I'd like to run this by you folks, and I'd especially like to hear from any hiring managers out there.
Recently I went through a series of interviews for a job I wanted so badly I could taste it. First there was a phone screening, and then a face2face with the hiring manager(a VP) who seemed quite impressed with my resume, my former association with a company that they were going to become involved with in major hardware purchases, and my preparation for the interview, i.e., researching the company, it's business, it's prospects, and principle officers.
At the end of the interview, I was informed that the next step was an interview with the CIO. I followed up with a letter to him, thanking him for his time and expressing my enthusiasm for the job.
Two weeks later, I was called to another interview, in which I met with the same hiring manager, and two subordinate managers, who put me through a technical "firing squad". I thought I handled myself OK, and the hiring manager insisted that I call him by his first name.
However, being a technical guy, I am much better at doing things than talking about them, and in retrospect, felt that I had not responded as well as I might have on a couple of questions, so I wrote the hiring manager a letter, telling him how I felt I had answered inadequately, and explaining how I would handle the situations in question, and what skills I would use, once more thanking him and expressing my interest in the job.
Two weeks after that, I called HR and asked them how things were progressing, and was told there had been no decision made yet. After another two weeks, I called HR again and they never returned my call. Shortly thereafter I called the hiring manager and he never returned my call, either.
I live in a rural and somewhat backward area, and I would be very surprized to find that there are very many rivals in my particular area of expertise and especially the specific hardware in question. What I mean to say is that the talent pool must be pretty small - and it seems that a company would keep it's options open and not alienate any potential candidates by such rude behavior.
If it's the case that someone more qualified got the job, then fine, may the best man win, right?. But what keeps me up nights racking my brains over this is just how hard would it have been to keep me in the loop and show me the minimum courtesy of letting me know their decision.
I conducted myself as a professional and a gentleman, shouldn't I expect to be treated as such? Don't get me wrong, I am a mature adult and a realist, but I have had more than a few sleepless nights trying to understand this situation.
OK, I've ranted enough... What I'd like to hear (especially from hiring managers) is how does a person go from being a potentially excellent candidate to persona non grata like this. (And yes, I wore a good suit and took a bath before the interview, have a professional demeanor, etc.)
Looking forward to your replies.
jsaxe
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson (R.I.P. Doc)
Recently I went through a series of interviews for a job I wanted so badly I could taste it. First there was a phone screening, and then a face2face with the hiring manager(a VP) who seemed quite impressed with my resume, my former association with a company that they were going to become involved with in major hardware purchases, and my preparation for the interview, i.e., researching the company, it's business, it's prospects, and principle officers.
At the end of the interview, I was informed that the next step was an interview with the CIO. I followed up with a letter to him, thanking him for his time and expressing my enthusiasm for the job.
Two weeks later, I was called to another interview, in which I met with the same hiring manager, and two subordinate managers, who put me through a technical "firing squad". I thought I handled myself OK, and the hiring manager insisted that I call him by his first name.
However, being a technical guy, I am much better at doing things than talking about them, and in retrospect, felt that I had not responded as well as I might have on a couple of questions, so I wrote the hiring manager a letter, telling him how I felt I had answered inadequately, and explaining how I would handle the situations in question, and what skills I would use, once more thanking him and expressing my interest in the job.
Two weeks after that, I called HR and asked them how things were progressing, and was told there had been no decision made yet. After another two weeks, I called HR again and they never returned my call. Shortly thereafter I called the hiring manager and he never returned my call, either.
I live in a rural and somewhat backward area, and I would be very surprized to find that there are very many rivals in my particular area of expertise and especially the specific hardware in question. What I mean to say is that the talent pool must be pretty small - and it seems that a company would keep it's options open and not alienate any potential candidates by such rude behavior.
If it's the case that someone more qualified got the job, then fine, may the best man win, right?. But what keeps me up nights racking my brains over this is just how hard would it have been to keep me in the loop and show me the minimum courtesy of letting me know their decision.
I conducted myself as a professional and a gentleman, shouldn't I expect to be treated as such? Don't get me wrong, I am a mature adult and a realist, but I have had more than a few sleepless nights trying to understand this situation.
OK, I've ranted enough... What I'd like to hear (especially from hiring managers) is how does a person go from being a potentially excellent candidate to persona non grata like this. (And yes, I wore a good suit and took a bath before the interview, have a professional demeanor, etc.)
Looking forward to your replies.
jsaxe
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson (R.I.P. Doc)
