Lack of follow-up leads to frustration

DEAR AMY » Have the standards of business ethics changed in recent years?

I have gone to several job interviews, with zero follow-up from the employer or the recruiter who set up the interview.

These are situations where the employer contacted me and asked me to come in for the interview, telling me, “We’ll get back to you.”

I had two interviews recently which went well, I thought, but I never heard from them again. I even called to follow up — my calls went to voicemail, of course — and still no phone call, email or letter.

I wish businesses would realize that when they do this, it leaves people with bad feelings about them, and we tell our friends. A rejection is fine, but a polite message back, such as: “Thank you for spending your time with us, however, we have selected another candidate” would bring closure to the process.

Is it now OK to just blow off the person you asked to come in for an interview?

DEAR IGNORED » Business ethics have not changed. Hiring practices have changed, however.

One frustration for current job seekers is how communication with recruiters and employers seems to flow in one direction, controlled by the employer. When a (often off-site) recruiter sets up an interview, the only contact information you have is the recruiter’s

— not that of the person who is conducting the interview.

Savvy job seekers conclude an in-person or Skype interview by asking, “Could you share your email address with me so I can follow up to thank you?”

If the manager chooses to share an email address, you can keep in touch directly.

A good recruiter will contact you after an interview, even if it is to tell you that you won’t be hired.

To conduct an effective job search, you should be using all of the social networking tools available to contact potential employers — not only via voice call, email, or letter.

Glassdoor.com offers ways for you to receive — and leave — anonymous feedback about the hiring process with a specific company.

DEAR AMY » “A Very Concerned Son” became alarmed when his mother kept repeating herself during a phone call. Slurred speech and repeating yourself can be signs of severe dehydration. My mother’s doctor told me I had helped to save her life by noticing her slurred speech during a phone call.

DEAR GRATEFUL » Sometimes, these changes are more evident when speaking over the phone. I’ve heard from several readers with similar stories.