By Carol A. Tiernan
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????’???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????, ???????? ???????????????? ????’???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????—????’???? ????????????.
Months ago, I applied for a leadership role that felt like the perfect fit. It was the work I’ve been doing (and excelling at) for over a decade. I passed the HR screening, aced a panel interview, and left feeling confident about my chances.
Then—silence.
Weeks later, I received a generic rejection email: “???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????.” Disappointed but professional, I followed up, asking for feedback—anything to help me grow or understand why I wasn’t the right fit.
Nothing, of course.
But it felt different this time. This wasn’t just any role; it was exactly what I’d been doing for 10 years at competitors of this organization. That rejection shook my confidence in ways I didn’t expect. I started questioning everything:
• Do I no longer have the skills?
• Am I too old?
• Did I come across poorly in the interview?
• What’s wrong with me?
It took time to rebuild my confidence and remind myself of my worth. Then, this week, I learned the truth: the role was never filled. That email claiming the position had been offered to someone else wasn’t true. The requisition had been closed due to “internal issues.”
When the position reopened, I reached out to express my continued interest. I highlighted my qualifications again, only to receive a curt dismissal: the hiring team “will not be considering anyone who previously interviewed.” No answer when I asked why.
As someone who has done a lot of hiring in my career, I’ve never seen anything like this. Candidates are expected to show up as their best selves—polished, prepared, vulnerable, and invested. But hiring teams? They can ghost you, mislead you, and reject you with sweeping decisions that feel arbitrary.
Yes, they get to make the decision as to who they’ll hire, but does that give them the right to treat candidates with such disregard? This isn’t just unprofessional—it’s dehumanizing. It erodes trust. It undermines confidence. And it sends a clear message: ???????????????? ????????????????, ????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????????.
I know I’m not alone in this experience, and I want to say this: ????????’???? ???????????? ????????????????.
Hiring teams, you can do better. You must do better. Transparency, respect, and honesty should be the baseline—not the exception.
To those still searching, remember this: ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????. Together, let’s demand a system that treats people with the dignity they deserve.
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You can reach Ms. Tiernan directly at www.caroltiernan.com.