the interview process

It's funny, I was thinking about interviewing yesterday and Scoble blogged
about it last night. 

<rant>

The experience that he describes is one that happens all too often.  I have been
through way to many interviews for anyones own good over the past few years. 
Before coming to Microsoft, I completed over 50 interviews -- more than a dozen
being "call-backs" so to say where you end up in an interview loop at someones office. 
It AMAZED me at how poorly they treat you.  They spend so much $$ to fly you
over, take you out, interview you, etc. and then at the end of the day they drop you
off and your done.  With call-back's you at least have a 50% chance of hearing
back within the timeline they state.  For first-round interviews, or at-large
requests, you'd be lucky if they acknowledged that they ever intereviewed you in the
first place.

I've had this experience with all kinds of companies -- investment banks, commercial
banks, consulting firms, tech firms (even microsoft) -- everyone is guilty.

I always respected the companies that sent letters or emails in a timely fashion. 
Even better, the ones who had the decency to call and tell me results.  I know
it is hard to give bad news, but have some common courtesey.  It sends a really
bad message -- and it sticks with you.  (I'm still bitter to this day!).

HR: this is a process issue, fix it, it can't be that hard.

</rant>