Why the Recruiter Didn’t Call You Back (And the Hidden Silver Lining)

Why didn't they call you back?

This post was reprinted from Game Industry Career Guide, a resource for graduating students just starting their careers in the game industry.

Have you sent your resume to several companies and haven’t heard anything back? Did you even have an interview, which was followed by… radio silence?

You might be surprised at the reasons why companies don’t follow up on applications and interviews. The good news? It’s usually all about them, and not about you. Here are some reasons for their delays, and what you can do to push things forward – and even use the delay to your advantage.

They’ve Lost Your Application

There’s a variety of great applicant-tracking software availble to modern-day recruiters. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t use them or don’t use them correctly, either because they can’t afford it or because their staff is not properly trained.

What does this mean for you? It means that it’s very likely one or more companies will simply lose your application before they ever get a chance to look at it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s stuck in a tracking system or lost in sombody’s mile-high inbox – the end result is that the process has stalled out.

The Manager/Recruiter Is Swamped, Disorganized, or Left the Company

Even when your application makes it into the hands of the hiring manager, it’s possible that they’re so overwhelmed with their “normal” work (programming, producing, etc.) that they don’t have time to look over your resume and get back to you. Unfortunately, this can knock you out of the running whether or not they think you might be a good candidate.

This is especially common in the software industry, where teams are frequently in “fire-fighting mode.” Maybe they have a product deadline, maybe they’re in an extended crunch, or maybe they’re scrambling to put together a product demo for a big industry event like PAX or E3.

It’s even possible that the person who received your resume has been moved to a different position, or has left the company! Whatever the reason, it may be a while before you hear back from them – if at all.

They’ve Changed Their Hiring Plans

In the games business, things change fast. Projects get rebooted or redesigned, teams get cut, projects change their release dates or get canceled. Whenever a big change happens in a project or studio, the management team needs to rethink their staffing plan – and that can mean that the job you’ve applied for is no longer needed right now, or might not be needed until some weeks or months down the road.

Whenever that happens, it takes time for the company to reassess and it takes time for the new plan to be vetted and approved by senior management. In the meantime, you’ll be left in the lurch and wondering why they didn’t get back to you. And if they do get back to you, it might be to tell you that the job is no longer available.

Bad News Is A Bummer

If they’ve seen your resume or have interviewed you but decided that you’re not a fit for the role, then somebody at the company should let you know they’re passing you up. But some managers will simply drag their feet because, let’s face it, it’s no fun to be the bearer of bad news.

Experienced recruiters and HMs won’t have a problem delivering this bummer of a message, but if the recruiter or HM is junior and/or uncomfortable with conflict then they may procrastinate on the unpleasant work of doling out rejection letters. If so, then you might not get one until long after your interview, or not at all.

What You Can Do About It

Are you surprised at how professional-looking companies can drop the ball in such unprofessional ways? If you’re frustrated at all the silly reasons that they didn’t call you back, you’re not alone: it’s one of the most complained-about aspects of any job hunt. But the best way to work with this problem is to be proactive. Sometimes, all it takes to get the ball rolling again is a little push in the right direction:

If their process has stalled out on you, then it’s probably stalled out for the other applicants as well. View this as an opportunity to get ahead of your competition: While they’re sitting around complaining that nobody got back to them, you can take action and make sure your application is moving forward!

This post was reprinted from Game Industry Career Guide, a resource for graduating students just starting their careers in the game industry.