company after an appropriate time frame, I sometimes get silence. Anybody shed light on this?
KM | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
Years ago, I had an interview with a company and the woman I spoke to told me they would make a decision by X date. A week or so after that date had passed, I called her and she said that they hadn’t made a decision yet. Okay, no problem…things happen, I get that. What I didn’t get was the letter I received a day later, that was dated a few days before saying the position had been filled. Why couldn’t she just tell me that on the phone? That kind of behavior baffles me.
MH | Sep 10, 2009 | Reply
HR managers don’t call you back because it’s easier not to. Having had no success applying for jobs I was overqualified for, I began applying for jobs I was underqualified for. If HR reps told people who have all the qualifications why they weren’t hired, they might not pester other HR people with application for jobs they’re not qualified for. As a (former) job seeker, it’s hard to have sympathy for the overly full email inbox of HR people.
Steph McDonald | Sep 11, 2009 | Reply
If you haven’t heard anything after following up (politely) 2 or 3 times, move on. Don’t get caught up in the waiting game for the ‘perfect job’. I hate that recruiters don’t get back with candidates, but it happens. Keep yourself moving forward and not looking back.
One comment to MH – why would you apply for jobs you were over/under qualified for? Why not apply for jobs at the right level? I don’t understand the rationale.
Steph (Recruiter w 10 years of experience)
TheWorkDoctor | Sep 11, 2009 | Reply
Is it any surprise that employers don’t call back? Forget about a response to a job application for a moment. What if you’re absent from work and you leave a message for your employer to call you, do they? Or, if your name is not on a schedule to work and you call your employer, does your employer call back? The answer is no they don’t. The reason is generally because the employer doesn’t want you working for them. So does it really surprise you if you don’t get a call back when you submit an application for employment? If you want the job or you want to keep your job, be agressive but courteous, and call, don’t wait for things to happen or life will pass you by. And if possible, go see them in person.
carol | Sep 12, 2009 | Reply
It all goes back to good manners. Remember those? Not many people do. Job Seeker: after an interview, send a short, handwritten thank you note. Just because the HR department does not value good manners is no reason you should behave like a buffoon. Your note may trigger a long ago memory of a parent who stressed civil behavior. Your note is your vote for a more civil society.
Laura | Sep 14, 2009 | Reply
How do you explain after the interview when the recruiter who sent you on the interview won’t return phone calls and emails three weeks later?
Then to cap that off to see the position you interviewed for is re advertised after your two hour interview with the hiring manager?
Annette | Sep 16, 2009 | Reply
Jennifer, I can respect what you are saying and where you are comming from. My standpoint is this, for the applicants that are qualified, pre-screened, and initially interviewed. It takes time to prepare,coordinate attire, gas, and time, on the part of the applicant. Then to be placed in a psych evaluation for 30 to 50 minutes. At least have a email sent to that person, so they can move on if they were not chosen from your company to move forward with.
Mamadouba Sylla | Sep 19, 2009 | Reply
I have no experience as far as microsoft office is concern. I grew up in academic environement where I was not lucky to learn any computer skill at all. Nevertheless, Ilearned french language and two african dialects including English. Untill up to last year, I was working for Immigration service as translator & Interpretor in Immigration court while, I was attending Paralegal/Litigation classes in New york Paralegal school for two years. I graduaded there. Also, received my Bachelor degree prior immigrating to USA. I am a US citizen with a good moral& caractere. But I tried as much as could, I can’t find a job. What is my option and advice I can possibily from you. I have five children all uner thirteen year of age who desperately count on their dady to put foot on the table.
Thak for the opportunity.
Best regards!
Sincerly, Sylla.
N.B : As might notice, I can’t even create my own webside.
DM | Sep 21, 2009 | Reply
I would think a good applicant tracking system would handle under/over experienced applicants as well as other criteria in weeding them out automatically. Additionally, a good ATS should offer easy response mechanisms. So in this day in age, it should be know excuse not to get back to the job seeker.
This coming from someone who help create an web recruiting solutions back in 1997 which became a part of Webhire ATS and is now part of Kennexa.
Funny thing though, I get more response from companies that don’t use ATS systems than do.
Note: I have not been affiliated with the companies mentioned for some time.
SB | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I can understand not responding to every single resume that’s emailed in from a job board posting or something similar. However, when an employer calls someone to come in and interview and then puts the applicant through an interview process, the employer SHOULD follow-up with the decision, regardless of whether it’s good or bad.
I hear from people all the time about going through an interview process and being told “we’ll let you know by such and such date”. Then silence. Then more silence even after the applicant contacts them.
I was subjected to this behavior myself. I interviewed at a well known corporation. I had interviews all morning with 5 different people. Then scurried home to be available for a phone interview later that afternoon with someone out of state. I was told that it would be “a week or two” before they made a decision. So, I waited. After the “week or two” I contacted their recruiting officer. No response. I waited a couple of days and then contacted her again. I got a “I was out of the office on Monday” (by now it was Thursday). Then told “they decided to proceed with another candidate”. I was very close to giving her a piece of my mind and say something like “You know, considering everything I went through to interview for this position, the LEAST you could do is to give me the common courtesy of a phone call.” But I didn’t. I took the high road and simply thanked her and the company for considering me. But when an HR department acts like that, it’s hard not to look on that company in a negative way.
Middle management in corporate America is so afraid of any “confrontation”, they can’t even treat people like people anymore. They SHOULD call or at the very least send a letter in the mail (not email) to everyone who came in to go through a series of interviews.
It’s incredibly frustrating.
kevin | Sep 28, 2009 | Reply
there just a bunch of wankers not gewtting back to u i dont want to here any lame exscuses sticking up for theses people an email a phone call take seconds to do id rather no one way or the other than nothing.
Adam | Oct 5, 2009 | Reply
I am currently waiting for the post interview call back from a large bio tech company. They informed me they would contact me by next week, but I have yet to hear from them despite 2 polite followup messages to their HR department. I have been on pins and needles all weekend.
Ken | Oct 6, 2009 | Reply
I think employers not sending out any yes or no is totally ok for me. If I don’t hear any responses in a week after the interview, I automatically knew that I won’t be considered. But, it is not always the case. I used to interview with a company and the manager said that he definitely wants me back. But, I didn’t hear anything. After a month, this company called me and said they have a great position just suits my requirements. It was soo great.
The thing I hate the most is in San Jose areas. I just moved here. I am just scared how rude people here can be. The hiring mangers are even more weird. One hiring manager called me up on a weekend night around 8pm. A few of them calls me and said they will return my call in 15 minutes or later, but NEVER DID. When I called back, they were like, “oh…you know, I’m so sorry, I am just soo busy” then gave me a shit like interview. Why I say SHIT like? Because the questions they asked were not related to the list of requirements or just not even in the field of the job I applied for. I really wanted to know what is wrong with people in San Jose areas??!!! Stop harassing candidates, we JUST WANT TO LOOK FOR A JOB.
Ken | Oct 6, 2009 | Reply
Here is another weird San Jose hiring manager. This hiring manager called me and said she would like to test me on several questions on my field. After a few questions, I realized that she is someone who knows nothing about the field, she is just following maybe an answer sheet on her table. When she asked me a very simple questions with plenty of possibilities. I gave her a less common answer and she completely confused herself and said I was wrong. Any beginner in this field would know that it is impossible that my answer is wrong. Then I asked her to pull up web sites to verify my answer and kinda educate her that she confused herself. I basically answered all her questions correctly, but I didn’t hear anything from her. Actually, I don’t want to hear from her. This is the type of hiring manager I hate. I only experienced these weird people in San Jose.
rkgwes | Oct 8, 2009 | Reply
If a potential employee send an email to HR requesting a response or update, it would be very professional to send a response. Also, employers should stop placing unnecessary requirements the have nothing to do with the jobs, such as education that have nothing to do with th jobs.Employers need to think if the shoe was on the other foot and they were the person applying for the job, how would they want to be treated
Richard Koop | Oct 8, 2009 | Reply
I was unemployeed for almost 2 years. I reside in San Diego and traveled at the company’s expense to Tampa, Cleveland and Dallas on Job interviews. Upon ariving back home following the interview I sent off an e mail thanking for the opportunity and look forward to hearing back from the company. On all three occassions I did not get any type of communication from the company I interviewed with, not an e mail, letter or phone call.
TI | Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
Yes, THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
And when the job description lists 30-40 duties. That is when I exit and go on to another job posting. EMPLOYERS GET SO DEMANDING.
Ken | Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
Another very strange interview I went to. This employer requested me for an in person interview. I prepared and took a long time to reach the place. One the interviewers told me he doesn’t have much time to interview me. Another interview talking on the cell phone regarding his personal issue while interviewing me. I mean if you don’t have time, then don’t ask me to be prepared and come to the office. I so regret moving here to CA. I have great qualifications, I have turned down two offers in my previous resident state. ARE THERE ANY NORMAL COMPANIES AND PEOPLE IN THE BAY AREAS??????
Kim | Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
I am on the job hunt and had a really good phone interview, with another phone interview immediately set up with a specific date and time, and the hiring manager never called. I followed up with a call and email, and still I’ve heard nothing. Frustration!! Unfortunately, despite the lack of professionalism, I still am very interested in the position. What do I do?
Tom | Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
I hear you Adam… same here. Waiting for the call back… it’s frustrating
M | Oct 9, 2009 | Reply
I recently interviewed with Oce Business Services. I will say it was a horrible unprofessional experience. What the interviewer doesn’t know is that I have contacts with clients that he works with and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate letting them know about my experience when I am able.
Networks and contacts can sometimes reach far and wide.
john | Oct 12, 2009 | Reply
The statement listed above would hold water IF it were true. Even prior to our current economic crisis many companies especially in retail wouldn’t give you the time of day. Filling out application & uploading resume’s via personal or even their own corporate computors/kiosk definately did not mean you received a rewsponce. Very few maybe 4% sent a courtesy e-mail back stating “Sorry you meet our qualifications But someone more qualified received the position. This allows both myself & them to move on. After all it’s paperless & could be done in some type of standard form.
jan | Oct 15, 2009 | Reply
im also waiting for a call from the person who interviewed me(HR). she told me that she likes the way i answer all the questions and the confidence that i have…the interview went really well, she interviewed me for 50 minutes and i feel so confident about it..she told me that i’ll hear from her the next day to schedule for a second interview.i didnt call them the next day (friday) i decided not to coz ill just wait ti’l monday, i called her and left a message but she didnt call me back, i give her a call last tuesday, somebody answered the phone and she told me that the HR is with a customer and busy that time, i understand that part, the lady ask me if i want to leave a message, and i told her that i call to follow up my application, she told me that they havent hired anybody yet. i felt relieved, but at the same time wondering if its true that they havent decided yet coz as what ive heard, some will tell the applicants that they havent decided who to hire yet but actually they’ve filled that position already..
im still waiting for their call..do u think the hr is just busy not to call me back or they have filled the position already?
Suzanne G | Oct 22, 2009 | Reply
Employers who do not respond are just rude…I love how this article twists the blame around to the applicant. If someone takes the time to send you a resume by any method (snail mail, email etc.) the employer should take the time to respond. With technology today it is even easier to respond. I used to work for a college and we not only responded to all the job applicants but we also sent them brochures about our college. I remember sending out 150 at once…this was in 1988…we used data bases and mail merge then duh!…My daughter just applied and was interviewed for a job at a very good college in Philadelphia…she contacted the interviewer several times …months later still has not heard…I think Employers like this should be exposed to all..Maybe we need to embarass them into being polite.
Millie | Oct 23, 2009 | Reply
I am in agreement with the above letters, we should expose the inconsideraate jerks. Amd while I am at it I want to congratulate those of you who got to HR. Let me clarify, if you made it to the company and used their Human Resources department. Times have changed amd recruiting has been outsourced, some companies don’t want to bother with screening their own people. THIS IS THE REASON THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS SO HIGH. The agemcoes have these dim witted airheads who are paid by the number of people they sucker out of a resume. Next, the majority of them are clueless, they cannot think outside of the box, if your skills are not what the employer has on the requisition EXACTLY, they cannot conceptualize and see how the job that you applied for, (you thought you had the qualifications) and your experience, though it might be broader, would make a fit.
They tend to overscreen. And those dumb ass questions they ask, Tell me about a time when you……., if I hear that again I am going to scream.
I would name some of these agencies, but I hate to be blacklisted. But one begins with an A. and their sales force is earning their fat salaries, money that could be used to Keep More People working. They are recruiting for everyone, I am leary of working for a company who cannot seek their own talent, I learned that not all companies are equal. well I will write more later.
Seattle Interview Coach | Oct 31, 2009 | Reply
Job and interview rejection letters and calls can be puzzling. Sometimes the recruiter doesn’t know the real reason why the hiring manager chose a different candidate. Other times, they know the reason, but fearing legal liability, they cannot say it. And probably the most important reason of all, recruiters hate delivering bad news, worried that candidates will get upset, angry — or ask more questions on why they didn’t get the job.
Talk to us. We’ve developed an “Interview Rejection Report.” The report will tell you your interview shortcomings are and provide specific suggestions for improvement.
To learn more: http://blog.seattleinterviewcoach.com/2009/09/find-out-why-employers-dont-call-you.html
- Seattle Interview Coach
cahill | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
People appply for jobs they are over/ under qualified for because, in case you haven’t noticed, the “perfect” job is not out there. You have to throw your hat in the ring. In this economy people are willing to take jobs they are underqualified for or apply to jobs that they could do but they might not have evey listed qualification. Just because you didn’t have the money to get an MBA doesn’t always mean you’re not qualified. Also, unemployment requires people to apply for at least 2 jobs a week. So they have to apply for something even if they may not be qualified for it.