To be clear, it’s not even a permanent job.
I'm currently in a graduate program where we complete four rotations before applying for a permanent role. We're now in the third rotation, which is typically when people aim to secure their preferred team.
For this rotation, I was placed in Team A, a highly competitive spot with only one opening. Another person in my program also wanted this spot and had been working hard to secure it, including taking on extra work and ingratiating themselves with the team. I wanted Team A but not as much as the other person, it seems.
Since getting the position, I've received several snide remarks suggesting that it's unfair I was chosen over the other person. While they can still rotate into Team A during the final rotation, it means they'll miss out on one of their other top choices as HR gave them a low choice for this rotation.
HR place you in a team based on your individual preferences, whether you had a top choice in previous rotations, and in discussion with team managers who receive individual’s CVs.