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Original poster

Interview- up against the person doing the job!

58 replies

boymummy19 · 03/07/2023 22:29

As my title suggests, I have been shortlisted for an interview this week; I have managed to find out there are 6 people including myself being interviewed and one of them is currently in post and has been for 12 months on a temp contract.

So my question is- how do I make myself stand out and preform better than the person already doing the job?!

Thanks

OP posts:
ScoobyG · 03/07/2023 22:40

I would have thought the fact that there is someone already doing the job on a temp contract, that they chosen not to turn perm but have instead advertised externally, says enough.

SausageinaBun · 03/07/2023 22:41

This happens all the time in teaching.

LaffTaff · 03/07/2023 23:24

ScoobyG · 03/07/2023 22:40

I would have thought the fact that there is someone already doing the job on a temp contract, that they chosen not to turn perm but have instead advertised externally, says enough.

If a temp post is to be made permanent, it has to be advertised. It's an incredibly common occurence in the NHS (it's a faff, and a huge waste of everyone's time).

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Jobs
HollyFern1110 · 03/07/2023 23:33

Happens all the time in the NHS. Generally the person in post gets the job but not absolutely always.

HeddaGarbled · 03/07/2023 23:42

If the person in post has been doing a good job, and if there’s no internal politics working against him/her, they will get the job and you are just there as a box-ticking exercise.

If either of those conditions is not the case, you are in with a chance.

You can only treat this like any other interview and do your best.

tectonicplates · 03/07/2023 23:44

HeddaGarbled · 03/07/2023 23:42

If the person in post has been doing a good job, and if there’s no internal politics working against him/her, they will get the job and you are just there as a box-ticking exercise.

If either of those conditions is not the case, you are in with a chance.

You can only treat this like any other interview and do your best.

Personally I think that should be made illegal.

Original poster
boymummy19 · 03/07/2023 23:45

Thanks-
I'm in two minds about it.
If I was the manager and the current post holder was doing a good job I would advertise internally rather than externally which is the case here.
Gut feeling is they will get it though.

I have lots of relevant experience- likely more than the post holder so will make sure to get that across.

OP posts:
Original poster
boymummy19 · 03/07/2023 23:46

It is an NHS job too btw

OP posts:
Original poster
boymummy19 · 03/07/2023 23:47

I also think if it was a dead cert, why interview for the full day...you'd do one either side of the preferred candidate, not 6 interviews at a fairly senior level....that might just be me though 🤦🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
boymummy19 · 04/07/2023 08:57

Hopeful bump

OP posts:
Summersizzle · 04/07/2023 09:00

I’m in the NHS and when I’ve had to advertise a role but it had a good person in it already I’ve deliberately not shortlisted anyone else. It’s unfair to waste other people’s time preparing for an interview. If I invited 6 people for interview it would be because I was genuinely seeking the best person and in all likelihood the incumbent was only shortlisted out of courtesy.

LaffTaff · 04/07/2023 09:04

True - if the person in post is likely, why not just advertise internally? That said, sometimes HR make an arse of the ads, and they go external in error!

In our locality, roles at senior level (bands 7/8/9) often get barely ANY applicants, so having 6 meeting criteria for short list is a rarity. Most applicants for senior roles in our locality these days are from overseas, visa often pending, and habitually scant detail on their applications!

In your case, all considered, I'd say it sounds as though it's NOT a done deal for the person in post. So fingers crossed for you 🤞 Good luck!

NowYouSee · 04/07/2023 09:06

It’s the NHS so they must have their own rules.

If this was in a corporate then reasons might be

  • HR has insisted it is advertised externally because policy
  • temp holder is not really good enough but they’ve allowed them to interview rather than having the tough conversation
  • the temp holder is fine for interim but not what they really need longer term so would prefer to find someone else if they can
  • the temp holder is good enough to appoint but they (or someone internally) wonder if they could do better
TheYearOfSmallThings · 04/07/2023 09:09

True - if the person in post is likely, why not just advertise internally? That said, sometimes HR make an arse of the ads, and they go external in error!

It's not error in our case, jobs must be advertised externally (public sector). But these days we often have an agency or interim filling the post, and if they apply they are likely to get it, all other things being equal, because there is less risk to us.

It does suck, and I jave been on the other side of it before. I'm glad they explained (and offered me a different post) because I could totally understand and didn't feel bad about not being successful. However it was a wasted day of A/L and a lot of stress, and I didn't want the job they did offer.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 04/07/2023 09:11

boymummy19 · 03/07/2023 23:46

It is an NHS job too btw

Afaik if it’s an nhs job they always advertise it externally as well.

saying that I was once doing an nhs job on a temp basis. It was advertised externally. I didn’t get it. My feedback was that I was doing well, I’d interviewed well and was very appointable but the other person had ten years experience of doing the job compared to my six months. So yes, if you can sell yourself well you might get it.

MissChanandlerB0NG · 04/07/2023 09:11

LaffTaff · 03/07/2023 23:24

If a temp post is to be made permanent, it has to be advertised. It's an incredibly common occurence in the NHS (it's a faff, and a huge waste of everyone's time).

Show quote history

This also happens at the bank I work at. I don't understand it but there you go 🤷🏻‍♀️

IncomingTraffic · 04/07/2023 09:16

The person in the job doesn’t always get the post. It happens for civil service posts all the time. Someone has been in post on TDA and doesn’t get it when they advertise the permanent role. Someone I know in this position didn’t get it and they appointed no one to the role. So he’s still doing the job they decided not to give him permanently.

LaffTaff · 04/07/2023 09:17

TheYearOfSmallThings · 04/07/2023 09:09

True - if the person in post is likely, why not just advertise internally? That said, sometimes HR make an arse of the ads, and they go external in error!

It's not error in our case, jobs must be advertised externally (public sector). But these days we often have an agency or interim filling the post, and if they apply they are likely to get it, all other things being equal, because there is less risk to us.

It does suck, and I jave been on the other side of it before. I'm glad they explained (and offered me a different post) because I could totally understand and didn't feel bad about not being successful. However it was a wasted day of A/L and a lot of stress, and I didn't want the job they did offer.

There's no obligation, certainly in our locality, to advertise externally.

It can be worth going to interview even if there IS a strong candidate in post. The recruiting manager can offer you a reserved place, meaning that (should a similar role arise in the near future) you can be offered that job without another interview.

Amby1 · 04/07/2023 09:18

ScoobyG · 03/07/2023 22:40

I would have thought the fact that there is someone already doing the job on a temp contract, that they chosen not to turn perm but have instead advertised externally, says enough.

Not necessarily, in many public sector roles the job must be advertised, sometimes internally other times externally. It's a terrible waste of everyone's time (the applicants, the interviewers, HR etc), but it must be done in the name of 'fairness'. I've had to interview for my own job before and thankfully got the role, but also been in the position where I've applied for a post and found out that the person who got the job already 'had experience of working in the team and therefore understood the requirements of the job better'.

Mooselaurels · 04/07/2023 09:21

I know of two instances where someone was successfully doing a role on a temporary basis, with no issues about their performance. They both applied when the roles were advertised, neither of them got the jobs.

One was pipped by somebody who looked good on paper and interviewed well, but in real life has turned out to be a bit of a wet lettuce.

The other, he was judged not to have done well enough (by their own admission they're crap at interviews) and the post was left gapped. Management still asked him to keep doing the role on a temporary basis though...

tectonicplates · 04/07/2023 09:22

IncomingTraffic · 04/07/2023 09:16

The person in the job doesn’t always get the post. It happens for civil service posts all the time. Someone has been in post on TDA and doesn’t get it when they advertise the permanent role. Someone I know in this position didn’t get it and they appointed no one to the role. So he’s still doing the job they decided not to give him permanently.

Blimey. If I was that temp, I’d probably walk out on the spot after receiving that news.

menope · 04/07/2023 09:24

In the civil service I've seen the person in the post not get the job more than I have seen them get it (I don't like it though, if someone is doing a role well I don't think it's right to put it out to recruitment, waste of time and money and with the CS recruitment process not sure it's testing them in the right way, but that's the public sector for one, one rule for us and all that).

Chocolateship · 04/07/2023 09:25

It's right that all jobs are advertised externally given its public money, but if they were set on the person currently doing the job and weren't doing this just to tick the boxes I highly doubt they'd bother with the monotony and additional work of interviewing 6 people! Plenty of people complain that someone else got the job despite them technically be already doing it, I'd say just focus on doing the best you can and don't let it distract you.

Chocolateship · 04/07/2023 09:25

Were doing it*

Littlegreenfence · 04/07/2023 09:27

I was the person "doing the job" once. I didn't get the permanent position when advertised.

Internal job vacancies and interviews are the worst. They're humiliating. Especially when not successful.

Thankfully I left with 1 weeks notice (as was a temp) and the successful candidate was on 3 months notice so no overlap! But there was nobody doing the role for 3 whole months.