The new thing – being promised offers and getting rejections.

I have literally NEVER encountered this before but it’s happening all the time now.

I go to an interview. I know I interview well, I’m almost always asked back. And why would they waste all that time on me if they weren’t interested? Doesn’t mean I’ll get an offer out of every one and I don’t expect that. Just saying, I’m always a top candidate.

In THREE interviews now I’ve been promised offers. Not just the generic “We’ll be in touch”. Which could honestly go either way. But up to discussing scheduling and start dates with the senior manager. Not in a “When can you start/when are you available” context either. Actual “Would a start date of the 15th work for you? Can we plan on that?”

Offer letter never materializes. Get a rejection days later, or they just stop responding.

I have no reason to think anything is amiss. They’re not finding any dealbreakers on a background check, we don’t get that far and I don’t even HAVE any. It’s not a reference sneakily badmouthing me. They never get called. It’s not someone I previously worked with coming out of the woodwork, even if someone wanted to they don’t know where I’m applying and I know as a fact perspective employers aren’t cold calling my previous workplace and even if they did, there’s really only a person or two anywhere that I had any friction with, and it would have been more along the lines of there was a mutual understanding we just didn’t like each other rather than anything that happened.

The last time I actually pressed the issue. Professionally, but I did. I asked “If you weren’t certain about me as a candidate or decided someone else was a better match that’s fair. But why literally TELL ME there was an offer forthcoming and then decide otherwise? You could have ended the interview with the typical “We’ll have a decision by X date.” They didn’t really have an answer. Like he actually said “Well I don’t know what to tell you”. If you don’t then who does because the offer came out of YOUR mouth. I didn’t say that but anyway.

The third time I just got ghosted. I got told “We’re so excited to bring you on board but you know in healthcare this can take a while, and it’s getting near the start of the holidays. But you should have an offer within 2 weeks if not sooner. If you don’t, give me a call back.”

I called back. Ghosted. Checked my candidate portal and my application was marked “not retained” 2 days after my interview. Tried calling back and playing dumb like “Idk what’s going on, I was expecting an offer per our conversation but now I’m seeing not retained. I’m sure something got mixed up so please give me a call back.”

Nope. Ghost mode.

If they’re still interviewing or decide I’m not a fit WHY MAKE PRELIMINARY OFFERS? I’m hesitant to assume malice because THAT doesn’t make sense either. What would anyone have against me? I was a stranger to all but one person, and even him, I only knew VERY casually at work a few years ago. Like pass in the hallway “How was your weekend” type stuff. If he hadn’t liked me or my work, or he heard something negative, why call me for an interview? There’s no way it’s personal or malicious because why?? And I know sometimes a job gets pulled and NOBODY gets hired. But 3 times in rapid succession?