You leave the interview feeling great—you had established rapport with the interviewer, she was impressed with your résumé, and she assured you that you’d hear from her soon. And then you wait. And wait. And wait.
You’ve been ghosted. If you have a reasonable justification for expecting to hear back from a recruiter after one or several interviews and do not, you have been ghosted. But take solace, because you’re not alone. A recent survey found that 75 percent of job seekers are ghosted after an interview.
Ghosting can occur for several reasons, all of which are outside the candidate’s control. A company may have decided to hire an in-house candidate, or it eliminated the position altogether. Perhaps the interviewer left the position or went on vacation. Sometimes the hiring process just takes longer than expected.
Candidates are not completely out in the cold, however, and experts offer advice about how to deal with not hearing back from an employer after an interview.
Ask for a hiring timeline during the interview.
Follow up after the interview with a message showing appreciation for the opportunity.
Wait four days after the hiring date before asking the hiring manager about the status of the position via text or phone call. Make it brief and include your name, date of interview, job title, enthusiasm for the position, and an offer to provide more information.
Check professional networking sites to learn about the status of the position.
Contact other individuals in the company with a polite message asking about next steps.
Practice interviewing techniques. It can be difficult to spring back after being ghosted, but rehearsing for interviews can remind you of your skills and abilities.
Move past the experience. Apply your efforts to the next opportunity rather than wallowing in the past.
What purpose(s) does a follow-up phone call or message serve after an interview?
How can you prepare for the post-interview conversation so that you feel more comfortable and avoid gaffes?
Why do experts advise against leaving more than one voicemail message requesting to hear about the status of a position?
Experts have long known that governments alone cannot combat the effects of climate change and that businesses must join the fight. A recent survey of executives published by the global consulting and auditing firm Deloitte shows that business executives agree: over 80 percent are concerned about the world being at a climate change tipping point. Between scarcity and cost of resources to catastrophic climate events, both global organizations and small businesses across the world are feeling the impact of the warming planet.
It makes sense, then, for industry to act even if only for its own longevity and prosperity. But what can businesses do? How can organizations turn concern into action? Business leaders have their own ideas.
In the Deloitte report, executives named education and promoting science-backed climate research as ways to spur action and fuel policy reforms. But even more important, according to Deloitte’s CEO Punit Renjen, is that business should lead in “innovations and technology that will help curtail private sector impact on the environment.”
Harvard Business School professor Borill Valée believes that business leaders must “turbocharge” their efforts to use capitalism as a means to impact climate change. He says leaders must accelerate their actions by aligning profit with decarbonization efforts.
HBS professor Rebecca Henderson points out that all businesses ought to deal with the situation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations and supply chains while maintaining a “strong” return on capital. But even more important, Henderson notes, is that business needs to support climate regulations and create partnerships between the public and private sector. Because climate change affects the entire world’s economy, she says business must insist that politicians act now to protect the future.
Calls for leading with moral conviction and bolstering impact investing (investing in ways that will benefit society and the environment while producing a solid ROI) are other means business can adapt to share the burden that faces us all.
Isn’t it in everyone’s interest to do so?
Why is it in business’s best interest to take aggressive measures to decarbonize?
What are some ways small businesses can do their part to decarbonize?
Why do experts say government alone cannot fix climate change?
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on just about every aspect of work life, not the least of which is office etiquette. From the demise of formal dress codes to the avoidance of the common handshake, the way we behave at work has changed profoundly, likely for good or a very long time.
Whether working in the office or at home or some hybrid of both, every worker must be aware of the new rules of office etiquette.
Learn about new dress codes. During the initial stage of the pandemic, exercise or casual attire never before seen in most workplaces was suddenly acceptable. However, that may not be the case when you’re back in the office. Savvy employees will learn what management expects its workforce to wear and will adjust their wardrobes appropriately.
Respect the organization’s COVID-19 guidelines. Masks, social distancing, handwashing—whatever rules the employer sets, stick to them. Your job may hinge upon your obeying these guidelines, whatever personal beliefs you hold.
Do not automatically shake hands. Before assuming everyone wants to shake hands, say, It’s great to see you. Are we shaking hands? If someone moves in to shake and you are not ready to do so, say apologetically that you’re still uncomfortable shaking hands or offer an elbow bump.
Stay home when ill. If you don’t feel well, stay home. No one ever appreciates catching a cold or the flu—or COVID-19.
Clean up after yourself. Respect the workplace by cleaning up after yourself in communal areas. It’s no one’s job to do your dishes or dispose of your moldy food in the group refrigerator.
Be considerate. When working in a communal workspace, avoid offending or annoying colleagues. Wearing heavy perfume or cologne–which can trigger headaches in some people– eating food with strong odors, and speaking loudly can irk coworkers.
Remote Work Etiquette
Log in on time. Being punctual is still part of good office etiquette, even when working from home. Set and stick to your working hours.
Be punctual for conference or video calls. Late arrivals to meetings or calls show disrespect for others’ time and a lack of professionalism.
Tidy your work area. Make sure to have a neat workspace and background for video calls. (You can use background images Zoom and other platforms offer, but using a natural-looking environment works best.)
Present yourself professionally. Work in an area separate from domestic activities. Occasional and unintentional interruptions may be unavoidable, but if they continue, you will be viewed as unprofessional.
Observing etiquette shows maturity and demonstrates professionalism. Keeping up with the changes to workplace etiquette brought on by the pandemic is a must.
If your company requires masks at the office and you see someone not wearing or using a mask correctly, what should you do?
How might clothing choices—athletic wear, rumpled shirts, unkempt appearance—impact how others perceive you?
How can you warmly greet someone and still observe social distancing?