dream job that wasn't a dream job

[ScotlandUnited]

I was made redundant in December 2020. Got a couple of interviews and was offered a temporary job which I accepted. Its until November 2021. Currently WFH. Its a very easy job but its a job.
At the same time, I also got interviewed for my dream job. Its a job that doesn't come up very often and which I had been looking for ages.
I have the highest qualification in that field, 18 years experience, it was advertised as permanent, working from home, either full or part time. It was also with a client group that I specialised in.
I went through a 3 stage process and got to the final interview. I was told I was one of 5 people being interviewed. I asked if the role was indeed permanent as the job advert said they had gotten funding for the role and we all know funding can run out. They said it definitely was permanent - it was a social enterprise.
Anyway, they contacted me after the final interview to say they liked all interviewees but didn't have enough funding to take us all on. They hoped to get more funding in May and would be in touch then.
I was disappointed but I let it go and hoped they would get more funding.
I've since found out that all the other 4 interviewees were given jobs. They are all part time (I said I'd prefer full time so maybe that's a reason). I also discovered that two of these recruited don't have any qualifications or experience in the field at all. They have related experience, however there is a specific qualification that requires 3 years postgraduate study.
There is a lot of debate and anger in the profession about people calling themselves our job when they are not qualified to do our job. Kind of like a TA saying they are a teacher. So that made me uneasy.
But still I hoped to be offered the position.
May has come and they got more funding, yay, so I got in touch to ask if the role was still available.
They responded saying demand hasn't been as high as they expected so they are trying to market it more but unfortunately due to low demand they cannot take me on.
AIBU to feel hurt and pissed off? To wonder if they are just messing me about or if they are genuinely not doing that well? To also wonder if I have had a lucky escape as they clearly do not understand or value my profession?
I thought it was my dream job but clearly not.
And I'm worried about whether I will find anything permanent when this current contract ends or indeed anything I would enjoy.
Just feeling quite down and wanted a moan more than anything.

[SaskiaRembrandt]

The fact that they've taken on unqualified and inexperienced people suggests that they are paying them less than they would pay you. I think you've had a lucky escape!

[SimonedeBeauvoirscat]

Yanbu to be pissed off that it was a waste of time but tbh I think you’ve had a lucky escape. They’ve chosen less well qualified people to work part time on what may not be permanent contracts - it’s not what you were looking for. I’d doubt whether they are a good employer to work for.

I know it’s insecure having a fixed term contract but November is a while off yet. Hang in there and keep looking!

[mynameiscalypso]

Is it something like counselling / therapy? That was what I thought when I read your post and, to be honest, I'd be very wary of any organisation that chooses less qualified people without the right qualifications.

[rabbitwoman]

Job searching is an utter chore. Always hated it. Always hated the excuses that were trotted out that were clearly just to fob you off - in reality, maybe they just didn't want to employ you for whatever reason. Maybe the interviewing manager was intimidated by your experience and qualifications - maybe they thought you would take over?

Maybe they just did not like your energy.

Maybe what they told you is true.

But you will probably never find out..... They will certainly never be honest. So, time to move on, I guess.

Good luck x

[MichelleScarn]

@mynameiscalypso

Is it something like counselling / therapy? That was what I thought when I read your post and, to be honest, I'd be very wary of any organisation that chooses less qualified people without the right qualifications.

Thought similar, have seen some jobs pop up recently with regards to working with young people and trauma, and its a salary of about 12k...

[MichelleScarn]

Says in a counselling role, but unclear if they mean it as an accredited qualified counsellor, or more as an American-esque 'buddy camp counsellor'.

[Branleuse]

They sound a bit of a mess. I think you dodged a bullet

[mynameiscalypso]

@MichelleScarn That kind of thing makes me so angry.

[SionnachGlic]

Can you ask for feedback in relation to the interview/recruitment process? Was the advertisement /recruitment behavioural competency & experience based or was the postgradiate qualification listed as a must have /preferred. It seems quite odd if the qualification is needed to do the job & how that has been overlooked in favour of someone who does not.. I guess it is cheaper to hire the lesser qualified persons....which is a problem in my profession...lesser qualifieds can bring the job so far in the initial process but not all the way. It is a against our professional body ethical code to hire lesser qualified to do qualified's work ....but we all know it's done as a cost saving measure with a qualified then finishing off the job (but the lines can conveniently get blurred too!)...it's more people turning the wheel faster at reduced cost. Employers like that. Especially greedy ones. But standards are compromised. No disrespect to lesser qualifieds persons....but there is a big difference between an undergrad in an urelated field plus a year postgrad diploma to 4 yrs undergrad & 3 years professional postgrad in the same area. They are known as 'yellow-packs' & are widely recruited to do fully qualified's job. It doesn't matter (to employers/clients) until someone (a client usually) complains & the sh!t hits the fan. How is it you now know the others don't have the qualification? I guess you are in a bind as in, would love to get a proper explanation if qualification is a must have but at the same time,if the profession is a very small world, you need to avoid being labelled 'difficult'...which means barely doing anything except maybe asking an uncomfortable question. Check the precise wording of the advertisement, get onto HR or recruiter & as for interview feedback in the various competencies/requirements....if they say you were fantastic, wonderful blah blah...then ask the uncomfortable question like 'I was surprised to learn that unqualified's were offered roles given the job as advertised required X qualification' (if it is the case). If they give some excuse as being unsure of quite the level of employee required, then they wasted your time in the belief they were only recruiting at your level. Usually HRs are well versed in wriggling out of awkward scenarios. & covering the employer's arse. .I wouldn't give up on your dream job...there will be others down the line. You got to the last 5...well done you. I understand your disappointment but don't give up if it is really what you want. But I would find out a bit more about the selection & interview process for the role you just missed out on.

[ScotlandUnited]

It is counselling related role, yes! and the pay varies so much!

I did ask for feedback and it was "we liked everyone and we'd like to give you a role if we get more funding" then they said they couldn't use the funding to take me on after all due to lack of interest in the service.

I'm pretty sure they said to the funding providers that's what the money would be used on, so that's definitely dodgy.

[incenseandpeppermints]

Imagine being a client of this shoddy service. Lack of duty of care to clients is a big red flag, they sound so unethical. Would you really want to be associated with a fly by night outfit like this? You really have dodged a bullet. But the interview process, and seeing how things really work as opposed to how they should work, was practice for the next jobs you apply for.

[daisychain01]

then they said they couldn't use the funding to take me on after all due to lack of interest in the service.

Bullet well and truly dodged.

You're right that it wasn't the dream job you first thought it would be.

[flowery]

It’s time to let it go. They didn’t want to employ you the first time round, could be for any number of reasons, some of which could be the things mentioned elsewhere in the thread, and then when they did get more funding, despite saying they would be in touch, they weren’t- you had to contact them.

I don’t think they are “messing you about” because they never offered you anything in the first place. Sounds like they were trying to let you down easy the first time, which perhaps was a mistake.

[OccaChocca]

Let it go. You've had a lucky escape. Something better will be along shortly.

[GillBiggeloesHair]

I went for an interview last week for a job I really wanted. There were a few jobs advertised but I only met the criteria for one.

Half way through they start asking me about one of the others.

Turns out they might not have funding for the job I applied for and was I interested in this other job. I could do the other job with training but the salary was in no way commensurate with the responsibilities.

FFS what a waste of my time....and they were 45 minutes late calling me in.

[ScotlandUnited]

I do feel a bit down though. Even though I have a job until November, I worry I won't find anything else suitable.
I really want to WFH as I'm disabled but feel I may be forced into an office because of nothing else suitable.
The problem is that its so hard to get in-work adjustments, law or no law.
Just need to keep buggering on.

[OccaChocca]

Keep your chin up, Op. Something else will come along and you'll be glad this one didn't work out.

Seriously, these things have a habit of being for the best.

[ScotlandUnited]

Another job has come up which is ideal in every way but one - it is home based but there is uk wide travel expected. As a disabled person that's difficult. And I can't drive!

I contacted them to say I was really interested and could it be done remote?They said they'd consider a job share instead of full time if I could find someone to job share with but I can't! They said they'd try to help with travel costs but it's 11hrs on public transport from here to their office.

They do seem really keen on me - they said my CV is a perfect match but the closing date was only today so I might not get shortlisted.

I don't know whether to just accept the travel needs and struggle with how to do it as I will soon need a permanent job, or if I keep looking?

[flowery]

Surely an office that distance away wouldn’t be any or much quicker to get to in the car anyway, and wouldn’t be somewhere you’d be expected to go often? 11 hours on public transport must be a very long way?

[ScotlandUnited]

Hi @flowery yeah its one part of the country to another. I have no idea how much travel is required, the advert said UK wide travel but didn't specify, hence why I contacted them to say I'm very interested in the role, could it be done remotely and if not, how much travel is required? I might be okay with travel if it was every few months but not more often, and if they helped with (accessible) travel and accommodation. It is absolutely a job I can do from home though and almost identical to my current job (which I do from home albeit FTC when this one is permanent). They sounded really keen on me though and said I absolutely should still supply and they'd 'make it work' for me which may include job share so I did the online stuff. So guess I'd have to wait and see if that would be a salary I could be okay with! One other thing though, is that their policies (available to view on their website) says no second job. If they offered it to me part time, job share, would I not be able to do a second job on the other days (again something remote?) Could they stop me? Its a charity.

[ScotlandUnited]

*apply not supply!