What looked like the perfect end to a lengthy hiring process took an unexpected turn for one job seeker. After a five-hour final interview and several encouraging conversations, the candidate was met with complete silence.
Unsure whether the lack of communication was part of the hiring process or a sign to move on, the candidate turned to Reddit for advice.
Candidate says recruiter made several promises during interview
The Reddit post was titled, "Ghosted after a 5-hour executive on-site despite insane green flags. Need advice."
Explaining the situation, the candidate wrote, "I'm looking for some insight into a bizarre hiring situation. A few weeks ago, I flew out for an intensive, five-hour final-round on-site interview for a Senior Director role at a major telecom company. The day included a case study presentation to the leadership team and meetings with several executives."
According to the post, the recruiter repeatedly reassured the candidate throughout the interview.
"If there's anything we can do, you name it," the recruiter reportedly said. Since the candidate was not looking to relocate, the recruiter also added, "We'll try to see if you can report into a different office so that you can stay in your home city," before saying, "We'll build the role around what you enjoy doing."
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{{/usCountry}}(Also Read: 'Gave away my window seat, received a lesson in return': Fintech executive shares emotional flight story)
{{/usCountry}}The recruiter promised a quick timeline and said there would be an update early the following week. Feeling optimistic after the interview, the candidate submitted travel expense reports right away.
Four days later, the candidate sent a thank-you email but received no response. On the same day, the job posting was renewed and reposted online.
"It has now been two full weeks of absolute radio silence on the job status, and my expenses haven't been reimbursed yet. No rejection, no 'we need more time' update, just nothing," the post read.
The candidate ended by asking, "Has anyone experienced this level of love-bombing followed by total ghosting at the executive level? Is this standard internal bureaucracy, or did I just get completely burned?"
Read the full story here.
Reddit users weigh in
Many Reddit users said the recruiter's enthusiasm did not necessarily reflect the company's final hiring decision.
One user wrote, "A recruiter's job is to recruit you, not hire you. Executives or managers make the hiring decisions. Recruiters want all the candidates on the shortlist to have a positive experience while they're there."
Another commented, "This is brutal, but I'd split the two issues. For the role, assume you're not the first choice unless someone re-engages with a concrete next step. For expenses, send a separate, straightforward email with your receipts and a deadline because reimbursement shouldn't depend on whether they decide to hire you."
A third user suggested there may have been an internal change. "Check if the reposted job has a new requisition ID. If it's different, their budget got pulled and they're just too reluctant to tell you."
Another added, "This is a recruiter doing their job. They have almost no influence over the hiring decisions despite whatever they tell you. Sending thank-you notes to the executives is a good way to keep your foot in the door. It's not to express interest but to make sure they remember you when they are making a decision."
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)