HOW TO DEAL WITH A MANAGER STANDING YOU UP

For good reason, I could handle being ghosted by a potential date. It wouldn't phase me because there's plenty of fish in the sea. What I will not tolerate is getting ghosted by a company. I can truly say that what occurred on May 26, 2021, was a tale to tell. The week prior, I scheduled with a company for a digital marketing intern role. Let's call them 'Company X.' It's a business management consulting firm in the Metro Detroit area and one of the talent specialists reached out to me for a 30-minute phone interview.

I spent the rest of the week researching the company, studying its culture, looking to see its presence on social media (more specifically LinkedIn), and practicing with interview prep questions. I was excited, I was motivated, and had a high burst of energy that Wednesday morning. Leading up to 9 AM, I was expecting the call from the interviewer.

A minute passes, then five minutes, then it turned to the full thirty minutes. I sit there at my living room table, thinking to myself, "I could've used this time for other things. I got stuff to do and my time is valuable!" Now a lot of times when a hiring manager is running late, they'll send me a quick email about what's going on and we'll start the session later or reschedule. None of that happened in this scenario.

So what did I do? I reached out to a nationwide marketing organization I'm a part of for their input. The director told me to offer grace and reach out to the hiring manager to salvage what could've been a great opportunity. I did and sent out an email, asking the hiring manager if there any issues. Do you believe I got a response? A full week has passed, I've moved onto more important matters, but I cannot help but think about how often this happens to job seekers.

If you find yourself being ghosted for an interview, here are a few things to try out:

1. Review your interview description

Does the date of the interview session match up with what's in your calendar? Did the employer make a mistake with the schedule? Make sure these questions are answered before you get the confirmation of being ghosted. You want to go over this information to further support your claim of career ghosting.

2. Reach out

Humans are not superhuman, even the HR department. Maybe your interviewer got stuck in traffic or had a personal emergency to attend which is why they could not conduct your session. For common courtesy and showcasing professionalism, send a follow-up email or phone call to ask if everything is okay and would they like to reschedule. It shows your empathy (A VERY important soft skill) and can build rapport in your network.

3. Land more interviews

Why wait for an update from that improper hiring manager when you could be putting in more applications and landing interviews at other companies that interest you? Remember, you offer value and talent, and they want you on their team! Lose one connect, and obtain three more. Keep the interview process up until you land the right job!

4. Understand your worth and move on

After a few follow-up emails and phones with little to no response, it's time to chuck that company into the loss column. Be mindful that this is not your fault. Besides, if management decided that wasting your time was the right thing to do, is their organization the right one for you?

Think of this event as an opportunity to look for something better and more aligned with what you're looking for to take your career to the next step.

Personal Opinion

It's beneficial for both the interviewee and the hiring manager to respect each other's time and effort. Even if there could be reasons for why a manager missed your scheduled interview, that does not mean you should get used to it. If I'm held to a high standard of being on time for my interview, the manager should be held to that same standard. Remember, they're not just interviewing you, you're interviewing them too. The standard I got from Company X: "Low and dull!"