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I'd love anyone's take at what goes on behind the scenes after a screener

Had a screener with a firm a few weeks ago. They keep emailing me each week to say that they'll have an answer for me regarding the callback on X date (a specific date that's coming up about 4 weeks post-screener). They described what the callback would be like and said they looked forward to it, but I didn't get the official invite back for the callback then. I'm now approaching X date and I can't stop speculating and being nervous!!

Will the answer I get be positive (hey, we definitely want to schedule the callback) or negative (no thanks)? I know no one knows that answer, but anyone have any clue why a firm would take this long to give an answer to a simple, "will I get a callback," to which it should just say yes or no? It's not an offer... It's just lunch! Am I wrong in this view?

Thanks!!

Anonymous User wrote:I'd love anyone's take at what goes on behind the scenes after a screener

Had a screener with a firm a few weeks ago. They keep emailing me each week to say that they'll have an answer for me regarding the callback on X date (a specific date that's coming up about 4 weeks post-screener). They described what the callback would be like and said they looked forward to it, but I didn't get the official invite back for the callback then. I'm now approaching X date and I can't stop speculating and being nervous!!

Will the answer I get be positive (hey, we definitely want to schedule the callback) or negative (no thanks)? I know no one knows that answer, but anyone have any clue why a firm would take this long to give an answer to a simple, "will I get a callback," to which it should just say yes or no? It's not an offer... It's just lunch! Am I wrong in this view?

Thanks!!

This is pretty weird. Are you sure they didn't give you the callback already and you are just waiting to schedule it.

Yes, I am certain. It seems like they want to move forward with me but there's a delay in making an official statement or setting the 2nd interview to finalize it. They could just be stringing me along, I suppose... ?

Anonymous User wrote:Yes, I am certain. It seems like they want to move forward with me but there's a delay in making an official statement or setting the 2nd interview to finalize it. They could just be stringing me along, I suppose... ?

I am in a very similar situation and am super super nervous as well! I wonder if someone who has had similar experience in the past can share whether it's a good thing or a bad thing please Good luck to you though!

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Yes, I am certain. It seems like they want to move forward with me but there's a delay in making an official statement or setting the 2nd interview to finalize it. They could just be stringing me along, I suppose... ?

I am in a very similar situation and am super super nervous as well! I wonder if someone who has had similar experience in the past can share whether it's a good thing or a bad thing please Good luck to you though!

Sounds like they have some weird process set up that they are following, like having a hiring committee approve all CBs or something. I assume it's good news. If they don't like you, they don't lead you on.

I see, thanks a ton! Nice to hear some comforting information

Good luck to you, other anon! Let me know it turns out!

And thank you, Desert Fox. Nice to hear that there may still be a chance for me and they aren't just getting my hopes up for the fun of it.

Bad. Always bad.

I may be reading this wrong, but are you sure they don't think they already scheduled the CB and wires simply got crossed?

JamMasterJ wrote:I may be reading this wrong, but are you sure they don't think they already scheduled the CB and wires simply got crossed?

That's what it sounded like to me too.

Desert Fox wrote:

JamMasterJ wrote:I may be reading this wrong, but are you sure they don't think they already scheduled the CB and wires simply got crossed?

That's what it sounded like to me too.

Yup. Otherwise this is straight up bizarre.

Just wanted to say that I really appreciated the examples of positives and negatives answers the firm could give you. You've really thought this through.

dixiecupdrinking wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

JamMasterJ wrote:I may be reading this wrong, but are you sure they don't think they already scheduled the CB and wires simply got crossed?

That's what it sounded like to me too.

Yup. Otherwise this is straight up bizarre.

OP here. Yeah, it is a weird situation. I'm positive, though, that there hasn't been one requested or set up yet. Just constantly letting me know that they'll let me know whether I'm moving on to the next step by a certain date.

After thinking about it, it seems as if they're interested but need more approvals to ask me back for the callback, and can't guarantee those approvals. Which sucks. Nothing worse than having a chance but then it being blocked by factors out of your control.

I'll let everyone know what happens.

This is not weird at all, particularly if it's a smallish firm with a limited number of spots. You had a screener very early in the interviewing season. They're not going to decide whether to give you a call back until they've done enough screeners to assess where you stand in their applicant pool this year. But they want to keep you warm so that, if they decide to give you a callback, you'll think that they loved you all along. If they decide not to give you a callback, then they don't really care what you think of them. You'll know soon enough either way.

enibs wrote:This is not weird at all, particularly if it's a smallish firm with a limited number of spots. You had a screener very early in the interviewing season. They're not going to decide whether to give you a call back until they've done enough screeners to assess where you stand in their applicant pool this year. But they want to keep you warm so that, if they decide to give you a callback, you'll think that they loved you all along. If they decide not to give you a callback, then they don't really care what you think of them. You'll know soon enough either way.

This is what has most likely happened.

So is it going to be just a matter of luck re: the quality of the other candidates they interview?