I’ve been hearing a lot more stories of companies not hiring for positions they’ve been interviewing for or delaying the process and wasting everyone’s time before sending rejections. Any peculiar stories that just make you laugh?
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Oh, I've got some stories for you! Here are a few from the Wall Street Oasis threads:
One user shared a story about being rejected from a phone interview just 5 minutes after it ended, and from an in-person interview 20 minutes after it ended. They were also ghosted for second round phone and final round Skype interviews. They even showed up for an in-person interview only to find out it had been cancelled. But they took it in stride, understanding that rejection is a part of life.
Another user was laughed off the phone by a recruiter at a mid-level firm. But they had the last laugh, as they're now at a top-tier firm.
A user named mr_struggle_2 shared their frustration about being ghosted by companies after interviews. They were ghosted by a global firm after a superday and then again by another global BB a week after their final interview.
One user shared their experience of being ghosted after three separate interviews for an ER position. Four months later, the firm came back and asked them to interview for a fourth time as a candidate fell through. They turned them down and ended up with a better job.
Lastly, a user shared their journey of sending out around 80 applications, only to face rejections or get ghosted. Despite this, they remained resilient and continued their job search.
Remember, every rejection or ghosting is just a stepping stone to the right opportunity. Keep your chin up!
Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/first-rejection?customgpt=1, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/job-search/ghosted-you-will-have-the-last-laugh?customgpt=1, Getting ghosted 24/7, Ghosting after interviews
Go to a target MBA school for a bank. No one who applied there through our on-campus portal were notified that the internship was canceled. Found out awkwardly on here when someone posted an email stating the position was canceled from someone who applied off campus. I already figured I either got 'quietly rejected' or the bank signed a candidate but I never got a straight answer when I tried following up with them.
I ended up finding out what really happened from an alum (won't elaborate but that story at least to me was quite funny).
Applied, interviewed and received offer for week long insight programme at a bank which typically converts most people to SA the following year. Attended the programme in banks office for a week, built good rep with HR and was super engaged and subsequently interviewed for SA. Was ghosted after that. Not sure how difficult it is to send a rejection email to someone who took the time to interview and spend a week in your offices but ok.
When I was doing FT recruitment I networked extremely hard for a MM bank. 5+ coffee chats with analysts and associates. Took a trip to their office and one of the groups bought me lunch. Was all lined up for me to move directly to Superday. Application comes around, I apply and don't even get a first round.
Fast-forward a week later. I cold apply to an EB Rx group. No networking, no alumni, literal shot in the dark. Got offer and accepted within two weeks. Really made me rethink the whole networking thing.
Luck plays a huge part at the end of the day
2 stories:
1st one that just happened: Went through 4 rounds of interviews with internal recruiter, my future boss, and other mid/senior group members. Final round interview with the head of the department (quoted as being a “formality” interview) is now to be scheduled but the team is undergoing budget review and will be delayed a week or so. Then the department head is traveling so it’s delayed again. Then get a call the role has been cancelled due to the future of the team being uncertain and the direction the team is headed in. The job was also posted 6-7 months ago and removed without anyone ever having been hired and reposted by the company when I just interviewed. The whole time I’m constantly being told that I’m the top candidate and the team is interested in me and I’m being told about onboarding schedules etc. The recruiter gave me a very kind-hearted call to inform me of the situation, but it’s a bummer because who knows what was truly happening.
2nd story from College: A prominent PE firm had posted a role for an internship. I wanted a head start and started to reach out to alums and a couple other folks on the team to network. My career advisor (there were like 4-5 of them who managed all of the job listings since they were the ones that sourced them all) who was the advisor point of contact for this role, was encouraging and very enthused by what I was doing. I ended up having great calls with all of them including some technicals that I nailed until one said that “well I’m glad we got to speak because you seem great, but we’re only looking to hire girls for this position so I’m not sure why you reached out which we told your advisor to put in the listing” basically. In the listing there was no mention of it being a girls only role, and it ended there. Waste of time but moral of the story: you never really know what’s going on behind the scenes
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