Interview month oldI interviewed for an internal position over a month ago. The company has since went through a re-org and the opening date for the position was pushed back until 3/1/07. I received a call from HR yesterday stating that they are compiling a "candidate list" for the position. They asked if my meeting with the hiring manager was an information gathering meeting or an actual interview. I told them it was an actual interview. My concern is, will it hurt my chances of obtaining the position since the interview occurred over a month ago? Should I send the hiring manager an email detailing my skills and qualifications and express my interest in the position? I don' t want to be a burden or bothersome, but I also want the position and consider myself a good fit for the position. I think since HR contacted you, they still have you in the running. I would just sit tight. I had an interview on January 8th for a position I was very interested in with a multi-billion dollar international corporation. The interview was held in one day with four separate individuals inclusive of a HR recruiter, a potential co-worker, a hiring manager and a director of the division. I thought the event went very well and I was led to believe by the recruiter a week later that it did as well. A week later, I contacted the recruiter again, and he told me that all my references checked out, things were positive, and a decision would be made by January 24th. On January 27th, I contacted the recruiter once again, and he advised me that the process was delayed in ways he did not anticipate, but that things were still positive. Still another week elapsed, and after contacting the recruiter, he told me that a new recruiter was to me whom I contacted on three occasions, but to no avail! Finally, on February 19, (six weeks from the interview) I was contacted by the reassigned recruiter who had 101 reasons why he could not return my messages sooner. He told me that the hiring manager said I was "overqualified" and would probably become "bored" with the position after a couple of months. Salary was never mentioned aside from that the manager asked what I was currently making, as she jovially replied, "I hope that we can afford you". When I asked her what the salary range of the position was she replied, "I am not at liberty to tell you that until a potential offer is made". I know enough about HR (MS in Labor Relations & HR) to realize that "overqualified" is nothing more than a misnomer for "we do not want to pay you what you are worth". I' m considering burning the bridge, but I really do not want to! Any comments or suggestions? I' d just drop the hiring manager a quick note to say you understand the process is underway again, you heard from HR, and you just wanted to reiterate your interest in the job. You don' t need to itemize again your qualifications--just a quickie "I enjoyed our earlier interview and am still very interested in the position. I want to stay with the company and think this position is a great/perfect/ideal.... fit (or great opportunity, or would be beneficial to both the company and me, or whatever blah, blah....) based on my skills and experience.' I read your post in another discussion and am wondering if I have contacted the hiring manager too much. Here is the breakdown of the contact I have had with her: 11/29/06 - Forwarded my resume to hiring manager. 12/8/06 - Followed up to make sure she received my resume since I had no response letting me know she had. Also to see if there were any other questions I might be able to answer. 12/19/06 - Hiring manager contacted me to inform me an "Internal Candidate" form needed to be turned in. (Human resources failed to notify me there was such a form) 1/2/06 - Followed up to see if HR had forwarded my internal candidate form to her. (HR "misplaced" the original I submitted and I had to fill out the form a second time) 1/4/07 - Hiring manager contacted me to see which day worked best to schedule interview 1/5/07 - replied with date and time stating 1/9/07 would work for me 1/16/07 - She contacted me to set interview for 1/19/07 1/19/07 - Interview 1/22/07 - Sent "traditional" follow up thanking her for her time and outlining my skills, and interest in the position, blah, blah 1/29/07 - Sent follow up to see if a decision had been made. (She expressed she wanted to fill position immediately) 2/1/07 - Company went through re-org. Title of position changed 2/9/07 - Contacted hiring manager to see if duties & responsibilities changed since the title changed. Was informed no changes were made and no need to resubmit internal app. 2/21/07 - Call from HR asking for a copy of my resume. I think it is also important to know 10 minutes before the scheduled interview the hiring manager called me and asked if I could bring a copy of my resume since she "didn' t know what happened to the one I emailed" on 11/29/06. When I went to her office a couple minutes early, she was not there. I patiently waited outside her office until she showed up 10 minutes late. The interview was scheduled for an hour and we were interrupted 2 - 3 times by people needing something from her. The last time it was to let her know that her next appt. was there and we had to cut the interview short 15 min. Again, I meet all the requirements of the position and it would definitely be an upward move (staff accountant to inventory/financial analyst) within the company and feel I am a good fit for the job. I have been with the company over a year now and am familiar with the business and software systems used. I fear I will be overlooked since the interview was over a month ago. I think it is unfair I originally contacted the hiring manager 3 months ago and have gotten little or no response. Also, it bothers me Human resources "lost" my internal app. and the fact the interview had interruptions and was ultimately cut short. So I am unsure as to what I should do. Sit and wait? Or send her a quick email saying I am still interested, blah, blah as you suggested. I have a feeling she is going to do interviews 2/26 - 2/28 and hire on 3/1/07 and since mine was over a month ago, I will be forgotten and overlooked. I told you to hold tight on the above post. Since I read your capsulation of what actually happened, I have changed my answer. I would send her the email that you are still interested. However, I agree that this hiring manager seems a bit unorganized and unprofessional, and I wonder exactly what is going on. (By the way, did they ever find your application and paperwork?) I believe all paperwork is completed. That brings me to another question.....should I follow up with Human resources to ensure all paperwork is completed and nothing else needs to be done on my end? I wouldn' t say the hiring manager is disorganized - I would say she has too much on her plate. The reason this position was created was to take some of her responsibilities off her. But I am offended how the entire process has been handled. From HR losing my paperwork to the hiring manager being late to the interview and cutting it short. Although I think this position would help me grow career-wise, I am having second thoughts about not only the hiring manager, but the company as whole due to how this process has been handled. Yes, I think I would follow up with Human Resources, considering what has trasnpired so far. Maybe what they really need is someone like you in that position to whip them into shape. Good luck!!! I wouldn' t be offended if I were you. It doesn' t sound personal at all; appears that everyone, from the hiring manager to HR, is overworked. When that happens, it' s not unusual for things to get lost, misplaced, etc. Especially during a re-org situation. Drop her a quick note, and after what you' ve posted, put a little empathy in there: "I know how busy you are and appreciate your time thus far. And I' d love to be able to come on board in your deparment and help out!" Be nice, be friendly--never hurts, and can really help, especially if she sees you as someone who is up to the task of relieving her workload! | |
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