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I had my final round interview with a large consultancy about 9 weeks ago. They have still failed to get back to me after numerous calls and emails. This has been frustrating, as I have spent a considerably long time making my application to them. My friend has had the same experience with the company.

One of their employees, who is senior in the company, has reached out to me to ask to come to my university campus to sell their consultancy to my university society members (I run the consultancy society). I did not say no yet.

Would rejecting them, then sharing on LinkedIn to my large network about how unprofessional they have been look wrong on me? I want to share my experience to warn other potential applicants about the company, and obviously feel good about doing so.

Thoughts? Not sure if this was worthy to even write about to be honest.

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    Do it on glassdoor. Feb 1, 2020 at 16:05
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    Is Glassdoor used in your country?
    – guest
    Feb 1, 2020 at 16:16
  • Considered Glassdoor but thought the impact on leaving an interview experience on there is minimal. I dont know of many who use the interview section of glassdoor. But you guys are probably correct
    – Meruem
    Feb 1, 2020 at 16:19
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    At the end of the day you feel like they've treated you poorly and you want to publicly shame them, largely to make yourself feel better. This probably won't achieve your desired effect, and could potentially harm your professional standing now or in the future. I'd suggest you simply move on from this.
    – joeqwerty
    Feb 1, 2020 at 17:44
  • What ever you post online, make sure that it's "just the facts, m'am". Absolutely nothing opinionated, unless you have a good lawyer. Feb 3, 2020 at 6:28

5 Answers 5

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I would advise not doing so, at least not publicly. It might make you feel better but it only makes you look negative. Basically it would look like you're whinging about them not hiring you. (I am not saying you are but that's how it might look)

Would hitting back really make you feel better? I would suggest trying to view it as a positive. You put time into the interview process and gained experience for the next one. As soon as you move on you will forget about them so it's not worth your time IMO.

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What you learned is that you should interview with more than one company. This large consultancy obviously doesn't believe that you are the right person for them to employ. Not informing you is a bit on the rude side, but not unusually bad.

When you talked to a senior employee who asked you to do some work for them, that's when you should have told him. That's someone who wanted something from you, and he must have got your name from somewhere, so it would have been easy for him to make the right call and find what's going on.

So next time apply in multiple places, then when you have an offer in hand it's time to get back to all the others with that offer, which usually makes their decision much quicker.

But sharing your "bad experience" - which is actually not that unusual - on LinkedIn, that may harm you. Considerably. I wouldn't want to interview someone who then tells the world about it on LinkedIn.

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  • I understand the firm probably does not think I am the right person but they have unnecessarily pushed back the deadline they would get back to me repeatedly. I have had offers elsewhere but put them down for the hope of landing this opportunity which is far more inline with my career ambition. I should have accepted the others whilst waiting for this company to get back to me.
    – Meruem
    Feb 1, 2020 at 16:21
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    Well Menuem, when you have an offer by company A and hope for an offer from company B, that's the point where you contact B and tell them you have an offer and they need to get moving, at the same time you contact A and tell them you are hoping for a better offer for B which may improve their offer, and when B doesn't move and A cannot be delayed any more, many people will take A's offer. It's a gamble. You'll get better at it.
    – gnasher729
    Feb 1, 2020 at 19:57
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    @gnasher729 The move with company B should probably be phrased better, or you're much more likely to upset company A and have them pressure you to make your mind sooner. Something along the lines of "I'm almost certain I want your position, buuut it would be irrational of me to make the decision without at least seeing my other (expected) offer first."
    – Mars
    Feb 3, 2020 at 7:02
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One of their employees, who is senior in the company, has reached out to me to ask to come to my university campus to sell their consultancy to my university society members. I did not say no yet.

Why would they approach you? Does this require your permission? Wouldn't this be something he/she would approach the university about to get permission?

Would rejecting them, then sharing on LinkedIn to my large network about how unprofessional they have been look wrong on me? I want to share my experience to warn other potential applicants about the company, and obviously feel good about doing so.

You're likely to do harm to yourself rather than them by posting this on such a highly visible platform where you don't have anonymity. Anyone and everyone who can access your public profile could read this, which may have unintended negative consequences for you. If you really want to "let the world know", use a platform like Glassdoor, where you can do so anonymously.

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    RE why they would approach me, I run the consultancy society.
    – Meruem
    Feb 1, 2020 at 16:16
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Sweet and simple: "SHUT UP on Social Media!"

Some things really are that simple. Yeah, it might feel good, but it'll be out there forever and you can never eat those words, no matter how you'd like to.

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It seems pretty clearly there is a disconnect between different areas of the company you have interacted with. Not surprising in a large company, and also not surprising that everyone in all areas is not up to the minute on every potential candidate who is interviewing or wants to find a position. This is assuming you didn't actually interview or have conversations with this specific person as part of your interviewing process.

So this senior person who also does outreach has contacted you, based on the fact that you are the lead of your school's consultancy society.

You tried to join the company, and jumped through a lot of hoops that they require for people trying to join up, but as soon as they decided you weren't for them, they stopped communicating and basically treated you like a number.

I think it's fine to tell this person exactly that -

"I had a bad experience with you guys, where your communication process for applicants was inconsiderate, so I'm not comfortable giving you access and an endorsement for my group." This will lead to discussions with him, and maybe some inquiries and apologies, but, even if that happens, I wouldn't change my stance, once taken. That would only undermine you as the leader of the group, if it looked like it was based on personal pique.

As irritating as it is, and, perhaps, not being worthy of your seal of approval, it still is, sadly, more common than not with companies. With the ease online application and the sheer volume of applicants, most HR departments have "we'll only contact you if we're interested or still interested."

I don't think I'd trash this company on any sites, specifically, based on what is standard practice.

However, that caveat is quite different for someone who has already been involved in a lengthy process which, I assume, includes interviews and interactions beyond application. There's really no excuse for going radio-silent to someone that far in the process.

Definitely tell this guy "no," but only give a negative review or comment on networking sites after very, very careful consideration. If you read such a review from someone else with a similar experience, would it come off as a legitimate warning you'd appreciate, or would it come off on sour grapes or entitled complaining?

Make sure you are deciding from as objective and non-personal a space as you can.

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