While I've been looking for a new full-time job recently, I've begun to realize how important quality, timely communication really is. As I've learned, some organizations are okay at it, and far more businesses are really lousy at two-way communication.
Several weeks ago, I had a pretty good Teams interview with a particular company for a job that I'd applied for. I hadn't heard back from them after about three weeks, so I followed up. I soon learned that the person I'd interviewed with is now on maternity leave until September. I decided to let the person who was handling correspondence in her absence know what happened. I stressed to them how bad communication not only soured the experience for me, but it also made the company look bad, even though I know that probably wasn't their intention.
A nonprofit that I'd also interviewed at recently admitted that they dropped the ball in not getting back to me about the job that I'd applied for. I understood that they were busy (and probably short-staffed), but I also made sure to point out the importance of good communication, because it sets a proper tone for employees and applicants.
I started today disappointed yet again. I'd had a phone interview and two very good in-person interviews with a local firm over the last month. The HR person told me initially that I'd hear their decision by Friday. They later followed up to let me know that I'd hear something by this Tuesday at the latest. Sure enough, Tuesday came and went without a word from them.
On that Tuesday, I noticed that the job I'd applied for and interviewed was reposted on the same job board that I first found it on. However, when I looked yesterday, all of that company's job postings were gone. This morning, I received a form rejection email from the HR person that I'd been in contact with. I was disappointed because this was one of the few businesses that I've interacted with recently that up until then was very good at providing transparent communication. The delay and impersonal rejection really made me feel like they dropped the ball, and I informed them as such. I did it in a tasteful, respectful manner, but it still left me with a bad impression. If I did something wrong or was missing certain skills, experience, or qualifications, it would have been nice to have known.
I think the lack of proper communication bothers me primarily because that's not how I've interacted with candidates whenever I've interviewed and/or hired people in the past. I made sure to personally call or email applicants to let them know either way and suggested ways to improve if the particular person wasn't selected. To me, that's just the ethical thing to do. I was talking with my mom about this the other day, and she gently reminded me that most of today's society doesn't follow the golden rule. We rarely hear about when someone does something nice for someone else or treats them kindly. It's become an exception rather than an expectation. Hearing that put things in perspective for me.
I don't take these rejections personally, because deep down I know that I did everything the best that I could. The shortcomings in communication weren't mine. I just have to move on to other opportunities, although it does make me less likely to want to apply or work for the companies that I just talked about in this blog post.
Well, that's all I have to say for now. Until next time, have a great week, and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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