AIBU to think internally vacancies should be advertised

[Rainysummersday]

I’m currently having lots of problems at work, and they all stem back to being treated unfairly by my employer (in my view anyway).

One example is boss has previously promoted two people without allowing everyone to apply. Is this standard or bad practice? In other work places jobs have always been advertised so people can express their interest.

I asked my boss about this and he said those two people asked for the jobs. But I know for a fact he told them not to say anything for months before it was ‘official’. One promotion was announced to us all by email, the other was only through Chinese whispers.

Is this common or do most places advertise to all?

I think it really depends on the position and the place of work. I have experienced both.

Promotion is earned though in.my field rather than a new vacancy so it would not be advertised.

With internal vacancies it almost very likely does not matter. The boss would have made up their mind by the time you even hear of it.

Where I’ve worked (big public companies) it’s a requirement to advertise them. However, it’s often a total fix and a candidate has usually been approached and interviewed before the vacancy is posted.

I would rather they give them internally without the bullshit of advertising them externally and people waste time applying when they have no chance of getting them as the boss already decided who was getting it and going through the motions of appearing to be impartial. (Can you tell I have been stung this way?)

As soon as I hear of an internal candidate at interviews I do an internal sigh.

I work for a large company, people can be promoted to a more senior version of the same role without it being a vacancy. But if it’s promotion to a new role then generally it is advertised internally (although frequently someone already on secondment doing that role gets it, it’s not guaranteed and several times there’s been an unexpected result)

One example is boss has previously promoted two people without allowing everyone to apply. Is this standard or bad practice? In other work places jobs have always been advertised so people can express their interest.

It used to be the case where I work (public sector) that people would get parachuted into roles without them having been advertised internally or externally but so many people complained about it that all jobs are advertised now. Even if it’s just a temporary secondment opportunity it will be advertised internally for expressions of interest.

Our company. Advertises internal jobs internally. So everyone in the company gets a chance to reply

Apply not reply

All new vacancies are advertised, promotions are not - they are usually earned, so are designed for that person in particular.

Where I work the only way to get promoted is to apply for a job at a higher grade. Even if your own post was upgraded it would be advertised and you would have to apply.

It is good practice to advertise - but given that it doesn't always happen I don't think that it can be a legal requirement.

I have seen proper vacancies (caused by someone leaving and a role needed to be filled) that went to preferred candidates without there being any kind of meaningful open applications. I think that either the jobs weren't advertised or were advertised but for such a short window that it would have been almost impossible for someone who had not been tipped off to have applied. It didn't bother me, but it did bother a lot of other people. It bothered them a lot more so than when everyone had an opportunity to apply and interview and it still went to the favourite anyway. I think it was just laziness really - they couldn't be bothered to interview every eligible candidate.

Anyway back to you - if all they had to do was ask nicely for a new job why don't you do the same and see where it gets you?

All of ours are advertised but then we are a heavily unionised FTSE100 company so not a shock.

What were the reasons for you not being offered these roles do you think?

All the jobs that have gone out in our department in the last 18 months at least have been internal applications.
A new job was created several weeks ago and only people on a certain grade in a small group of our teams could apply. It eas all done and dusted in just iver a week!!