Hi everyone,
I’m in a confusing but hopeful situation and could really use some perspective or advice.
A few weeks ago, I applied for a role I was genuinely excited about. After about 20 days of no updates, I decided to withdraw my application, thinking maybe getting referred by someone else would increase my chances.
I withdrew my application on a Tuesday. After that, I approached someone internally for a referral — but he said he couldn’t refer me since I was already in the system. I wasn’t sure if the withdrawal had properly processed, or if something else was preventing it.
Then something unexpected happened — on Thursday (just two days later), I received an interview invite from HR. I was surprised but thrilled and went ahead with the interview. It went really well, and I felt confident and optimistic afterward.
Now I’m wondering:
Could the earlier withdrawal affect my chances, even after a good interview?
Might the system flag me or create internal confusion with the hiring team?
Should I proactively mention this at any stage, or just wait it out?
Has anyone been through something similar, where a withdrawn application still led to an interview?
I’m honestly still very excited about this role and didn’t mean to cause any confusion — I was just trying to increase my chances. I really hope it doesn’t backfire.
Would appreciate any insights or advice. Thanks so much in advance!
TL;DR:
I withdrew my job application to try for a referral, but then got an interview invite anyway and completed it. The interview went really well, but now I’m worried the withdrawal might cause confusion or rejection. Wondering if anyone’s faced this before or if I should say something
Comments
Talk to whoever you interviewed with and tell them that you withdrew it and why.
Seems like they don’t value your time by waiting 20 days, why would you stress about something that you cannot change. Either you get the job, or don’t.
Honestly, just be honest about it. If it doesn’t come up and you get a follow-up interview, just proceed as normal. But if anything comes up that makes you think it is impacting the impression you leave, just send a note to HR or the hiring manager and let them know that you really appreciate the opportunity to speak with the company and that you want to clarify that the withdrawal of your initial application was not a withdrawal of interest in the role. If it makes you more comfortable, you could mention it proactively in your interview too.
Remember that interviewers, HR, and every colleague you’ll ever have is simply another human being. They’ve made mistakes, they know what it’s like to be on the job hunt, and most importantly, they are making up a lot of their life on the spot just like everyone else is too. Don’t sweat it too much! And good luck!
You really wanted this job and withdrew the application? What would this possibly accomplish?
Big dick it. Say you’ll only join if they beat the other jobs offer
Don’t bring it up unless they ask about it. If they do bring it up just say you withdrew so you could go through the referral and your friend would hopefully be eligible for a referral bonus if they offer such a thing. It’s not that you changed your mind about the job but that you wanted to give your friend the recognition for telling you about this great opportunity. Big companies take a while to go through the interview process. Be patient and good luck!
So here’s a sneaky option. Contact the interviewer and mention that you want to make sure your friend gets credit for the referral but you may have made a mistake when submitting your application that would make that not work. It’s basically still admitting to the mistake but with the positive positioning it makes it about your concern for a future coworker rather than for yourself. This also shows a specific skill in communication that is highly valued by companies.
This happened because HR did not check her portal
Honestly, the system probably just shrugged and moved on. If your interview went well, that’s what matters. No need to bring up the withdrawal, it’ll only make things messier. Just keep your focus on crushing the next steps.