Thread: Job Interviews

Scenario:

Paper screened Job candidate pool that is composed of candidates that have known members of the interview commitee for several years (because some of the candidates are lomg-time and current employees applying for a job opening within the company) as well as other candidates that have never met the interviewers.

Interviewers are instructed by HR to pretend and act as though they do not know any of the candidates (well, especially the current employees that they actually do know) and to disregard any commendations/ job performance that they may be aware of.

Likewise, current employees interviewing for the job are expected (but not told) to pretend that they do not know any of the interview panel and to "sell" themselves to the panel. Other candidates, the ones that actually do not know any of the interviewers, are obviously not expected to pretend anything since they actually do not know the interviewers.

Additional information:

One candidate, who is a current employee for over a decade and has multiple commendations, has known one of the 4 interviewers for 12 years and two others (one of which is that employees current immediate supervisor and the hiring manager) for approximately 3-5 years. Also, that same candidate is currently working interim in the position being interviewed for, for over 6 months without incident.

Results:

The candidate mentioned above (the current interim who knows and works with most of the panel) is rejected and not recommended to proceed to second interview due to "under-selling" and not impressing the interview panel despite answering all interview questions adequately. And, a new hire, still on probation and competing for the job, is advanced ahead of that veteran. Oh, and this new hire also happens to be female, under 40, and LGBT. Don't know if that's a significant factor or not. Just sayin'

Question:

Does something seem fishy about the above?

And unions are bad?

Doesn't sound fishy to me, I've worked for numerous companies that promote from within. That maybe good for morale, but unfortunately just because someone has been with a company for an extended period of time and knows the lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have yous', does not mean they have the skill set required to be a middle/upper manager. Sometimes it's in a company's best interest to hire an outsider who comes to the table with a fresh outlook rather than hire someone from the "good ole boys club."

What's strange/ interesting too is that I was told by one of the interviewers (the hiring manager's secretary) just the day before the interview, "Don't worry, you already have the job..." Maybe that person spoke out of turn, but it certainly put me in the wrong frame of mind. And, after the interview, she sent me a text saying that "I did fine" on the interview.

The hiring manager apologized the day after the interview, while informing me that I hadn't been chosen, saying that it was his fault for not properly prepping me for the interview, and that I should blame him... Well he had had ample opportunity to prepare me the day before the interview since I was alone with him in his office.

And this was not for a management position, just a rank and file worker-bee spot above the position I currently hold. It's like going from a level II to a level III.

"candidate is currently working interim in the position being interviewed for, for over 6 months without incident." Why was there even an interview? Sounds like the job was filled and being done.

I wrote a long rant about a similar happening to me. decided to delete it drudged up to much BS

Not sure why companies operate the way they do today. Sounds like this person who was doing the job, has invested a lot of time in the company, and was all ready doing the job. Why a company would pass over a long time employee baffles me. If attendance is exceptional, as the work, initiative, an attitude why would you hold someone back? A long time employee has more value in my eyes, they wouldn't still be there if they didn't. Let the newby start at the bottom and prove them selves, you know "earn it". I don't know that many people understand that word today.

What happened to Atlas Shrugged?

Originally Posted by gugi

What happened to Atlas Shrugged?

My copy? I think it is sitting on a dusty shelf leaning up against an urn containing the ashes of my dearly departed idealism.

Some outfits sometimes want new blood but can't tell insiders not to apply and sometimes they want an insider but can't tell outsiders not to apply. You would have to get into the head of the guy making the decision to know what really went on.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Some outfits sometimes want new blood but can't tell insiders not to apply and sometimes they want an insider but can't tell outsiders not to apply. You would have to get into the head of the guy making the decision to know what really went on.

I know that, as hiring manager, the guy had broad discretionary powers to, at least, recommend advancement to a second interview. I also know that he could have recommeded months ago, based on immediate departmental needs, that they hire me for the permanent position, and forestall flying the position in the first place. After all, I'd essentially passed the probationary period. All that would have been required was approval by the Board of Trustees, and they rarely question the recommendations of an upper manager.

Seems to me that some politiking went on. Maybe I did something to piss him off without knowing. Managers can be finicky like that.

A much longer story but the short version is that I once was stuck in a position and tried to transfer with no success. When I finally got frustrated enough to ask why I was told that I was the best one in that dept and they were going to keep me there.

Less than 2 months later they lost a good employee and I had a much better job.