Hiring Freeze????Very disappointed

wangxjj123

Currently working as PC integration tech for the past 5 months. Low pay and turned more into a delivery job. Had a job interview for a desktop support position and had a very good interview and was invited to a 2nd interview to speak with a high management staff. Everything was good and it took a while to receive a response and finally, the IT manger who interviewed me the first time informed me the company is on a hiring freeze. I was so disappointed because I thought this would be the perfect position to advance and learn. The IT manager said he will get a hold of me once the hiring freeze is over or whenever its gone. Is it just bad luck for me? Or something else because they said I was capable for the job and they like my personality and fits their culture. Of course I will keep looking for more job openings, but does this sound normal? I never had any prior experience with hiring freeze.

UncleB

I've been the hiring manager through 5 or 6 times when there was a hiring freeze - it is common when the company is worried about the overall financial situation, needs to reduce headcount (upcoming merger perhaps), if the IT team are being considered for outsourcing, if IT have overspent their budget (through paying rises to keep key staff) or ab out a dozen other reasons.

It is quite common to have these in a company going through change so don't read too much into it or think you are being singled out - it happens and you just have to live with it as it way out of your control to influence.

Keep on looking and learn more (add to your certs perhaps) in the meantime to help you get ahead of the others looking at the same jobs as you.

Good luck
Iain

alias454

As uncleb said don't worry about it too much keep on looking. Their loss is someone else's gain.

scaredoftests

Send out more resumes and move on. These things happen.

TechGromit

Where I work, there is a hiring freeze in place, they are looking to reduce headcount. They are only hiring internally for positions.

NOC-Ninja

This happens a lot. In my experience, if they really want you, they will find that money. Ive seen this again and again. Manager saying there's no funds and then when the person threaten to leave, then magically, the money shows up.

Danielm7

I'm in a similar situation now. I took a contract to hire position almost 1.5 years ago now. They were ready to hire me then the weather predictions weren't as planned (in the energy sector) so they put on a total hiring freeze. I'm a W2 through a contracting company, my original contract is over but they keep extending it because of the freeze. I'm in the process of negotiating a higher 1099 rate and cutting out the recruiting company. If they can't hire me but still need me they should at least make up the difference in pay.

markulous

Some companies have mandatory hiring freezes every year to evaluate their current needs a little bit more. Managers will often build a stack of potential hires so once the freeze is lifted, they can bring you in for a final interview and hire you.

I wouldn't bank on that however, and I'd keep searching. Doesn't sound like anything you did wrong as this isn't all uncommon.

kohr-ah

One of my previous jobs did that. They interviewed even but had a 1 - 2 month hiring freeze per year. It was to evaluate financials and evaluate costs of capex vs opex.

Then we continued to hire once that was figured out

wangxjj123

Thank you for all the replies. I will keep working on my certs and look for more job openings.

Dojiscalper

Had the same thing happen a couple times recently. Recruiter and I thought we had it locked up.

Anonymouse

This happened to me before getting my current job. It was for local goverment. I was told they would like to offer me a job but are going through a hiring freeze. They said they'll get back to me when they can give me a job offer. It's been about 6-7 months and no word. I don't even know why they wasted my time with tests, phone interviews, and in person interviews just to tell me there's a hiring freeze.