Cranbrook, B.C. — Growing frustration is mounting among job seekers in Cranbrook and nearby communities as many claim Interior Health has repeatedly failed to respond to employment applications — leaving hopeful applicants in limbo for weeks and even months after submitting their résumés.
Several local residents say they have applied for multiple roles through Interior Health’s online portal, yet never received any acknowledgment, interview invitation, or follow-up email. “You submit your résumé and hear nothing back — not even an automated message,” one applicant told Dalena Reporters. “It’s discouraging because many of us genuinely want to work in healthcare and contribute to the system.”
The complaints appear consistent across various job categories — from community care assistants and mental health workers to administrative and support service roles. Applicants say the silence has persisted despite their qualifications and experience aligning with the advertised positions.
Interior Health, headquartered in Kelowna, is one of the largest regional health authorities in British Columbia, responsible for healthcare delivery across the Kootenays and the Okanagan. But for Cranbrook residents seeking local employment within the authority, the lack of communication has become a serious concern.
“People are beginning to feel that applying is a waste of time,” said another job seeker. “Even when positions stay open for months, there’s no update, no rejection, no feedback — just silence.”
Employment experts say this kind of non-responsiveness can damage public trust and discourage qualified professionals from pursuing opportunities in the region. “Health authorities should maintain transparent recruitment practices,” one HR consultant noted. “Even automated updates or acknowledgment emails can go a long way in showing respect for applicants’ efforts.”
Efforts to contact Interior Health’s human resources department in Cranbrook for comment have so far gone unanswered.
With ongoing staff shortages and rising demands on healthcare workers in the region, many residents believe that improving recruitment communication should be a top priority. “Interior Health keeps saying they’re short of staff,” one local resident said. “But how can they fill those gaps if they don’t even reply to the people willing to work?”