Submitted my application toward the end of 2015 (December I believe). Did not hear back until the end of January for a preliminary interview with a recruiter based in NYC. I was then recommended for the next step, which was a Skype interview. Time went on and I did not hear back. Finally, in April/May 2016 I received an email stating that I was a finalist.
I was invited to the Boston office to give a presentation and meet the staff. I live in another state so I paid for my non-reimbursable flight/hotels (silly of me, I know). After the interview, tI received 2 more phone calls: one from the HR and another from one of the interviewers in Boston. They called my 2 references and told them I would without a doubt hear back in a week.
Well guess what? I never heard back. Followed up: nothing. Silence, silence and silence.
It's fine if I didn't get the position.. But to drag a person through a LENGTHY several month application process and not have courtesy to follow-up is absolutely enraging.
Companies always expect candidates to have decorum and open communication.. etc. But when a revered org like UNICEF cannot reciprocate that, it speaks volumes.
Everytime I share this experience with someone, they are absolutely appalled.
Throughout entire 4-5 months I received nothing but kindness. So why after the interview can you not have courtesy to follow-up.
It was not until 3 entire months later that I received a generic reply.
For almost a year, I beat myself up over this. The rejection is not what bothers me-- it is the lack of respect for candidates after a long application process.