I was headhunted for a senior social media role at Experian, which I was genuinely excited about, I had been planning to apply anyway. The initial screening call with the internal recruiter was really positive, and the process moved quickly. Within a week, I had two interviews: the first was a competency-based interview with the Hiring Manager, and the second involved a strategic presentation, again with the same manager.
My second interview took place just before the May Bank Holiday and half term, so I gave the benefit of the doubt when I didn’t hear back straight away. However, it’s now been over three weeks with no update. Despite several follow-ups and even phone calls to the recruiter, I’ve received no response, not even a courtesy email to let me know I hadn’t progressed.
Recruiters and companies sometimes forget that candidates are human. I invested time, energy, and genuine enthusiasm into the process and presentation, and to be met with complete silence feels incredibly disrespectful.
This experience reflects poorly on Experian as an employer. If this is how candidates are treated during the hiring process, it raises serious questions about the culture and values within the business. In hindsight, perhaps it’s a blessing I wasn’t offered the role, a company’s recruitment process often says a lot about how they operate internally.
I’m sharing this not to vent, but in the hope that someone in Experian’s HR or talent team sees it and rethinks how they handle candidate communication and care. Experiences like this can be really damaging to someone’s confidence, and I hope this helps inform improvements for future applicants.