Would-be employer treated me disgracefully

Sir--Having recently been invited to a job interview, I found through Job Centre Plus, I was delighted to have got through to the interview process.

This was a good job, for a family run company who boast of a reputable and successful business.

The interview was held at the Job Centre in Maltby and arranged via them. I was fully prepared and full of optimism ahead of my interview.

I arrived on the day on time and remained punctual throughout. The interview itself was pretty normal, I was asked a variety of questions based upon my previous experience and then was told more about the company and what the job would involve, if I was to be successful.

I shook the interviewers’ hands and thanked them again for the interview and then was told by them that they would be in touch within the next few days. I left hopeful, but was also aware that in this job climate there is very fierce competition.

I knew I had done everything I could to make the best impression possible. And from that day on, I heard nothing back.

This I find absolutely disgraceful and shameful, that I am not even worthy of a reply. On the rare occasion I have been to interview’s where I have been told upfront that they are unable to contact unsuccessful candidates, but this was made clear to me and I was fully aware of the situation.

If I am told, we will be in touch, I fully expect them to be in touch, be it good news or bad news, and it is not acceptable to lie directly about this. The fact that the Job Centre is there to encourage unemployed people, yet fails to follow up on interviews that are held on their premises, show that this is a joke.

I do understand that this company is a very fast moving business  and the successful candidate was contacted, therefore what would it benefit them to contact the unsuccessful ones?

However, I would like to think that if I ever was in the position of hiring people, I would like to ensure that failed applicants at least get a reply, when at the end of the day they may not have been suitable for the job, but they still are worthy of a response/acknowledgement.

Further to this, I then contacted the JobCentre about my query and I was told that it would be passed directly on to the employer.

Once again I have heard nothing back. So I am at a loss as to whether they ever had any intention of getting back in touch with me. Being left hanging and more so ignored is one of the worst knock backs for an unemployed person.

I feel angry and annoyed that I took time to prepare, gather knowledge of the company, attend the interview and yet get nothing in return, not even thanks.

What is your experience of applying for jobs? Use the "write a comment" buttons to tell us.

If an employer cannot even have the decency to get back to candidates, it just makes me wonder if we have lost all our morals. A phone call, a letter, an email, would have all been acceptable, but instead ignoring it seems to be the easiest thing to do.

And when I had no other option but to chase this up, I was still further ignored. The fact this particular job was advertised and set up through the JobCentre makes all the more mockery of JobCentre Plus.

If the company were unable to get back to perspective candidates for whatever reason, surely the Job Centre could have done so on their behalf.

I am left feeling disappointed and let down, that nobody has dealt with this or given me any indication of why I may have not been successful at interview.

Looking for work is a hard enough struggle, getting knock-backs is another and I am sure I am not alone in saying this, but being treat with such blatant ignorance should not be the case in this day and age.

Not hearing back is the worst part of being unsuccessful at a job interview, yet employers keep doing this to us.

Alice Bailey, Clayton Hollow, Waterthorpe, Sheffield.