It was hard to admit to myself that people in Seattle are not what I thought.. (cliquey, 2015)

[yaya97]

Possible but I like to think that my professional journey shows that I am always ready to move on quickly and never had cold feet!
I worked for a large company not too long ago that very unexpectedly was merged and we were let go. I had no issue to jump to another state and get to work.

[yaya97]

[quote=eugene_b;54867355]Good point and that's very smart of you to mention that during interview. The only other thing that comes to mind, like others mentioned, they might have had a hire in mind already and were just going through this trouble to satisfy some legal reqs (like anti-discrimination laws).

I feel for you and I am not old enough to know whether it has always been like that but the way is it now, it's just part of life. Every time I want to change jobs, I always dread this whole interviewing work I am going to have to go through. It's usually worth it in the end though.[/QUOTE

I am wondering more and more if companies have internal hires and just need to vet their person by bringing in external people?

[eugene_b]

Originally Posted by yaya97

I am wondering more and more if companies have internal hires and just need to vet their person by bringing in external people?

I am not sure really, it's probably a combination of various things. I know that some companies, especially the ones dealing with governments, have some super strict anti-discrimination requirements which can make their hiring process look very unusual. For instance, big employers here such as UW Medicine have to follow this (I know someone who went through their interview process). Aside from that I myself had similar strange experiences with private companies as well: went through interview just fine only to be rejected and then go to glassdoor and see that lots of people have this experience and company seems to be interviewing just for the sake of interviewing for that position.

The only positive way of thinking about this that I can offer is that for all you know perhaps you just dodged a bullet. If after all the talking to you and reading your background, the team decided to reject you because they were worried that you'll complain about Seattle raininess and move back to CA after the first winter ... then perhaps this is not the kind of people you want to work with.

If you like it here, hope you don't give up and eventually find something good. It would definitely be good to have more medical workers here! After moving from East Coast I am under impression that this area grew rapidly while some services, such as healthcare, stayed the way they used to be before the boom. Finding doctor here is very painful: some appointments involve many months of wait and some good doctors just don't accept new patients all together.

[yaya97]

Originally Posted by eugene_b

I am not sure really, it's probably a combination of various things. I know that some companies, especially the ones dealing with governments, have some super strict anti-discrimination requirements which can make their hiring process look very unusual. For instance, big employers here such as UW Medicine have to follow this (I know someone who went through their interview process). Aside from that I myself had similar strange experiences with private companies as well: went through interview just fine only to be rejected and then go to glassdoor and see that lots of people have this experience and company seems to be interviewing just for the sake of interviewing for that position.

The only positive way of thinking about this that I can offer is that for all you know perhaps you just dodged a bullet. If after all the talking to you and reading your background, the team decided to reject you because they were worried that you'll complain about Seattle raininess and move back to CA after the first winter ... then perhaps this is not the kind of people you want to work with.

If you like it here, hope you don't give up and eventually find something good. It would definitely be good to have more medical workers here! After moving from East Coast I am under impression that this area grew rapidly while some services, such as healthcare, stayed the way they used to be before the boom. Finding doctor here is very painful: some appointments involve many months of wait and some good doctors just don't accept new patients all together.

many kind thanks for your very interesting thoughts!

[ncrunner77]

Employers "ghosting' on candidates in not unique to Seattle.

I first encountered potential employers "ghosting" back in 2012 when I was seeking work in the biotech industry in Colorado. This occurred on applications and even interviews (flown in for). Remember this is when we were maybe just starting to climb out of the 2008 great recession.

Currently in Raleigh-Durham area in medical field and looking for a change. Unfortunately, I am discovering "ghosting" by employers is still a thing. I guess it's the new normal. Frustrating because I find it inconsiderate for sure and bordering on unprofessional. Why can't somebody in HR just click a button to send all candidates passed on the same form-email saying "thanks but no thanks"; that's all I ask.

In high school applied for my first job at various fast food places and markets and I remember getting letters of rejection. Even McDonalds and Walmart had the courtesy to do that. And that was when more stuff was on paper.... today's tech and HR software should make it easier for employers to mass email out those rejection letters.

I'm a "big boy" and can handle rejection. Again, what frustrates me is them not having to decency to let me know one way or the other.

[87112]

Even Best Buy and Lowes at min wage will contact you either way. I don't get jobs that pay enough where you can actually afford a life here not have common courtesy to let you know your status. I wonder how well it would go in interviews at the end to ask " will I be contacted on the status". I know it sounds unoffensive but in job interviews one wrong move or perceived slight can leave you out.

[flyingsaucermom]

My husband gets contacted every other week for jobs, across the country and abroad. And in all but a very few instances it seems to end in ghosting. Most recently, couple weeks ago, a company I think in the NY region was talking to him and stopped abruptly. Recruiter came back and said my husband was "too senior" for the role. I guess I would blame the recruiters for not gauging his level to the company's needs... But many times it seems that companies are data mining with no real intention of hiring him. He's even been flown out or down for an onsite just to be ghosted. It's a legitimate concern given the role he has and success of his employer.

This is the way of the professional world, not simply Seattle.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

My husband gets contacted every other week for jobs, across the country and abroad. And in all but a very few instances it seems to end in ghosting. Most recently, couple weeks ago, a company I think in the NY region was talking to him and stopped abruptly. Recruiter came back and said my husband was "too senior" for the role. I guess I would blame the recruiters for not gauging his level to the company's needs... But many times it seems that companies are data mining with no real intention of hiring him. He's even been flown out or down for an onsite just to be ghosted. It's a legitimate concern given the role he has and success of his employer.

This is the way of the professional world, not simply Seattle.

Yep. Everywhere. And please don't get happy ears if a recruiter comes calling. They are filling a quota.

[yaya97]

Some great comments! It may seem that employers want to pay junior salaries for senior work. I do understand that it’s not just Seattle but having had the same experience 4 times in a row here and having had quickly two real offers in California last year ( I refused both ) made me believe that Seattle is more closed up.
When I get my courage back and if I get invited for an interview,I will definitely ask more questions before I fly in!

[ncrunner77]

This post and conversation has sparked my interest in employer "ghosting". Quick check of the internet using Google reveals a plethora of articles about it. Evidence that unfortunately it is becoming (has become) ubiquitous in the professional/employment/hiring world.

https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/...ndidates-2/amp

An interesting article in INC Mag from last summer explains since employers have been doing it so much to employees for so long that recently employees have started doing it to employers -now that the job market is favoring employees. Note, I don't agree that such turn around is fair play. Ghosting by either party is total BS.

https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/em...-medicine.html

I think I will start a thread in CD general pages on this topic. Hoping to get some responses by hiring professionals as to why this is happening, when it started, and possible solutions/approaches. It has not always been "a thing". I agree with INC Mag article that the practice needs to be stopped.