I went on some interviews this winter. One company was very interested in me. They interviewed me three times, and the final interview ended with a discussion with the COO of the company who told me the next step would be for me to meet with the owner of the company. The owner was travelling so wait about three weeks I was told.

Seemed pretty solid. I sent thank you notes and waited. And waited. After five weeks I asked what the status was and got a one sentence reply via email that they were looking for someone with a different background. I was pissed, not because I didn't get the job, but because I felt I was treated so rudely. And this company is supposed to specialize in providing outstanding service.

I ended up being hired by a competitor where I am happy, but my impression of the compnay that didn't hire me is now very poor. That is why applicants should be treated with respect - because even the people you don't hire are still important and you may cross paths with them again.

I interviewed for an organization and the hiring manager made me jump through hoops. During my interview process on the phone she told me to be more specific, she wanted more facts ect. I show up for the interview which was actually a powerpoint presentation showing what I planned to do in the position over the first 3 months. One of the interviewers asked me a question that I guess I answered with too much detailed information as that was the hiring managers excuse for not hiring me! So I did what she told me to do, but then got the boot anyway, and had to call her once a week for a month to hear it!

Well long story short, I work for another organization that her organization depends on a few times a year. Ive been here for a year and a half and had her on the phone 4 times already. Sure she makes more money than I do, but those two times a year she has to eat crow and call me for help (she works for a non profit, we dont really NEED her business but they need us.) Shes just lucky she works for a non profit that I personally really like.

I once was told I was on a short list for a job, only to find out a couple of weeks later that the place had - after I interviewed - hired a search firm to find someone for the position. It would be nice if places would just be honest and prompt with the rejecting, but I've also been the frazzled hiring manager at an understaffed place where, as badly as I wanted to get reject letters out, it was just not going to happen. I try to remember not to take it personally; especially when a place is rude or obnoxious, that's on them, not you. I think expecting feedback for why you weren't chosen, though, is unrealistic, and I suspect in most cases asking for it is unlikely to elicit much useful information anyway.

Also, there was this hot chick at this bar, right? And I was all, "Hey, you wanna go to an after-hours place I know," but she was all, "No, I have to go to bed early tonight." And I was like, "Hey! We can go to bed early," but she was like, "No, really, thanks for the number but I'm tired."

Which was totally a lie, because the PI told me she didn't leave the house till 9 the next morning. Why couldn't she just be honest with me? But I had the last laugh, because I e-mailed her those pictures when I found her on Facebook, and her profile still says "Single". Figures.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, but I'm also disturbed by how many people get treated so badly by hiring companies. Why is it that there are so many etiquette books for job seekers, and none pitched at the hiring managers?

Since I usually take work that requires pretty specific credentials and experience, I've usually been one of two or three candidates for a contract. Even in these situations, the responses have been vastly varied. There have been jobs where I know pretty certainly that there are three or four people in the state who have all four criteria the place is looking for, yet I don't get any response whatsoever to my resume. Then there's the places where they write or call all three applicants and tell them who they ended up hiring. This struck me as a little sketchy the first time I had it happen, but then again, it isn't like the name of the person doing the job is going to be a secret or anything, so they might as well just tell everyone.

Another thing that seems to have sprouted up recently is the practice of having every single applicant screened by the HR people. Sure, sounds reasonable, but in healthcare and human services, it actually isn't the best practice. For instance, one place I've worked used to do this with the less specialized positions that produced 100 applicants, like payroll-type jobs, as well as the entry-level jobs where they would be weeding out dozens of people who come in and don't know how to fill out a job application or how to dress to come into a business. But for clinical jobs, which usually garner four or five applicants, the applicants used to contact the supervisor directly, since the HR people can't be expected to be particularly savvy about specific degrees and types of experience in the various clinical specialties. But now, this place (and many others) have moved to having everyone go through the HR department. Which means that perfectly qualified folks get their resumes shredded, because the HR people were screening for the type of degree that the job notice asked for, without being aware that there are dozens of fancy names that different schools call their particular degree in that field.

So, I'm sure this is happening in other fields too, and might explain why people who are totally qualified for a job never hear anything back.

Dear So-and-so:

We have selected another candidate for the High Muckymuck position at Such-and-Such Corp. Thank you for your interest, and best wishes in your future endeavors.

Yours truly,
Loren Ipsum
Manager, Useless Initiatives

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No "lost art" required. Is that so freakin' hard?