I have been applying for a position at a non-profit for about 7 weeks. and they've been impressively communicative and transparent throughout the process this entire time. The job description noted that it was a remote position, although there would be some in-person expectations during a specific summer program. I have been looking mostly at remote-only opportunities, but this was totally fine with me.
As required by their recruitment process, I completed the written responses to their unique application questions, in addition to a practice SAT exam, a mini grammar quiz, a writing sample, a standard interview, a role-play scenario, and a note-taking project. I also submitted all of my references and an additional work sample. These were all spread out over the past month or so… in other words, we have had many points of contact where their expectations were communicated clearly and I delivered promptly.
Just a few hours before my final interview with the Executive Director, I received an email from the organization asking me to clarify one minor detail: “While the position will often be remote, it will be in person during the summer and we will ask that you live in [CITY] full-time. While this was in the job description, we realized that most candidates did not notice, and started confirming with candidates after you applied.”
This was not in the job description, and I resent their implication that this oversight was my fault. They have removed the original job posting from the internet, though I saved my own copy as a PDF when I applied. There is no mention of any location requirements; I also reviewed the Google Form I submitted for them, as well as all of the other internal documents they shared with me during the process, and again, no mention of any location requirements.
I am unable (or unwilling, it really doesn't matter) to move to the city they now require, so I cancelled the interview and withdrew my application. Several hours passed before their Executive Director stepped in, trying to backtrack by saying they are still interested in me for other positions without a location requirement and would still like to interview. Lots of exclamation points and smiley faces, yet no apology-adjacent language to be seen anywhere. I remained firm in my response.
It is so commonplace for applicants to be expected to jump through a million hoops, provide free labor, and spend their own time and money, but clearly no standard expectation on the hiring organization to be honest and transparent, even about something as basic as where the applicant should be living. It also seems more and more common for organizations to offer “remote” opportunities that still want to dictate where you live, which does not make much sense at all.
I'm sure I'm not the only person who has experienced something like this, and my heart goes out to all the folx who have been yanked around by sloppy and disrespectful employers. This community has helped so much in my remembering that it's not just me!