Unusually long follow up, isnt it
Reccommended for this job from a friend, called for interview within 2 days after speaking with him. Came in, interviewed, went super well, told they were going to hear back from them by the early part of the following week. Great fit. Called 1 week later, they got back, said they were busy and needed to get one more person's feedback once he was back from travel.. ok no problem, told me they will know more following week. Another week later, I didn't call, get an email, said they were overwhelmed, but they didn't forget about me, didn't want that to be confused that they weren't interested in me, will know more the following week, looking forward to speaking with me again, yadda-yadda. Another week later, i give a call to see what's up. Get an email back, that they didn't forget about me, managers are busy, will know more about hiring needs, etc in the next week. Ok, this is week 5 now, no nothing yet, and it's starting to really mess with my planning and scheduling for the things i have going on with my current job (business travel, project planning). Need some advice here, really want to make the transition to this new job/position/location, but i need a confirm yes/no from them first. i hold them top prority at this time but don't want to push HR. Feelings are that they intent to hire me onto a project that either 1) has fallen though or 2) is awaiting funding and they just want to keep me on standby. Am i possibiliy missing something else that they might keep stringing me along for? Why the long wait-time? thanks in advance to everyone for even reading... fustrated and needed to vent. I think you are correct as to why it's taking so long. They want you, but for some reason, are not able to act upon it at this point. I'd say it has everything to do with them, and not you. Maybe budgets were cut, maybe a project fell through, whatever. They probably can see some glimmer of hope where they would be able to bring up on board. The ones you are talking with don't sound like they have the final decision making authority. If the job is really important to you, you'll just have to grin and deal. If it were me, I'd probably just write it off and move on. If they call back, great, if not, oh well. I've been in the same situation myself a number of times. Sometimes they come together, most times they fall thru. The ones you are talking to want you available for when and if the time comes they can extend an offer to you. Personally, I don't like working at places that operate that way. If desperate, you do what you have to do. I particualy dislike it when they make up phony reasons for the delays, and later finally "come clean" when it is obvious.
I don't know why you think you have this job in the bag. The time frame doesn't bother me, it can take a while to get everything together. The message concerns me... Another week later, i give a call to see what's up. Get an email back, that they didn't forget about me, managers are busy, will know more about hiring needs, etc in the next week. That one line does not sound promising. Either the position has been held up for some reason or they're looking at someone else first. Either way, however, you haven't been made an offer. You should not be putting your current job and life on hold for them. You need to continue on with business as usual, apply for other things, do your travel, etc. If this comes through at some point, great. If not, you'll find something else.
Tess Sounds to me like something has gone awry on the end of the potential employer. While I think it is unfair to the applicant to keep stringing them along with "maybe we'll know something next week", I also think that you need to put your family as top priority and your current job should definately go above this "maybe" opportunity. Maybe they were thinking of hiring several people for the proposed project. Maybe they thought funding for the project was a given and jumped the gun, started interviewing and then figured out that funding may not come through. Maybe someone else was hired and are on probation and if it doesn't work out you will be called. Maybe it is a one project deal and after completion of the project you will be out of a job. Too many maybes here and you can't put your life on hold for a maybe. If the company is okay with your one time a week calls to check in, and you feel that this job is important enough to warrant taking a chance on it, then I say go for it. Just don't put the rest of your life in orbit around a maybe.
thanks for the quick feedback, appreciate the candor and the slap on the side of the head to put things back in perspective. if anything changes i'll be sure to update, thanks again
Assuming this company extends you an offer at some point, its managers need to understand that delays have consequences. If you are in the middle of a project (business or personal) when this offer comes, you will need reasonable time to tie up loose ends. The new company will have to understand that by dragging it feet, it got moved to the back of the line. If the hiring managers cannot grasp this, you don't want to work for them.
you know, you're right, that also reminds me that i also told them my timeframe was out towards june/july when they asked over the interview. that may also have something to do with it. on our last correspondence, they also asked if anything in my timeframe has changed, and if so, let them know ASAP duh. see, it helps putting things down in writing and having a sanity check via this forum, thanks again! Since your timeframe is what it is, perhaps they feel that the need is not so urgent on their end. Regardless, as everyone has said, don't put your life on hold--do what you need to do, and when/if this job comes through, you will need to work your start date around whatever else you have going on with your current job and/or your family. Sounds to me like this company is really busy and either hasn't fully fleshed out its needs/budget yet, or they do know they want to hire you, but other things keep coming up. Don't give up on it, but don't count on it as a given, either. I'd guess that they have a requisition in for the position that hasn't yet been approved, or the position has been approved but not the budget yet. This can take some time. Is this a newly created position, or a replacement for a vacancy? If the former, chances are good that the powers that be haven't yet signed off yet. It could be that there is no job, IHR is just jerking you around for fun. That's what they do when they're not busy pulling the wings off of flies.
Awesome replies, can't say thanks enough. Newly created position, due to the high amount of work (currently & expected). Hence, probably the likelihood of the non-availability of some managers. | |
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