Aren't employers supposed to inform interviewees they've been rejected?

Soooo, I interviewed for a design gig at a small firm (about 30 people). I'm qualified (manager "loved" my resume), references told me they'd been contacted and gave me good reviews, etc. Its just a contract gig so I'm not going to be devastated, but one week after the interview with the three people who make the final decision, I hadn't heard anything either way. I've never, ever not had an employer at least shoot me a lame email saying I didn't fit, blah blah. Have I just luckily avoided what happens normally? In any case, I left a phone message (she NEVER answers the phone) and polite email to follow up. Two days later... nada. I don't even want the job now, I'm just very curious and want to know what the hell is going on.

• They don't do that anymore.

• Weird, it was my consistent experience so I guess in the last two years its changed.

• Most employers don't seem to give you that courtesy anymore. However, the decent ones will tell you you won't get unless you're the successful applicant.

• They're just not that into you.

• I knew a girl who waited to hear on an interview, but then she died.

• Hmm, not sure I buy it. This isn't a big corporation with HR. Its a small company in a field where you will inevitably cross paths in the future. When I've been the interviewer in the past, higher ups have wanted emails sent out simply so the company looks good. In any case, I've tried calling the receptionist a few times to day and no one answers so maybe they went belly up. Maybe I dodged a bullet if this is how they run things.

• "I've tried calling the receptionist a few times to day and no one answers so maybe they went belly up" Maybe they have caller ID.

• I interviewed for a position and hadn't heard anything. So I sent an email and found out that they're re-posting the job. Needless to say I won't reapply.

  LuciferTheLightBringer

• No, when you dial for the receptionist it goes to voice mail, it doesn't just keep ringing like a screened call. And I got so curious I used my boyfriend's phone and the same thing happened.

• Well, I just got a call apologizing for not getting back sooner. The decision will be made by noon tomorrow and she said she'd call me right away. So the streak continues.

  OP

• Good luck OP!

• R1 is right, people are cunts these days. Everything has changed Op. Welcome to the new reality of job hunting.

• They first started doing this after the dot.com meltdown.

• They haven't done that since the ADA passed in the early 90s.