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Topic: Got a call back, but no offer.....advice please.
| Author | Message |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/8/2007 6:10:47 PM | show profile | email poster Alright how weird is this? I interviewed for a editorial position and two weeks later, the Publisher/Editor called to ask me....if I wanted the job? NO! To ask me if I was still interested in the position. She left a message on my machine stating how great I was & how she was sitting there thinking of projects I could be working on & was very complimentary on the answering maching. I returned the call thinking I was going to be made A JOB OFFER, but no, she just said she was wondering if I was still interested in the position & I said in a positive way that I was & that I had e-mailed her my references. She said she would get back to me the next week WHICH SHE DID NOT. So, not wanting to seem desperate I waited two weeks then gave a call & since the receptionist says that she is voice mail, she just takes the messages which is odd. Yes, she is the gatekeeper. So I let her know that I had interviewed for the position & I was touching base, etc. No call back. So I called back two weeks later & said that I left a message & hadn't heard back from the Publisher yet & the receptionist said that she has been very busy. I asked if the position had been filled yet & she said it had not. That was two weeks ago & still no call back. Now when I interviewed for this position, it had been vacant for FOUR MONTHS. Now it has been vacant for Seven. The publisher at the time was adament on me spilling the beans on how much I made at my last job. Not just adament but pushy. Then she mentioned something about getting interns once they have had some of their summer break. Is she thrifty? Is she in a coma? WHY DID SHE CALL ME JUST TO SEE IF I WAS STILL INTERESTED IN THE POSITION? WHAT WAS THAT? AND WHY HASN'T SHE HAD THE PROFESSIONALISM TO CALL ME BACK SINCE? What the, what the? Advice really needed. Oh and I am looking elsewhere. I have an interview this Monday at a magazine but still cannot understand why someone would dangle a piece of cheesecake in front of me then pull it away. Was this for laughs or is she on meds or does she need meds? And don't say that possibly there was a family emergency because I worked @ a family agency where there were several unexpected deaths and business still has to go on, calls were returned and clients were still seen to as difficult as it was. So what is this woman's prob? |
| candylilacs | Posted – 7/8/2007 8:34:03 PM | show profile I'd say they "went in a different direction." Why so obsessed with this job? Apply for more and try not to get as emotionally invested. Good luck. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| eye2eye | Posted – 7/8/2007 10:06:04 PM | show profile Annoying... Something similar happened to me recently... and after trying to follow up a few times I decided that if they're that unprofessional in just simply getting back to candidates... then it's probably a hopeless place to work. I just moved on and I suggest you do the same... Sometimes Hiring Managers hedge their bets... again, annoying. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 7/9/2007 7:27:30 AM | show profile She could have been hedging her bet, maybe in her own way using your interest as leverage to accomplish something else. She may be making do with interns for now. She may be pinched financially for now. She may be out on holidays and sick leave. Your problem is that you have no control over any of those things. You need to get on with applying for other jobs, and taking what comes up as necessary. If this was a guy calling to see if you were interested in going out, you might contemptuously give him the boot -- or you might be courteous and nice and not put too much stock in it because of your lack of control - and then you would get on with seeing other people. And you'd feel a bit more in control that way. |
| bjoconnorfla | Posted – 7/9/2007 10:26:06 AM | show profile She was looking for a way to rule you out -- wante to thin the stack of finalists. Ifyou were'nt interested after the interview, it would have simplified things for her. She may also have used it as an excuse to get back in tough and refresh her sense of your peronsality, whatever. Forget about it and go on. They've obviously chosen someone else, frozen the job or have some other issue -- as well as being extremely unprofessional. |
| reporterwriter | Posted – 7/9/2007 11:41:46 AM | show profile Sweet livinginitaly, why do you care so much about how this person? So she done ya wrong, so what? Lose the obsession, lose the desperation, and nail your interview today. |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/9/2007 2:07:56 PM | show profile She's Not That Into You. Sorry. I'm in HR, and I'd guess that she liked you, but didn't love you enough to pull the trigger. She wanted to keep you warm because she didn't have anyone else who was better...yet. Do you know if she called your references? That will tell you something. If she did call them, then honestly, I'd question whether you want to use those references again, because one of them may have knocked you out, even if they didn't say anything negative....sometimes it's what they don't say that is more telling...like when they hesitate for a long time when we ask, "Would you hire this person again?" You want to use a reference who will respond with "In a heartbeat." Now I'm not saying it was the references, but if she did call, it means usually that she was about to make an offer. If she didn't call them, she was just fishing...to see if you were still interested so she could keep looking. Could be the priorities of the job shifted too and it has nothing to do with you at all. Sometimes as people are interviewed, the hiring managers realize that they may need a slightly different set of skills. So, it could just be not the right fit for you....obviously she thought you were a good candidate! But, do check with your references and ask if they were called. And if they were, you need to think hard about what they may have said, and if they don't love you to death, don't use them. Pam |
| ejlyman | Posted – 7/9/2007 2:24:13 PM | show profile Next Something doesn't add up here. Too bad, looks like it wasn't in the cards. Move on. ------ Italy-based freelancer www.ericjlyman.com |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/9/2007 3:15:24 PM | show profile | email poster Not obsessed, just wondered why employer called.... I'm definitely not obsessed or desperate. What I am is a person who had an interview, got compliments, was asked for references, got a call as I said, JUST TO SEE IF I WAS STILL INTERESTED which you gotta admit was totally weird. If it was you & you were seeking employment & you got a call back from a potential employer it could be, oh something relevant like: a second interview, reference questions or A JOB OFFER. I am floored by how bizaar it was to be called just to see if I was still interested. If that happens again, which I doubt it will, as it has never happened before, I am going to ask more questions and not just leave the ball totally in their court. This person told me she would call me back & did not. Every interview book you read tells you to follow up. So after her bizaar call I followed up & she to this date does not have the courtesy to call me back. That is not obsessive, it is called job hunting. And when someone dangles a carrot in front of you I'd have to be a robot to not wonder or think, "how strange!" I HAVE MOVED ON. I had an interview today which went extremely well and I have another this Friday the 13th. More than Sweet, I am professional & have hired people so I found this odd. But it is for the best because a freak like that would probably be to strange, self absorbed and egotistical to work for, not to mention SLOW. Fini! |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/9/2007 3:21:22 PM | show profile | email poster Thanks for the replys everyone....... definitely moved on. Happiness. |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/9/2007 3:48:35 PM | show profile As an fyi, it is not at all bizarre. This is commonplace. Especially if the interviewing is going on for awhile. The hr person will check in to see if you are still interested and available. I've done it a million times, because sometimes the process doesn't go as quickly as we'd like it to for many reasons, and you don't want to assume that your top candidate is still available, call and make an offer and find out they're off the market. So, you check in, and see what's going on, if they are still available, interested, and also if they are close to any other offers, as this can sometimes speed the process if we share that info with the hiring manager and they want to move more quickly rather than risk losing the candidate. Pam |
| GA>ME | Posted – 7/9/2007 11:47:15 PM | show profile maybe you were their #2 candidate and they were hoping you'd stay interested while they conducted negotiations with the first one--they keep you in Limbo and tell you how great you were in case #1 Candidate doesn't pan out. |
| writesonwater | Posted – 7/9/2007 11:57:27 PM | show profile Okay, just for the heckuvit -- anyone have any headgames to recommend to turn the tables on the would-be employers? What can be done to, if not gain the upper hand, at least even the playing field? In the dating world, there's hard-to-get There's "I have plans for Friday -- another time?" -- and an assortment of silly gamesmanship things. So, how does the jobseeker tantalize the employer? No doubt there's a fine line, but I know people walk it. What's the coy answer to Are you still interested in the job? "I've got some interviews set up for next week -- how soon were you wanting me to start?" (you're not saying what kind of interviews -- could be for a story on the problem of bird droppings at luxury hotels close to Central Park. And that's a free story lead for you, by the way ;) What's a jobseeker to do? |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 12:02:29 AM | show profile | email poster Foodlit, this is a dead horse, but I too have done hiring... and I have never dangled carrots by calling to see if a candidate is still available after speaking w/ them two weeks later and telling them, "I'm thinking of projects you could be working on right now. You have exceptional credentials and I think you would be a real asset to the company." My roomies heard that message and called me on my cell to tell me the good news as they too, having intelligence, thought an offer was the next step. If calling people after a great deal of time has passed is your way as well and buttering them up, then I would rethink my HR techniques. Even HR people need to look for work, so some professionalism & common humanity for the person who took the time to put a suit on, make copies of their writing samples & resume, drive to your company is not a game but done to live. I am not so trite w/ other peoples feelings. If I wanted to test the waters & see if they were still available, that is what good old e-mail is for; you can feel out the candidate--touch base w/ out sounding like you are going to make them an offer. Wish you the best Foodlit, but have some compassion & professionalism for your fellow peers if you are in HR. I am over it & thank you for your advice, but you should be sooooo over this to. Good bye |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 12:05:59 AM | show profile | email poster Thank you Writesonwater!!!! Exactly what I'm talkin' bout... I think I will use that tactic next time. Good advice and funny too. |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/10/2007 8:47:39 AM | show profile Italy, I just wanted to point out that it's not uncommon to check in and see if a candidate is still interested, if the process is taking a long time, and to also see if they are still available or close to an offer. That is what is done all the time. However, what is not typical and frankly not nice of her at all was to give you the impression that an offer was forthcoming by commenting about projects she wanted you to work on, etc. That makes it sound like she was about to hire you. I still wonder if she called your references? You may want to check on that before using those same references, if they were called. Could be she's just a nut, and you dodged a bullet. :) Good luck, Pam |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/10/2007 8:53:11 AM | show profile Writesonwater, Nothing gets a potential employer to speed up the hiring pace more than a candidate who has a competing offer or is close to an offer. If called in a similar scenario to see if one is 'still interested', you can share any updates on status of the search, and while you don't want to outright lie and say you have an offer if you don't, you do want to give the impression that you are in final stages with several other interesting opportunities and will be looking to make a decision soon. I've seen this create a sense of urgency with the hiring manager and you are often viewed as more attractive if they feel like they might lose you to a competitor. :) Pam |
| bjoconnorfla | Posted – 7/10/2007 9:41:39 AM | show profile livinginitaly -- you're right -- something doesn't add up, so it's best to let your intuition guide you away from this situation. As I always say, most people in our business don't know how to manage or hire, and many are absurdly incompetent at it. It doesn't make sense because these people are sensible. Forget about it. Use the line every guy utters afer a break-up: "That gal was crazy!" As to creating a sense of competition to lend some urgency to hiring matters, I'd say it works. My current job was offered on a Friday, we were negotiating salary and on Monday I got the message that the job was frozen for at least six months. A few weeks later, I got a call for a more senior job at a smaller paper in the same group. When the editor asked if I was available, I told her, "I don't really know." We chatted and hit it off, so she called the editor atthe first paper, where the job freeze was on and told them to either hire me or let her do it. I had an offer within a week. I think a lot of editors filling a job are like a kid with a $20 bill -- as long as they don't spend it, they're rich. As long as these editors don't fill the job, they can fidn the "perfect" candidate and can't make a mistake and don't have to do the hard work of bringing a new hire up to speed. Once you create the sense that they might make a mistake by losing a good candidate, it focuses their attention on reality. Good luck. |
| reporterwriter | Posted – 7/10/2007 11:06:05 AM | show profile >>Even HR people need to look for work, so some professionalism & common humanity for the person who took the time to put a suit on, make copies of their writing samples & resume, drive to your company is not a game but done to live.<< Ha! One thing -- one very big thing -- that hiring editors (in my case) *don't* do is expect a candidate to sit around waiting for the job. It's expected that when somebody's job hunting, they have other irons in the fire. FWIW, livinginitaly, I suspect you're blowing major smoke about having hired people, or you wouldn't have posted your rant in the first place. As far as what kind of game you can play to better your chances, this is the ultimate: -- Meet the qualifications of the job. At least. -- Do not overstate your qualifications. -- Don't blab. Some thoughts are best left in your head rather than spilled during the interview. Examples: wanting the job for the benefits, the cachet, the training; expecting to have your own business in five years; ragging on your current or past boss. -- Bragging isn't pretty. If you're in your 20s, you don't have a track record worthy of bragging. Finesse the statement of your achievements, and do it in terms of benefit it brought to your employers rather than yourself. -- Know the company, not only its history and management but also its culture and goals. -- The interview is all about the company and how you will contribute to its goals, it is not about how great you are. -- Great Unknown No. 1: Know the personalities on the team with which you'd be working. The personality of the hire must mesh with the rest of the team for the best, most productive result. This doesn't mean everyone's cut from the same cloth, only that they won' piss each other off. -- Great Unknown No. 2: Be the person whose skills and knowledge fill the most gaps on the team as identified by the supervisor. -- Great Unknown No. 3: Be the person who not only will fill the empty shoes, but will mesh in a way that helps the team meet or exceed its perceived potential. This is just for starters. Getting hired is never all about you. |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 5:46:36 PM | show profile | email poster BBellinda, why so bitter? Has life kicked you in the tush so much that you are now cynical and rough like sandpaper? And were you holding a cig in one hand and a bottle of booze in the other when you wrote back? I don't have those habits but you sounds sad. |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 5:51:01 PM | show profile | email poster Merci Beaucoup Foodlit & BJO for your comments.... informative and helpful--Have a great one. And I am LOOKING FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT. Since I have a brain, do not have a wealthy relative ( and even if I did I would still want to write ), or won the lotto, plus I like working. Everyone has been great with their responses and some have been funnnneeeee, but I am over this so I'll just let you all continue this amongst yourselves. Maybe talk to ya on another topic though. Best of Luck to ALL. Graci! |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 5:54:28 PM | show profile | email poster Oh and BBelinda, I especially wish you a kinder life and happiness. |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 5:56:47 PM | show profile | email poster BBelinda, I wish you a kinder and gentler life and happiness as well. |
| Telling It Like It Is | Posted – 7/10/2007 5:58:12 PM | show profile | email poster There was a computer glitch. Delbert to fix, so post went through 2 x's. C'est la vie. |
