Job Seeker Calls Out Nonprofit for Ghosting After Interviews

After multiple interviews and weeks of silence, a communications professional says she emailed the hiring team to push for better communication.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:04am

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A sleek, modern desk with a laptop, a pen, and a stack of resumes arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, representing the abstract concepts of job hunting and corporate communication.A minimalist still life captures the frustration of job seekers left in the dark by employers during the hiring process.Cedar Falls Today

Jenna Hoffman, a 28-year-old communications professional and graduate student in Iowa, applied for a communications and event manager role at a local nonprofit. After multiple interviews over several weeks, the nonprofit hired someone else without notifying Hoffman. Frustrated by the lack of communication, Hoffman emailed the hiring team to provide feedback on their hiring practices.

Why it matters

Hoffman's experience highlights the growing frustration many job seekers face with a lack of transparency and communication from employers during the hiring process. Her decision to directly address the issue could encourage other candidates to advocate for better hiring practices.

The details

Hoffman had been job hunting for nearly two years while pursuing a master's degree. She applied for the nonprofit role in late 2025 and went through three interviews over the course of a month. Despite feeling she was a strong candidate, Hoffman later discovered the nonprofit had hired someone else after seeing a Facebook post. Upset by the lack of communication, Hoffman emailed the hiring team to share her perspective and provide feedback on their practices.

  • In late November, Hoffman had a phone interview for the role.
  • In December and early January, Hoffman went through two in-person interviews.
  • After about a week of silence, Hoffman sent an email asking for a status update.
  • Two more weeks passed with no response, then Hoffman saw the nonprofit's Facebook post announcing they had hired someone.
  • Hoffman then emailed the hiring team to share her feedback.

The players

Jenna Hoffman

A 28-year-old communications professional, graduate-school student, and entrepreneur in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Nonprofit

A local nonprofit organization that Hoffman applied to for a communications and event manager role.

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What they’re saying

“If the expectation is that I should send a thank-you note after a job interview, I should anticipate the courtesy of hearing, "No, thank you, we're not interested.”

— Jenna Hoffman

“The extended lack of communication following my application and interviews was disappointing and made it difficult to assess the role and organization in good faith. While I understand that timelines can shift, especially around the holidays, clearer and more consistent updates would have demonstrated respect for candidates' time and maintained transparency throughout the process.”

— Jenna Hoffman

What’s next

Hoffman plans to transition into private practice after graduating with her master's degree in May, serving clients with supervision until she meets the requirements to open her own practice.

The takeaway

Hoffman's experience highlights the growing frustration many job seekers face with a lack of transparency and communication from employers during the hiring process. Her decision to directly address the issue could encourage other candidates to advocate for better hiring practices.