Old Job Postings {6 Months} - A Concern?

flyingby

What is the general consensus on length of time a job has been posted? Do you consider long spans to be a negative sign of the company culture?

Backstory:
After multiple rounds of interviews for a position that had been posted/reposted for 6 months I was told an offer was coming. 4 Weeks later, it's still "coming". Movement does appears to show an offer is really imminent now.

During the waiting I continued to interview and just received a verbal offer from another organization. Company A is preferable only because of the shorter commute - 10 Mins (A) vs 60 Minutes (B). Otherwise, the jobs are comparable with Company B offering 10% more.

I'm torn on whether I should even consider Company A at this point. I'm seriously concerned with how long the role has gone unfilled + the 4 weeks delay from "we're making an offer" to now.

kohr-ah

It could very well be that the role has taken so long due to events like the one you are experiencing.

You could always write and state that you are inquiring about the position and offer letter and politely note that another offer has been received.

yoba222

flyingby wrote: »

. . . What is the general consensus on length of time a job has been posted? Do you consider long spans to be a negative sign of the company culture?

I used to. But I realize now that some companies, at least the smaller ones, might be really great but not have the resources to have a top-notch HR process in place. They may be too busy doing money-making things and know more help is needed, but don't want to invest the time and resources in to getting more people on board, so the ad stagnates.

Possibly also HR is outsourced to a crappy 3rd party. But for bigger companies, a lousy hiring experience can hint that at systemic incompetency. So I don't judge on hiring process alone anymore.

PCTechLinc

I'm going to support what yoba has said. The job before the one I have now was the most enjoyable I've ever had. Their hiring process was absolutely atrocious. They took about 6 months from the first phone call I received from the HR Manager. Their Corporate IT wanted to be involved in the hiring process, so it took an inordinate amount of time. I already had an existing job, so I wasn't in a hurry. It wasn't until I had a second job offer that I politely told the HR Manager that I received a job offer of X amount (I was completely transparent), but I REALLY wanted their job. If they could match the offer I would go with them. A couple days later I received the written job offer. I'd still be there today if they didn't end up outsourcing IT not even 2 years after I started working for them.