Time For A Change

[Kenickie]

Good luck for tomorrow!

[Skips]

Thank you!
So, I had the interview and I think it went well, but I think they are after someone more qualified (although they did say they would train the right person). I should find out tomorrow if I've made the shortlist and if so there would be another interview next week. I'm not holding my breath though.

[Rosa]

Everything crossed that you make it to the shortlist, Skips.

[Skips]

I didn't make it through to the next round. They said they had a lot of people who have full AAT training and accounts experience. They could have got that by comparing CVs and I hate they made me feel like I had a chance.

[Ella]

I’m so sorry they wasted your time like that. What absolute fuckers.

[Princess Morripov]

I'm sorry. That's so frustrating.

[Rosa]

That's so unfair. I'm sorry.

[Skips]

And C who is meant to be doing a phased return hasn't been in the office since Monday. And the law is on her side (rightly so) but all I can see is a permanent role being further and further in the distance.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I’m sorry Skips.

I just got a rejection from the job I applied for. Since it’s the second one now for that role I think I’m clearly not what they’re looking for. I didn’t want it as badly this time so at least I’m not devastated.

[Jupiter]

I'm sorry, Skips. That is very shitty of them.

[Edith Bacon]

I’m sorry Skips and Pip. That was very crappy of them, Skips.

[Ella]

I’m sorry, Pip.

[Skips]

Sorry, pip.

[Kenickie]

I'm sorry, that's rubbish for both of you.

I hate going to interviews and being rejected for a reason that was clear beforehand on paper - it's such a waste of everyone's time.

[olive]

I’m sorry, Pip.

I’m sorry you didn’t go through, Skips. What an absolute waste of your time and effort.

[Beena]

I've had another interview and another rejection. The feedback was almost word for word identical to last time - very interested to meet me, felt I would be a good fit for their organisation, strongly encouraged to apply for future vacancies. I think the first time round, I wanted to believe them, but they're just words, aren't they? Designed to make the bearer feel less shitty about the news they are delivering.

Last time I was told the successful candidate was more familiar with the peculiarities of the organisation's interview process and scoring system. This time the candidate had 'organisation-specific' examples, rather than my sector-specific ones - so internal candidates. Better examples/answers or more relevant experience I could have coped with, but instead I've been told I need to register with their temp agency if I want to get my foot in the door.

I feel absolutely deflated. There was a horrible moment mid-interview where I realised they already had someone in mind. I wish I'd questioned it now.

[Heebie Jeebie]

Sympathies Beena, I always hate that punch in the guts feeling of an interview rejection. When you do find something you'll look back and it won't matter, but at the time it's awful. I hate when there's clearly someone earmarked for a role already too, it's such a waste of everyone's time and emotional energy.

[Beena]

Thanks Heebie.

I don't know if I'm that bothered about missing out on the job itself, but I am starting to panic about our finances and my age and whether I'm actually unemployable. The move is looming and I'm getting really nervous about giving up my job.

To be fair, my responses were pretty crap. The whole thing just threw me. It was a 30 min interview, the questions by-passed whole chunks of the person spec and were either multi- sectioned scenarios or just oddly worded. I spent ages detangling what they were asking and double checking I'd covered all the parts. And then, to be told "we really liked you, but we gave the job to somebody who gave examples of actually working elsewhere in the organisation - come temp with us and you can do the same".

[Pippedydeadeye]

I feel so mean saying this, but from a recruiting manager’s point of view, could you do any different? Yes, it’s shit when there’s an internal candidate they have in mind, but there has to be an interview and there is always the chance an outsider could blow you away so you have to go through the process. It’s fucking awful ringing people and saying they’ve not got the job. I’ve had to do it a lot, because I don’t think it’s fair to leave it up to HR.

I am very sorry for you though, in case that’s not clear.

[Beena]

It's the feedback that's grating with me, Pip - not the Internal (and tbh I'm not going to lose sleep over how shitty it was to deliver the news; it's business, not personal for both sides).

If you applied for a comparable job at another Trust, given all your years of experience in the NHS, would you rather be told that someone performed better on the day, had more relevant experience, etc. - or that successful candidate's examples related to the appointing trust and had you considered picking up a few weeks doing basic clerical there?

I do get that it's uncomfortable to deliver bad news, but it was her job and there were 100 ways it could have been handled differently. I'm going to spit my dummy out today and tomorrow I'll draw a line under it and carry on.