Why you should not treat interview rejection badly interview, Because, already, country

JustasS

Because it really might not be you. Here's why: someone is already doing the job.

Case study: I have just hired someone for a senior role. The country that I work in hands out licences for non-local workers. To be able to offer this person the job, I have to prove that there is no one with the right skills locally. As I mentioned it's a reasonably senior role and also someone has just left. Luckily, I can simply transfer the remaining portion of the licence from the leaving person to the new person - there is 1 year left on the licence and the employment laws here allow that.

However, in one year's time we will have to apply for a new licence to work. And to do that, we have to advertise the position locally and show the authorities that we have done this.

Effectively we will have hd the person sitting here doing the job already a year and then we will advertise his job. We will receive a bunch of applications and conduct interviews for a paper exercise. It is likely that the new person who has been doing the job for a year already will have to conduct the interviews with the candidates for his job. Obviously no one will be offered a job.

Crazy right? No. It happens all the time. So don't blame yourself. Often there is a well placed internal candidate that has been given the nod for the job you are going for and the cards are really stacked against you - nothing is easier than an internal transfer. In this particular case though, the position is already filled and the person in the position will be conducting interviews for his position. funny thing is it is not even the company's fault, they have to stay within the guidelines of the country's employment laws. It happens everywhere. Everywhere.

Thought I would just let you know. Perhaps this story will allow you to be a little less stressed out for when the next interview comes. It really might not be you. Chin up.

bigredhockey55

Dude_CFA Wrote:
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> Very good point Steely Dan. I shall make sure to
> ask in any interviews if there are any internal
> applicants. If the answer is in the affirmative,
> i'll pretty much dismiss my chances.


As would I, though not I'm not sure how to ask about internal applicants before interviewing without coming across as overlay aggressive.

This actually happened to me last week. Had a great series of interviews (or so it seems) at a large asset management firm in the city in which I live. Met with the HR person during my interviews where she casually mentioned they were interviewing internal applicants as well. I haven't heard back yet but I guarantee 100% the feedback I'm going to get is "Well, we really liked you but we decided to go with some internally". FML.

PalacioHill

Very good point Steely Dan. I shall make sure to ask in any interviews if there are any internal applicants. If the answer is in the affirmative, i'll pretty much dismiss my chances.

Andreas42

NakedPuts Wrote:
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> We're doing this right now in the US. Advertising
> for a position to show that we did it, but the
> person we're going to hire was pre-determined.
> Hopefully this is legal. Thankfully I don't have
> to interview the people.

I've had this happen to me twice in the past year. I don't think it's ever worth it when you know the interview pool contains internal applicants.

SeanWest

We're doing this right now in the US. Advertising for a position to show that we did it, but the person we're going to hire was pre-determined. Hopefully this is legal. Thankfully I don't have to interview the people.

MarginofSafety

I want to live in London...

liquidity

I was recruited as an expat by my first firm.

They did have to argue with the authorities that they couldn't find anyone on the territory, bla bla.

I don't know if they had to go as far as to give bogus interviews, though.

king_kong

Dude_CFA Wrote:
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> No, applies to the UK.

Oh wow, had no idea.

DarienHacker

I've seen that happen in a variety of (US&other) firms for internal transfers and other special hiring situations. One tip-off is the firm's not using a recruiter for a search they would normally outsource.

bleach

No, applies to the UK.