Do Hiring Managers Call With Bad News?

Do hiring managers call with bad news? Yes. They use rejection phone calls to let applicants know that they did not get the job they interviewed for.

These calls are typically brief and are used as a courtesy to the applicant. It keeps candidates from anxiously waiting to see if they got the position.

Do Hiring Managers Call You to Reject You?

Hiring managers and HR representatives are usually responsible for letting applicants know if they didn’t get the job. If a hiring manager does notify you of rejection, they commonly do so with a phone call because it is more personal than sending an email, letter, or text.

They see this phone call as an important way of maintaining their reputation, and they realize you’re anxious to find out if you got the job. Just like you want to end the interview on a positive note, they want to ensure that you are still open to working for them. Just because you weren’t a good fit for this position, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t well suited to future roles.

Unfortunately, rarely do hiring managers take the time to call you and inform you of a rejection. If you follow up your interview with a thank you email, you’ll be giving the hiring manager an easy way to update you on whether or not the job position has been filled. If you don’t hear back from them at that point, it may be because they chose another applicant and have decided not to notify the other candidates.

Read More: 21 Surefire Signs You Didn’t Get The Job After an Interview

Why Would a Hiring Manager Call?

Hiring managers are more likely to call with good news than bad. They may call you to give you updates on the interview and hiring process. They’ll let you know where they are in this process and ask if you are still interested in the position.

They may also call you if they have additional questions. After interviewing other applicants, they may need more information related to your qualifications.

If the hiring manager does call with bad news, it is done so as a courtesy. They may call because they feel they made promises to you, but now you’ve been short-listed.

They can also call to let you know that the job opening has closed and ask if you’re interested in working for their company in a different position or department. They might even call if you specifically asked them to keep you updated.

How Often Do Hiring Managers Call with Bad News?

Hiring managers only call with bad news about 10% of the time. This is a big mistake that many companies make. A lack of feedback can actually cause them to lose a candidate they really wanted.

Most hiring managers will give you a typical response at the end of an interview such as “We’ll be in touch.” this makes you think the interview went well and that they’re interested in hiring you. You’ll leave the interview thinking that you’re sure to hear from them within the next day or two.

When you don’t hear anything over the next couple of days, you’ll begin to think you’ve been rejected. After a full week, you’re convinced of it. This is when your mind goes into protective mode.

You’ll begin convincing yourself that this job wasn’t right for you. This is why no feedback is a bad practice.

Candidates can talk themselves out of terrific positions simply because the company didn’t get in touch with them soon enough. They decide to move on and could end up accepting another job elsewhere. By the time the hiring manager gets in touch with them, it’s too late.

You can avoid this by asking your interviewer for details when it comes to their hiring timeline. Will they be continuing interviews over the next two to three weeks? Ask when you can expect to hear from them.

Read More: Hiring Manager Wants To Call After Interview: What Does It Mean?

Do Recruiters Give Bad News on Fridays?

Hiring managers don’t usually call with bad news on a Friday. They feel bad enough rejecting you without messing up your weekend. This doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to hear from them on a Friday or Saturday.

What to Expect From a Rejection Phone Call

The hiring manager will start a rejection phone call by letting you know who they are, the company they work for, and why they are calling. After identifying themselves, they’ll thank you for the interview. This shows courtesy, and when done properly, allows you to still consider applying for future job openings within their company.

After thanking you, they’ll quickly get to the point, in order to prevent you from wondering for too long what is going on. They’ll let you know that you didn’t get this particular job, but they may tell you that they would like you to apply for openings they may have in the future.

It’s up to their discretion if they want to provide you with any reasons as to why you didn’t get the job. Normally, they won’t say anything unless they feel you have limited skills.

This is a positive comment. It allows you to further develop your skills before reapplying to this company or interviewing for similar positions.

Should You Stress Over Bad News Phone Calls From Hiring Managers?

Do hiring managers call with bad news? Some do and some don’t.

While not all hiring managers follow up with a phone call, don’t be upset if you do receive one of these rejections. Use it as a positive experience. It ends your anxiety, and you can look at it as the company wanting to keep you interested in one day working for them, but in a different role.