A senior director candidate flew across the country for what a recruiter had promised would be the final conversation. The role, at a major telecom, was pitched as nearly tailor-made. "We'll build it around what you enjoy doing," the recruiter had said. "If there's anything we can do, you name it."
The on-site lasted five hours. Every conversation seemed to click. The recruiter texted afterward about a "quick turnaround" on the decision. Then: nothing. A week passed. Then two. The candidate followed up. Silence. Then they found the job reposted online — same role, same title, now a fresh listing. The travel expenses were never reimbursed.
On Reddit, the story resonated because it followed a now-familiar script: recruiters who love-bomb, hiring managers who seem enthusiastic, and then a void where a rejection or an offer should be. Commenters pointed out that recruiters sell the process — they do not make the hiring decision — and that a reposted job is often the only closure a candidate gets.
Two weeks. Five hours on-site. One reposted listing. Zero explanations.