Job search communication

Without naming the place, this happened recently. It is a large publication but recently, I've been told there have been some internal problems at the place. I deserve to know what happened because I woke up at the asscrack of dawn (which is pretty damn dark I might add) to make the flight there and to return home. I was beat. I thought I had a good shot at the gig. I guess that's the way things go in the hiring process. If they called me now and said the gig was mine, I'd decline. I know it would be a foolish move.

 

Totally agree, and this complaint has been going around in the business for years. And it's only gotten worse as time has become more valuable. As for outside the biz, I would guess it is because of the volume of resumes they're seeing. And some managers are just dicks.

 

This isn't a new phenomenon in journalism. I sent a ton of applications out in late 2001, early 2002. Had a half-dozen interviews, all but one of them in person (and all of them within a day's drive, at my expense). The interview process included laying out a sample page, proofreading tests, writing a story and/or an "intelligence" test.

At every interview I was told "we'll call you either way."

I heard back from one newspaper and the copy desk chief was genuinely distraught because, at the last minute, they decided not to fill the position. He was gracious to let me know I would have been hired, and we commiserated about how miserable this business is. It sure hasn't gotten better in the past 13-plus years.

 

I knew a guy who was the SE at a smaller paper in Fla., and someone bitched on a job thread here, IIRC, about not hearing back when he missed out on a job. That was at least 15 years ago.

 

Is this just a problem in journalism, or does it exist in all industries?

 

Apparently it's spreading, as others above have said they've applied elsewhere and had the same experiences.

ETA: It always amuses me that we're in the communication business and too many people fail to actually communicate well.

 

Is it just being lazy, or is part of the lack of response out of fear of being sued?

 

One of my best friends works in software sales, and it's been a problem for him. He was laid off about six months ago when his company was bought by a competitor, and he then applied for dozens of jobs. Didn't hear a thing from the companies that weren't interested, and three of the first four places he interviewed never responded (the other sent a rejection email). The fifth company he interviewed with hired him.

 

It's catch as catch can I reckon but to pay for someone to fly in, rent a car and a hotel room as well as pick up incidentals just for an interview, and then not tell them a decision is pitiful.

 

Happened to me once. I believe it was the former, but I was told the latter.
After phone and in-person interviews, I waited a couple of weeks for a notification of my status. I finally called and reached the SE -- I think I caught him by surprise. He hemmed and hawed briefly then told me I wasn't their guy. I asked how I didn't measure up so I could work to improve. He said he could not say anything because of slander laws.

 

All industries. And I don't think journalism ever had it exclusively.