"We've decided not to fill the position"....

[marcyinPA]

Why would a company call you for an interview, when they know you live over an hour away from the position, and then decide a few days later not to fill the position??

My DH is more upset over how they handled this rather than not getting the job. He interviewed Wednesday. The interview was two hours long. They brought DH out to a job site. They seemed truly impressed with DH's skills. The guy who interviewed him told him if he didn't call my DH by the end of the week, that my DH should call him. DH called this morning, was told that the guy was in a meeting. A few hours later, the guys secretary calls, and tells DH that they decided not to fill the position.

Totally aggravating.

 

[happygirl]

That sounds to me like they were trying to let your hubby down nicely

 

[hopemax]

Also, sometimes not all parts of the company are "on the same page." From my experience with DH's last job search, a technical team may decide they REALLY, REALLY need someone. The manager will assume that he can convince the finance guys that the cost is justified. The tech team will go about their search, but then the finance guys won't sign off. Or they are "fishing." They hope to snag someone for $40K when the going rate is $60k. If they can find someone to bring in at the lower number they will, but if not, no position.

 

[Northstar]

That sounds to me like they were trying to let your hubby down nicely

Not necessarily. It can mean that there was some disagreement in-house. The person who interviewed him may desperately want to fill the position and tried to convince the higher-ups to hire your DH. The higher-ups may have said, "Nope, not in the budget, cope with the staff you've got."

You'll never really know what went on. Keep the contact open (thank you note to the interviewer, asking them to keep your DH in mind in case things change later).

Keeping fingers crossed for you.

 

[marcyinPA]

Also, sometimes not all parts of the company are "on the same page." From my experience with DH's last job search, a technical team may decide they REALLY, REALLY need someone. The manager will assume that he can convince the finance guys that the cost is justified. The tech team will go about their search, but then the finance guys won't sign off. Or they are "fishing." They hope to snag someone for $40K when the going rate is $60k. If they can find someone to bring in at lower they will, but if not, no position.

Ding! Ding! That's exactly what I thought....I just needed to vent somewhere, and the Dis happens to be my venting spot today!

DH's salary requirements I think are larger than what this company would like to pay (he needs to make what he was making at his last company, which believe me, was pretty low when it comes to salaries!). They probably want someone to do the job for $15/hr....but they aren't going to get someone with over 20 years of experience. Experience comes at a cost. Soooooo...the job search continues.

 

[FireDancer]

The job could have also been the victim of a reorganization. There was someone who was fired here for misappropriation of funds. We started a search for their replacement but after we looked at the job it was easily divided between others in the division and the job remains unfilled.

In that case technology made what was once an 8 hour a day job into a 2 hour a day job that was absorbed by 3 others.

 

[jen0610]

Also, sometimes not all parts of the company are "on the same page." From my experience with DH's last job search, a technical team may decide they REALLY, REALLY need someone. The manager will assume that he can convince the finance guys that the cost is justified. The tech team will go about their search, but then the finance guys won't sign off. Or they are "fishing." They hope to snag someone for $40K when the going rate is $60k. If they can find someone to bring in at the lower number they will, but if not, no position.

And some times, while they look for that one qualified person for $20K less, the position is being covered by other employees. And seeing as the work is still getting done with little to no additional cost - depending on if it is an hourly or salary position entailing over time to the person(s) doing the work, they may determine that these other empolyees can continue to cover the job and save themselves some money.

 

[jen0610]

The job could have also been the victim of a reorganization. There was someone who was fired here for misappropriation of funds. We started a search for their replacement but after we looked at the job it was easily divided between others in the division and the job remains unfilled.

In that case technology made what was once an 8 hour a day job into a 2 hour a day job that was absorbed by 3 others.

To funny...we were saying the same thing at the same time.

 

[Acklander]

That's so frustrating!!!!
I remember when I first got married, we were dirt poor, and the country was in a recession so jobs were hard to come by. There was one waitress job listed about 5 miles from our apartment, and I didn't have bus fare so walked to the restaurant for the interview. I figured, since it was waitressing, and getting tips, it would only be a couple of days of walking it before I could ride the bus again. When I met the manager and gave him my application he told me that they really didn't have any jobs available but that the crew had been slacking off and so he wanted a bunch of applications to wave over their heads to get them motivated. I was such a dweeb that, even though there wasn't any job, I still proceeded to kiss up to him, and go over my skills "just in case" the waving of the applications didn't work and he wanted to replace someone.
I cried the whole walk home, I couldn't believe what an idiot I was for wasting an entire day (and precious shoe leather) trying to get a job that didn't exist. That happened 30 years ago and to this day I STILL remember how cruel I thought that manager was.

 

[ead79]

I'm sorry your DH didn't get the job!

In my experience with things like that, it's just as the previous posters mentioned. Lots of times it seems that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Maybe the department really did want to hire your DH, but they couldn't get approval from the higher-ups.

I once had a job (for 3 L-O-N-G months) where my boss and the company's office manager had very different ideas about what my position should look like. Unfortunately I didn't realize this was going on until after I had taken the position. It wound up making me completely miserable, and I resigned when I had taken all I could take. You would think they they would have gotten on the same page *before* hiring me, but apparently not.

 

[Sarah7401]

Right after I received my master's degree, I drove 2.5 hours for an interview. I wanted to relocate. The interview was about 2-3 hours because they kept saying how much they loved me and let us introduce you to this person and that person. It was late in the day. I drove 2.5 hours back home that evening only to be called at 8:30 the next morning and have them tell me that they decided to hire someone from within the company.

 

[TaraPA]

Hugs Marcy! I know how excited you were. There's many legit reasons for not filling the position, we can only all speculate at this point. I agree with the other poster, as frustrated & angry your DH might be, still thank them for the interview & keep an open mind. I work for a company whose left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing - some days I don't think the left hand even knows that the right hand exists. Frustrating!

A similar thing happened to me about 15 years ago. I applied for a job in Harrisburg (60 miles one-way from my home) - the pay was double, I was young, newly married, no kids, so why not commute? I was so naive, I had a verbal offer & start date but nothing in writing. I gave my 2-week notice at my job, went & spent gobs of money on new business attire & shoes. I told everyone about my new job. A week later I got the same call, sorry but we've eliminated the position, thanks anyway. Thankfully my old employer was very understanding & let me rescind my resignation, and I was able to return most of the new wardrobe. I was so hurt! Especially my ego!

 

[MommyMcQueen]

Why would a company call you for an interview, when they know you live over an hour away from the position, and then decide a few days later not to fill the position??

Totally aggravating.

For the same reason a company would interview 8 (yes, EIGHT) candidates and then give the job to the internal person that they were going to give the job to all along. They don't care about wasting 7 other peoples time, money, and energy.

My DH spent WEEKS preparing for this interview, wanted to buy a new $300 suit (that I eventually talked him out of) and took a full day off of work to go to this interview, and they hired the internal person anyway...complete waste of time for not only us, but for 6 other families who got their hopes up as well. If you know you have a person you want for the job and have to go through the interview process, just interview 1 or 2 , not 8 people!!! This happened like 6 months ago and it still makes me mad!!!

 

[Hillbeans]

I've been going to a lot of interviews lately and one of my most recent ones was for a Temp to Perm professional position (pretty common in the industry I work in). I had interviewed with 6 different people, and it took 2.5 hours. I felt the interview went exceptionally well, and I followed-up with 6 separate thank-you notes. I was told I was in the running and that they "liked me very, very much" and then never heard another word. Heartbreaking.

Job hunting is not for the weak, it's frustrating and many people lie or don't care about your feelings. I would rather someone tell me to my face that they don't want me or what qualifications I didn't have instead of giving false hopes - while you got a not so nice answer, at least you got an answer.

 

[Imzadi]

Sometimes they just can't find the right person after interviewing everyone. Rather than filling it with the wrong person and spending the dollars on it, they get rid of the postition.

Also, as someone else said, it's often said as a "general response" like "We decided to go another way," when they mean, they went with another person, but don't want to be direct about it.

 

[Disneynut71]

I am so sorry about your DH...

I had something similar happen to me. I applied for a job about 45 mins away. I went for the first interview and hit it off with the HR manager. She introduced me to the manager and we hit it off as well.

They were so excited, using words like...when you are here...you will like so and so..stuff like that.

I was called the next day for another interview. Drove back out and had another amazing interview. They showed me where my desk would be and introduced me to others I would be working with. I was told as I was leaving, I should hear from them by the end of the day or the next at the latest. I thought "I nailed it"

2 days go by and no call. I called the hiring manager and the HR manager and no reply. Waited a few days and tired again. Still no reply. Finally I saw the post back on-line.

I figured they didn't want to pay me what I was asking, but I was upfront on what I was looking for. I have been in my line of work for 13 years and am good at my job.

I was just checking on-line the other day, months later they are still looking for someone for that job. I have since been hired by another company and at more then I would have settled for. It took a few extra months, but I guess it happen for a reason. It still drives me crazy that I took my time to go to these interviews but they couldn't take two minutes to call me or even drop a letter in the mail.

 

[wdwfan16]

Also, sometimes not all parts of the company are "on the same page." From my experience with DH's last job search, a technical team may decide they REALLY, REALLY need someone. The manager will assume that he can convince the finance guys that the cost is justified. The tech team will go about their search, but then the finance guys won't sign off. Or they are "fishing." They hope to snag someone for $40K when the going rate is $60k. If they can find someone to bring in at the lower number they will, but if not, no position.

Sometimes the manage knows there is no budget but can convince them to hire if they find the right candidate, so they find that person and then get the money to hire them. Sometimes is does not work. This could also be the case.

 

[NotUrsula]

For the same reason a company would interview 8 (yes, EIGHT) candidates and then give the job to the internal person that they were going to give the job to all along. They don't care about wasting 7 other peoples time, money, and energy.

My DH spent WEEKS preparing for this interview, wanted to buy a new $300 suit (that I eventually talked him out of) and took a full day off of work to go to this interview, and they hired the internal person anyway...complete waste of time for not only us, but for 6 other families who got their hopes up as well. If you know you have a person you want for the job and have to go through the interview process, just interview 1 or 2 , not 8 people!!! This happened like 6 months ago and it still makes me mad!!!

I've worked most of my career for governments and non-profits. Most of them have a quota for interviews; they won't let you make a decision until you have interviewed a certain minimum number of candidates. Sometimes they will even fly candidates in knowing that they will not be hired.

I remember once getting a preliminary interview while at a national conference. She told me right up front that they were planning on an internal hire, but that she had to "interview" 20 people before she could make the offer. She gave me coffee and we chatted for the required 30 minutes before I could get up and out of there.