August is over. There's been no notice. One of the other three finalists told me she has heard nothing at all. Are manners and simple courtesy totally dead?

Does this seem extreme? It shouldn't. Is there a more polite way to notify a company that it has erred? Sure -- but you've already done that, several times. Every day, companies ignore these time commitments with impunity. Why is a deadline for a hiring decision any less important than a deadline to deliver a product to a customer? The company's ability to meet either deadline establishes its reputation. Yet, while companies worry plenty about dissatisfied customers, they don't give a thought to what professionals in their industry will say about them. A job candidate treated with disrespect can do as much -- if not more -- damage to a company's business as a dissatisfied customer. Do employers really think word doesn't get around?

Maybe hiring managers just assume that their HR departments handle all this stuff. But, just how accountable are HR departments? Does this company's public relations department realize that while it's spending millions on good press, the HR department is scuttling it? If you're a hiring manager, do you have any idea how job candidates are treated after they leave your office?

HR might explain that it takes time to process candidates, job offers, hires, and rejection letters. Tell that to your customer who cancels the order that's a month late, or to the prospect who's waiting for a sales rep to return her call.

The technology to keep candidates informed is there. The will isn't. Why? Because job candidates don't cost anything. Companies can get all your professional time they want, for free, without any obligation to you whatsoever. Fancy that.

What if employers had to pay for job interviews? Should you really send an invoice if they ignore their obligation? Good questions. Would it make any difference? It might, if you copy the company's public relations department and three leading industry publications. (Don't forget to add me to your list.) To paraphrase Arlo Guthrie's song Alice's Restaurant, imagine if 50 people a day sent interview invoices to employers. We might change the world.

This bad behavior is unbusinesslike and has just got to stop. I challenge any HR manager to explain why it's okay to ignore even an implied commitment to a job candidate. If your company shines in this regard, I'd like to hear from you, too. In fact, I'll gladly highlight your company in an upcoming newsletter. Respond here.

Wishing you better than you're getting,

Nick Corcodilos
Ask The Headhunter®