Really p*ss*d off that I am being negatively judged

[Givemeallthegin]

I am out of work at the moment. I was made redundant from my last permanant role about 18 months ago and between then and now I took a couple of contract roles.

I now really want to get back into a permanant role preferably one with good pension contributions as I am not exactly a spring chicken and it would be good to add to my pension.

I found a really good role about 2 months ago. Fits with my skills and experience and its about a 30 minuite commute. Weeks after I applied, I interviewed and they really liked me.

Here is the problem - the last person they hired for the role walked out on them after a few months. She was also a female and had done some contracting roles. The company are really nervous that I will bolt too. The recruiter helping me with interviews has told me this.

I made contact with the person who left via a meetup group for females who work in IT and she explained she left because she could not handle the technical side of the role. I don't think I would have the same problem as the role is very similiar to the role I was made redundant from.

Part of me wants to scream about the whole bloody unfairness of it all. It means that I am at a disadvantage to anyone else applying through no fault of my own. I am not an entitled little chicklet, I don't think I should be handed the role just for turning up for interview, I just want a level playing field.

I am so upset I cannot think straight. I need some advice on how to persuade this company that I will not walk out on them. (Grabbing them by the shirt mid-interview and yelling this in their face is not a viable option)

Just explain at rhe second interview why you wish this to be long term and why you chose contracting in the past and why this is not what you want now or in the future.

I also understand what the poster was saying about you taking it too seriously if you're so " Upset you can't think straight" you're probably going to mess up the second interview. The recruiter has done uou a favour, he's explained to you that you failed to convince them at the first interview that you were in it long term and why you did contracting work before and why that's no longer what you are after.

So explain to them this is where you see your long term future, how you wish to settle down with one company who can offer you s long term future and career path and explain why you chose short term contracts before.

I agree keep looking around though
"I had trouble with the technical side" could mean she didn't have the skills
or
It could mean that they were really unsupportive about getting her logged on to their particular systems, there was no support for trouble shooting, someone in the company had everything set up so it made no sense to anyone else (indispensable syndrome) etc

Also, if she left that quickly because there was something she didn't "Get" instantly, what does that say about their training and support in general?

You're interviewing them too! They are also accountable for their staff turnaround!

If this company is so sexist that they view all women (that's "women" by the way, not "females" or "chicklets") by the actions of one previous employee, you really really don't want to work for them.

This will just be the tip of the iceberg.

Have they appointed someone else by now or is the position still open?

Do you have a second interview?

I was about to say the same as HoldMe - if they think all women are exactly the same, then they're twats. Of course, it could be the contract element that worries them, which is a more reasonable concern - though you wouldn't have applied for the job if you didn't want it. All you can do is try your hardest to come across as keen and competent in the second interview and hope they're not as twattish as they seem.

@HoldMeCloserTonyDanza - I don't think the company have a problem with women, the CTO and other technical leads there are women. The being female was just another point which I was like the lady who left after months in the role. I can see their point of view whilst also being so annoyed about it.

If you hired one green asexual alien being with contracting experience who bolted (left without notice), it would take a lot of emotional intelligence and professionalism not to be a bit worried that the next green asexual alien being with contracting experience who applied for the role would leave too.

Going on the good advice given by posters on this thread. They liked me enough to give me a 2nd interview so it is up to me to go and really convince them that I am not a bolter too. (Might leave the batgirl costume at home though)

They probably just think the salary won't be as much as your contracting rates so you might u turn and want to contract again. Not sure what that has to do with being a woman!

Just explain your situation in your next interview and say that you've had to take a couple of contract roles but contracting is not for you and you much prefer the security of a perm role.

Listen to TinselTwins the training may not have been up to scratch on both sides (technical) and also she may not have been a good fit in other ways. I was told that when I contacted the last person who left my old job via linked in that the reason we both didn't work according to two other people who worked there (one had left) was that we were both too nice!

Remember you are interviewing them too and it's not the end of the world if you don't get this role. Emphasise you really want to leave contracting but explain reasons why you did contracting.

I, myself, will be having to think of reasons (almost know what I'll say) when I have to mention I've been temping but contract in government and returning to private practice!

But with job situations being what they right now so many people contract etc that it can be quite tricky for both employer and employee to work out who is the best fit.

Yeah, you may be fine with the technical elements, but what if you needed a bit of help with another aspect? Most people will try not to leave a job that quickly, it's embarrassing! If people think they are in an environment where they can learn and make up their shortfalls, most people will give it a bit longer

Tinsel exactly! Most people try to give a job a good shot and in my last job it was only because I had a probation review early (unfair as it happened) that I was sort of pressured into resigning (I think my boss thought I'd stayed), however I'd found out the previous person in same position had left job after 5 weeks due to boss swearing and being hysterical in the office - so much so his colleagues had to speak to him to say it was affecting them... Then in his personal mail which I had to open there was a letter from the local psychiatric hospital about his treatment...

I haven't read the full thread but as a recruiter working within a similar industry where both contracting and working on staff is prevailent your story happens week in week out.

It becomes increasingly frustrating as one or two people who are the wrong hire or are panic hires tarnish all similar candidates with the same brush.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do apart from offer a contract to perm solution to show your willing.

I'm in an industry where it's a genuine problem that people who have previously worked in contract roles take on a permanent position and then find that they don't like it. So I can understand where the company is coming from. Surely it's up to you to thoroughly explain your reasons for wanting a permanent role and not another contract role in a convincing way?

I understand. I hate this. I've been in an interview and said categorically i would stay for at least a year, only to be told the interviewer had used their amazing Miss Marple skills to determine i wouldn't. I've been passed over for promotion because it was assumed I'd leave..Er yes I'll leave if you never develop me.. and been told that 'as a graduate you are unlikely to stay' before being in a job for seven years

I've been told that the interviewer determined that you hadn't got any management skills..Even without asking me about management skills and despite running several large projects, and having had specialist leadership training. Her and the recruiting agent.ended up ARGUING with me like they'd unmasked Milady de Winter...So convinced were they of their alternative reality of my personal work history.

The world of recruiting is stuffed full of 'clever' detectives who assume everyone is lying or unreliable etc etc. Or a CV gap because you could afford it secretly means imprisonment or drug trafficking.

It always makes me curious about their honesty...Tbh.

Also i hate this idea that being out of work is 'proof' of your inability to work. In my experience, being in a job permanently is a much more reliable indicator of bloody uselessness..

To be honest i think If they wanted you that badly they would've overlooked the risk it simply asked you back for a chat to be reassured.

I think you need to consider you weren't as close to be offered the job as you have assumed.

I'll be honest and say I often don't interview people who have gone from contract to contract. The reason being I think if they were good they would've been offered permemant roles. To mitigate this I think you need to emphasise in the interview exactly why you were contracting and how dedicated you are now to a permanent role.

Cross posted that you have a second interview. I now have no
Idea what you're getting so
Worked up about