[ChrisMarshallNY]

Those are quite small sample sizes. I assume that this is supposed to grow?

In my experience, I was usually ghosted (sometimes, rather brutally). In a couple of instances, I was able to get the companies to confirm that I was toast, but only after I bugged them.

[johnnyanmac]

I always follow up because it's honestly how I got my 2nd job. I got a generic recruiter response and did your normal call. Then nothing. Followed up in a few weeks and it was clear they simply forgot to report back to the team. Then they scheduled me for a call with my future lead.

On the other hand, it's hard to forget when I went 5 stages into an interview, then did 3 follow ups: 3 days later, a week after that, then 2 weeks after that. I got a response each time pretty quickly saying "yeah, your're still in consideration", and then nothing. Not even a generic rejection. I just cut my losses because if they can give weekly interviews for a month but need more than a month to consider me, it's not happening.

[cookiengineer]

> but only after I bugged them

working as a Redteamer/Purpleteamer, I read this as you physically planting a (listening) bug in the HR office to get that info :D

[throw-the-towel]

Did follow ups ever help anyone get a job?

[reactordev]

Sometimes it can help articulate your stance after the fact. I’ve used it to thank the panel and to clarify a few of my answers so they had something to research. I have also used it to pull the emergency escape hatch and thank them for their time.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

Hard to tell, really. I doubt it would have made a difference, in my case.

But treating people with respect and dignity -that’s something that helps the company (not necessarily the applicant).