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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be shocked I didn’t get the job

71 replies

Storm88 · 30/04/2018 22:13

I know, it’s life, but in this case I am so frustrated!

I applied for a job and was asked to go for an interview. Took the afternoon off work and met the owner. We got on well, and she was impressed with my experience. She also said she liked the fact I lived close to the office. She said she would let me know in about 3 days if I’ve got the job, after interviewing everyone.

In 3 days I got an email from her assistant asking me to complete a task. I was a bit annoyed as I bought I would have an answer by that point, but I did the task anyway. It involved writing three 400 word pieces, which I thought was quite excessive for the position.

I send the tasks within 2 days, and was told I would have an answer by the following week. A week passed and nothing, so I called to ask if there was any update to my application. I was told the owner was on holiday, but can I come and meet everyone tomorrow? I said yes, thinking if they’re asking me to come and meet the team I must be close to a job offer.

I went to meet everyone and it was a small team of four people. I got on with them and we chatted for about an hour, but I got a strange vibe off one of the women. She was close in age to me, unlike others who were a few decades older, and she came across really fake and kept rolling her eyes and making face at things I said.

I was then told I would here within a few days. A week passed and finally, I got an email. It said I had been unsuccessful.

I have had many job rejections in the past, but this felt different. I know they want to recruit the right person, but I felt they really dragged me along by saying I would hear by x date and then changing their minds. Maybe I am BU but It’s been a real waste of time

OP posts:

TheIsland · 30/04/2018 22:14

That all sounds odd. Have they given uou feedbaxk as to why you didn’t get it?

Original poster

Storm88 · 30/04/2018 22:14

SOrry for all the typos

OP posts:

Original poster

Storm88 · 30/04/2018 22:15

No I didn’t get feedback. I sent an email asking, but didn’t receive a reply. I feel it’s quite rude considering how much time and effort I put into the tasks etc. I know they owe me nothing but it’s just manners!

OP posts:

ferntwist · 30/04/2018 22:17

They definitely owe you feedback after so many interview stages.

greendale17 · 30/04/2018 22:18

They completely led you on. I would be furious

biscuitmillionaire · 30/04/2018 22:19

Were the 400 word pieces something that they could use in their business? If so, perhaps they've ripped you off.

HollowTalk · 30/04/2018 22:20

Are they using the articles you wrote?

Original poster

Storm88 · 30/04/2018 22:20

Potentially yes @biscuitmillionaire. I didn’t think of that

OP posts:

ArchchancellorsHat · 30/04/2018 22:22

They don't owe you the jo but they do owe you feedback after all that.

If it helps, I had a similar experience with a company who kept moving the goalposts but did give me the job. Turned out the owner hadn't a clue what he was doing and couldn't commit to anything, so I was trying to design apps with no signed off specification, meaning it couldn't be tested, he kept adding weird stuff to my job that I was specifically told I wouldn't be doing and was a general, all around ballache. I lasted 3 months. Unless you're desperate, you might have dodged a bullet.

e1y1 · 30/04/2018 22:26

This definitely is a case of the fake, eye roller having something to do with this.

Successful Integration of a new staff member in to teams (particularly small ones) is what keeps recruiters/managers up at night. The thought of it going wrong makes their blood run cold, as it can disrupt the entire team/dynamic/morale and ultimately can cause a whole host of problems.

You are definitely owed and deserve detailed feedback. Whether or not you get it...

TheBigFatMermaid · 30/04/2018 22:26

I think the one the similar age took a dislike to you and in a small place of work, that would make things awkward for everyone. It was on her say so they did not employ you and they do not want to admit to something so petty!

However, from what ArchchancellorsHat has to say, you have had a lucky escape!

AnyFucker · 30/04/2018 22:29

I wonder if eye roller's mate/sister/cousin/etc got the job ?

AnnieOH1 · 30/04/2018 22:31

I'm willing to bet that the fake eye roller has sabotaged you here. It's either that she thinks she should have the job, or potentially that she has taken some sort of dislike to you either with or without cause. Do you work in a smaller community where perhaps now the staff have met you they've asked around and someone's stuck the boot in?

I definitely would try and speak with the boss directly in some way, even if it means you call and don't declare who you are on the phone until you speak to them.

Even if the boss does change their mind though, would you really want to work with someone like that? I've had a similar situation myself where a someone in house felt they should've had the role I was employed for, and she tried to make my life hell for a short while.

I do wonder if you could send a speculative email or even invoice for the tasks you did? You could argue that you did it on the basis that you thought you had the job and were doing them a favour (I realise you weren't but they've been underhand, why shouldn't you be?)

missmapp · 30/04/2018 22:33

My dh had a few interviews that went like yours. All going swimmingly , through three stages, then invited to meet the team and it all went quiet. The eye roller clearly has influence. I think the 'task' sounds odd though, agree with pp , you may have been used to add to their business. You should definitely push for feedback.

Passingwords · 30/04/2018 22:38

Whatever the reason you do not need to working with an openly hostile person, life is way too,short. Ring them and ask at what time you can reattend to collect your work and tell them in writing that is is yours and you do not consent to its use, hopefully it won't end up being passed off as their work.

BlueSkyBurningBright · 30/04/2018 22:44

It sounds to me as if there were two candidates, you and another, who they could not decide between.

That is why they introduced more stages. Then the reason for the delay was waiting to see if the other candidate accepted.

Often interviewers really like the first person they see, then they see someone with a better fit and offer them. The first candidate is completely confused as they read the signals that the job was theirs.

Eesha · 30/04/2018 22:46

Yes, eye roller probably caused this. I recommended someone for a role and the line manager loved him. Went to third stage, met the guy he would be replacing and said he got a similar vibe to what you experienced. He didn’t get the role, no real explanation. Lucky escape I think for you. You would have had to deal with rubbish tension most likely.

GnotherGnu · 30/04/2018 22:48

I remember interviewing someone who came over extremely well on interview and would have got the job if that had been the only selection method. However, we had also set some written exercises and they really worried us because her grammar was very poor and it was a job that involved a lot of writing and drafting. HR advised us that we should really give her another chance in case it was a one-off, so we called her in again and gave her another written exercise. If anything that was worse and she didn't get the job.

I'm not of course saying anything like that could operate in your case, OP, but maybe there was something that bothered them about your application or interview and they felt they had to call you back to check up?

MyOtherProfile · 30/04/2018 22:49

You had a narrow escape there OP. Imagine if you had got the job and they carried on treating you badly.

TheBigFatMermaid · 30/04/2018 22:55

However, we had also set some written exercises and they really worried us because her grammar was very poor and it was a job that involved a lot of writing and drafting.

Unless someone else wrote the OP for her, this was not the case here.

TheOneWith · 30/04/2018 23:00

I’d be keeping an eye on their website or advertising to see if your 3 x 400 word pieces appear on there.

I’d be hugely pissed off and would pester them for feedback.

AjasLipstick · 30/04/2018 23:13

I've been working as a freelance writer for ten years now and my rule is never to provide free samples.

People DO try it on occasionally. If they can't judge my work from my portfolio or from links provided, then they're taking the piss.

Make sure those pieces aren't used.

helloflamingogo · 30/04/2018 23:18

Yup, they’re at it. I’d follow up with a phone call for feedback. That’s really not on.

helloflamingogo · 30/04/2018 23:19

Also, it’s unlikely as they’re so small, but you can check glass door to see if any one has had a similar experience.

Winebottle · 30/04/2018 23:20

I agree with BlueSkyBurningBright.

I don't think they were trying to get your work for free. Seems like it would be a lot easier to just write the 400 words themselves rather than organising multiple rounds of interviews.

I had an experience like this before. The interviewer was overly positive about everything I said saying things like "I really think your xxx experience sets you apart from the other candidates". I told people I would get the job then the next day the rejection email came.

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