Am I just old fashioned? We recently had a contractor out for an estimate. Nice guy, good discussion, talked through the job as we walked the area, he asked me to follow up with some internet picks of design and materials from a website he suggested. I did this - took a couple hours of my time. No response for the guy. It’s been weeks. It’s not a “small job”, but also not one that will take months to complete. If he doesn’t have time, in the end isn’t interested, whatever - I would consider it common courtesy to send a quick email reply that he’s not able to take on the job at present. Apparently this is too much to ask?
I’m also hand-holding for a younger friend looking to change jobs. Several interviews for jobs she’s well qualified for that have seemed to go very well. One involved an on-site day visit and demo of her professional interactions with clients. No follow-up from the organizations, not even a thank you for taking time out of her schedule to show up at their location for their review. All this was nearly a month ago. She sent one potential employer an inquiry as to her application status, simply indicating that she needed to know if she was still under consideration. Nothing. Is this the new norm for hiring? Interview your short-listed candidates, then ignore them if your hiring needs change or you pick someone else?
Comments? Experiences? Maybe I just expect too much?
I interviewed for a job last month and haven’t heard a thing either. I think it’s rude. Interestingly, I also had a guy out a week ago to do an estimate for some work, and he hasn’t gotten back with me.
Yes, it is all too common and VERY unprofessional. I wrote a letter of reference for a person who wanted a job and had worked for me. They called me to follow up. She never got back to me that they had hired her until many months after she had been hired and then only to tell me she had left expensive equipment that I had loaned her with a coworker of hers that I didn’t know and could I arrange to pick it up. I finally arranged to get it and the equipment was totally ruined as she had left the battery in it and the acid had leaked out and ruined it!
Argh! I haven’t contacted her about the ruined equipment as it was just discovered yesterday! It originally cost over $2500 and I was going to donate it to the local community college I work with.
So this is something my H and I have talked about. He says at his company that it’s s factor of a couple of things. One is that the HR department has been cut back so much that they have so many more tasks to do and there are just not enough hours in the days. Also there are so many rules and regulations in hiring that it’s hard and you have to do things perfectly right these days. It’s become complicated.
But he (in management not HR) thinks it’s rude also. But such it is in these times.
But contractors, I think that’s par for the course. They never get back to you.
It’s common now. I’ve had head hunters who cold called me for interviews. I’ve always made a point of replying to each inquiry, even if not interested, just to be polite. When I have interviewed and not selected, often the recruiter will just stop communicating after the interview. Nothing but crickets. They feel they have the luxury of behaving in this manner, but reflects poorly on their companies or clients. I will make mental notes of the company in case they come calling again in the future.
Dang. Completely unacceptable. I’m spoiled because my dad was a contractor and so I have family friends who are contractors in just about everything… so they return my calls quickly.
I interviewed for a job a few years ago and didn’t hear back for a while so I interviewed for another job and got that one. About two weeks into that new job, the 1st job called me saying they wanted to hire me. It had been like a month and a half at that point. Bizarre!
I’ve had various “professional” service people basically blow me off/run very late for appointments we’ve set (with not even a phone call to let me know they’re running late). If/when they ever show up again, I politely tell them if this is how they treat a potential customer, there’s no way I will enter into a contract with them…I’m simply not in the market to chase down someone I’m potentially paying money to. There are some very good, very professional, service providers out there. I use Yelp a lot to gauge the likelihood of getting a blow off or a good provider (one bad review doesn’t sway me, but a slew definitely does).
As for potential employers, this is my pet peeve…seriously! I don’t know if it’s due to the overwhelming number of applicants (at our tiny 46-person firm, we have received nearly 100 applications for one position) or what, but I have an agreement with the hiring manager that I will personally write the “thank you however” email to those that took the time from their lives to apply…she is grateful for my help. I simply copy and paste the same note into every email (after vetting the note with the hiring manager).
I would say just follow up with phone and/or text. Everybody is overwhelmed those days. I had to send my gardener extra text for the overdue project; but once on it, they did pretty good job.
^^^ For me, I don’t think a thank-you is absolutely necessary for anyone who submits an app, but if you meet face to face with someone for an hour, I think a thank-you is the least they can do.
ETA: Or at least a note to say that they have filled the position
Wow, @"just"aMom, are you replying to all applicants? That is admirable and even more than I would expect in today’s world! I appreciate hiring announcements that say only short-listed candidates will be contacted - that makes sense to me. After there’s been an interview or multiple contacts, it seems that it’s only decent treatment to inform that candidate of the job search status (no one quite met our requirements so we will be continuing our search, we have filled the position internally, etc) or that the job has been filled with the hiring of another candidate.
Thanks to all responders - I’m glad I’m not alone in hoping for better treatment from others.
We are in the process of trying to get a home on the market and and have been dealing with contractors for the last year on various projects. Our conclusion is that during the busier times of the year they follow up on calls, visit the home to evaluate the job and the client, then cherry pick the jobs that look good to them. They don’t want to tell you they are not interested because in a month or 2 when things slow down they very well might be. So they just don’t respond thinking they might be keeping a door open. We have moved on from a contractor after not hearing back only to be contacted a month later expressing interest in the job. I am reluctant to deal with people who conduct business in this manner.
We have had the most luck with getting work completed right after the holiday season which seems to be a slower time for many contractors.
For contractors, if you want to get multiple quotes, you call 10-14 people so 7 will call you back so that 4-5 will actually come meet you at the house to arrange a quote so that you’ll actually receive a formal quote from 2 or 3 so you have more than 1 to choose from. It’s exhausting just to collect quotes.
I miss that period of 2008-09 when people were clamoring for jobs and salespeople were courteous and would actually thank you for shopping with them.
Yes @Momofadult - all applicants get the “thank you however” email - I am old school when it comes to courtesy - and it really doesn’t take that long. The applicant has sent their info electronically, so it’s a quick copy & paste if their email address & I create a “signature” in my Outlook email thanking them for submitting however, so it really doesn’t take very long at all…in my life I have hated submitting my resume electronically & not even knowing if it was received. The least a potential employer can do is acknowledge the applicant.
Common courtesy of bygone days unfortunately is no longer common. It sure is nice that some folks will still make the effort, like @“JustaMom.” Thanks!
I recently interviewed for a job with the manager I would be working for (small place no HR department) He said he was only interviewing a few candidates and would decide in a week. I sent him a thank you email after and it is now several weeks later and no reply. How rude to not email back those few candidates he didn’t make offers to that the job was filled!
Whether it is personal or business relationships, I’m constantly reminded at what a small world this truly is so it always floors me that people don’t extend little courtesies like a “thanks but no thanks” notification.
On the other hand, I was also always surprised when I did interview candidates how seldom they would follow up with a thank you email or note themselves. The ones who did would stand out. It was always mentioned when we discussed candidates and made hiring decisions.
It is such a small world indeed. Even if they may not have a space for you now, doesn’t mean they won’t need you or see you in the future and the small courtesy of saying, “Sorry, but the position was filled. We will keep you in mind for future openings.” or something doesn’t take that long in the scheme of things but does show whether or not the company values these things such as thanking the individual who put in time and effort to chase down a job or may have wanted to hire you if you’re a contractor.
I really dislike it when contractors never get back to you and consider that very unprofessional. If they don’t want my business, just say so and I’ll move on with the others.