To put the kybosh on colleague

[Myusernameismyusername]

Someone is applying for a job internally and it would mean I would be working closely with this person. I am above them in hierarchy.

I do not think this person is right for the job. I'm not sure yet if I will be on interview panel but it is likely.

There are various reasons for this feeling, inexperience being one but the other more difficult one to pin point is what I would call a bad vibe.

I just don't like or trust this person from what I have seen, I think they always seem to have some motive for doing things and have a big unnecessary gob. I think I have a good instinct for whether someone is a good influence or a bad one and this person seems to edge on bad. But nothing specific in examples, just more of a feeling. I think they want this job mostly for egotistical reasons although I think would not mess the job up necessarily, I think they would push all the boundaries and drive me bonkers. It already happens now, and I find myself being pushed by this person although I am perfectly able to deal with it, it just doesn't feel right.

I probably could influence the interview panel easily, but I don't know if this is morally a wrong thing to do.
I'm not just thinking about me I am thinking about the workplace as a whole.
I will have to give instructions/directions to this person, as I do on some level now, and think it would involve them going off piste or being bloody annoying about it.

AIBU? What's the etiquette

yabu - you shouldn't be able to 'influence' anyone if the interview is conducted fairly

I know I could though. Fair is difficult when you already know someone isn't it?
It might be better for me to not be on the panel at all, but then I would feel I wasn't getting to see the other candidates either

If you are not on the interview panel it's none of your business.

I will likely be but it's not been formally decided between us yet. I do the recruitment side

Should I say I don't want to be on the panel either?
I haven't done any influencing - this is all in my head at the moment

Given how you feel about this person, it would hardly seem fair for you to be on the panel.

On the other hand, is it any more fair for this person to potentially breeze into a new job, full of beans, and then to have to work under a person pre-disposed to dislike them and impute negative motives to their behaviour/actions?

Why the sad face haha.
I treat them very nicely and professionally face to face and have never spoken a word to anyone apart from to you tonight , sadly they do not treat others in the same way. We all have a job to do and it's very hectic and demanding, I don't think they would do well in the fast pace, aren't experienced enough to deal with it and they don't have a professional manner about them. These are my reasons. On a personal level I am sure they are perfectly nice but that's not my concern.

If course it would be morally wrong, and seriously unprofessional. If it was just about ability to do the work you wouldn't even have to ask, it would be obviously fine to be on the interview panel. It is clear from your OP that you do have a personality clash, but when that happens at work you have to suck it up.

We all have a job to do and it's very hectic and demanding, I don't think they would do well in the fast pace, aren't experienced enough to deal with it and they don't have a professional manner about them

Surely those issues will be picked up by the panel at interview?

I think I will back off from the panel. I can't be impartial. I know my manager will want my input though so do I lie?

I would really hope it would - but an internal candidate is always preferable to an external who you have to train from scratch, so that goes in their favour - that they can learn it faster. We will be desperate to fill this job because I will have to take on a lot of the work in the meantime which will be an awful lot on my plate - I want to be confident I hand it over to the right person.

If I am not on the panel then I won't be able to judge this

No, I think it would be fair to highlight your concerns re candidate's lack of experience, professionalism, ability to cope with environment if asked.

But be prepared to give examples to back up concerns.

Tell them you know someone who is interviewing and therefore can't be impartial so are stepping away from the panel. It's pretty common and the right thing to do.

It would look bad later if someone found out you know the person and remembers that you influenced the panel.

Good point about examples. I can't base it all on feelings can I.

The panel will all know the person

I had someone squash my application mid interview once by using a pre arranged signal. It was very obvious.
So I'm a but surprised by the answers you have had as I dont think this is unusual.

If the person is not a good fit for the job, say so. Thats what you will be asked. and a good fit is far more than just 'can they do the job.'

It is internal so presumably you would recommend to your boss that they speak to the persons manager for a reference, and tell your boss your experience of this person. If you are on the panel, ask the questions and dig deeper when answers do not fulfil your needs. Like you would with anyone.

I've been to training about this and have it at the back of my mind that we all look for a good fit but this varies from person to person doesn't it? So what isn't a good fit for me might be a good fit for someone else.

I really am looking for impartial advice here so glad for all responses. I don't want to deny someone a job I just selfishly don't want to work with them. I probably have to put my selfish feelings aside, which I find difficult when they annoy me

You're unsure whether you'd be wrong to influence an interview panel because you think someone has a 'big gob'? Behave like a professional rather than a twat, that should help you decide.

Surprised at the suggestion that being on the panel would be unethical. It would be unethical if you could not back up your "vibe" with examples of unprofessional behaviour, given that you have had time to observe them. But making a judgment on their suitability for the role is part of recruiting.

I have on several occasions been part of a panel where we turned down an otherwise qualified candidate because, frankly, they displayed "red flags" that suggested they'd be an arsehole and disruptive to the team. Sometimes I was the person saying no, sometimes a colleague.

Ok to clarify the 'big gob' Doesn't mean loud, it's unprofessional and pretty much a gossip spreader and all round stirring or situations that don't have anything to do with their role - giant boundary over stepping. And I am not the only person to have noticed this.

When it gets to me I kill it immediately but this doesn't prevent it happening.

They kind of need managing in some respect as to 'these are your boundaries in your role ok?'

Oh come on, how many people have been turned down from jobs because they're the 'wrong fit'? Whether or not they get told that's the reason. Happens every day.

If you have genuine, objective concerns then state them. If it's just a personal dislike, don't say anything.

I'm surprised by the answers to your post. If you are going to be working closely with this person and managing them then your view is important. The opposite would be true if you were already working with them and thought they'd be brilliant in the role - then you'd be keen to get them appointed.

Surely this has some weight in the appointment process? If other candidates were equally good at interview it could be a significant factor and vice versa. Any way to expose their weaknesses with skillfull interview questions that can be fairly applied to all the candidates?

Declaration of interest: appointed a fair few nightmare people where it was entirely predictable but hands tied by the process.

Totally agree with PaulAnka

I don't really understand why your opinion of this person wouldn't count? Why would it be 'manipulation'? I have been on interview panels, also asked for opinions on internal candidates. Surely that is the way selection works - why is your opinion less valid that anyone else potentially involved?

It would be best if you can provide specific examples of challenging behaviour, rather than just saying you have 'bad vibes' (I think, if you consider it carefully, there will be reasons why you feel that way).

Unless there is some reason why you feel your input is invalid (if you are being honest with yourself and us, there should be no reason that is the case) then have the confidence of your convictions and give your honest feedback. This will influence the decision, as will other people's opinions. Surely that is just normal?

Recently this person asked me for something they wanted for work that they didn't have any other rationale for wanting it, apart from I had one and they thought they should. It is something silly and irrelevant. And I gave the rationale for why I have one, and they said they will just tell some fibs to get one anyway. I said no, X is expensive and you don't need it. I just though of an example. So it's this vibe that drives me mad