Interview: why would this happen?

[StarshineSunshine]

I'm an agency worker and teach im various schools.
On Monday at 5pm I had a call from agency saying that, despite interviewing people all day who had applied for the job, the school rang the agency and wanted to fit me in for a last minute interview on Tuesday at half 3 for a teaching post on zoom. I would be hired directly by the school though.

I had never heard or worked in the school before but thought why not!
I prepared answers and I thought the zoom interview went well.

They rang me today to say I was unsuccessful.
The thing is, I never even applied for the job like the other people they would have interviewed on Monday, so why did they bother ringing the agency? I don't get it.

I thought I stood a good chance as the school purposely fit a last minute interview in for me?

Are you certain that the agency didn’t put you forward for the job?

@SoWhyNot I have no idea but I remember seeing the job advertised on the county website a couple of weeks ago but I never applied as I didn't have the time to fill out the application so I thought it was random that it was advertised as a proper job advert and then the agency is ringing about interviews?

I would guess the school rang the dance and said something like 'do you have any likely candidates for x role, we have an interview slot to fill'.

They have to have got your details from somewhere. Agencies get paid to fill permanent roles so I would expect them to have put you forward. Ask and ask for feedback as well.

Agency not dance - bloody autocorrect!

Oh okay, when I had the call, I originally thought it was because the people they interviewed on the actual interview day didn't fit the bill so they went to the agency,
So I could have just been used to fill a slot? Feel like I wasted time!

Probably looks good for the agency as keeps their numbers up.

Chances are the agency “specced” you out, probably anonymously.

This was a genuine job though as it was on the county website a few weeks ago under the school jobs section

Like it be that you have a reasonably common name. Someone got two people mixed up? Eg. Anne smith and Angela smith?

Could not like. (I’m blaming my bad day).

@VodselForDinner what does 'spec' mean?
It was the agency who rang me to say go to the interview just for a zoom chat

@Bargebill19 no idea! I had never even heard off the school before so unless the agency were just ringing some of their workers who 'fit the bill',
I thought I was the only one being interviewed agency-wise but maybe there was more

I just don't understand why the school would interview people who genuinly applied and then the next day ring an agency for someone to interview and then say I was unsuccessful?

[quote StarshineSunshine]@VodselForDinner what does 'spec' mean?
It was the agency who rang me to say go to the interview just for a zoom chat[/quote]
The school had a vacancy.

The agency are either supplying them with other candidates and were asked to provide someone else at short notice, or they weren’t actively working with the school in that role but contacted then to say “hi, we have a teacher on our books who had X experience in Y, let us know if you’re interested in seeing her”.

I just don't understand why the school would interview people who genuinly applied and then the next day ring an agency for someone to interview and then say I was unsuccessful?

They could have contacted the agency, arranged to interview you and (as an example) three other agency candidates, and gone with one of them.

@VodselForDinner yes perhaps, I think I was just taken aback as I thought the job was basically mine as the agency put me forward so when I heard 'unsuccessful' my heart just sank

I think it’s likely the agency fielded a number of candidates and rhe school went with one of those. Sorry op.

I’m sorry you didn’t get it @StarshineSunshine. I have often found agencies to behave oddly.

@Bluntness100 Probably the case. I think I was more confused on the school's behaf though. Like why put an actual job advert out on the council website for anyone to apply, interview them on Monday and then just interview agency staff who didn't even apply on the Tuesday? Seems a weird recruitment process!

@Bargebill19 thank you! Yes I did find it odd how I was randomly selected to be interviewed for this school.
The school wouldn't even know who I am as I had never been there before so they wouldnt just request me

I would say that none of the original candidates were suitable, so they widened the field hoping to get someone through an agency. Unfortunately it seems that you weren’t quite what they needed either. In my school we will only appoint if we’re totally happy and will often readvertise posts until we get someone

I think you are being a little naive about the agency. Recruitment is a cut throat business and they will have wanted to field as many candidates as possible to interview stage to increase the probability that one their candidates would be selected.

They get paid only if they place a candidate, with their fee typically being 10-20% of the annual salary for the role.

@ChequerBoard but what would be the school's logic? Why interview people who applied through the council website and then go on to interview agency staff?

I should add as well that we appoint in the day in schools. So they clearly didn’t appoint on the Monday

@mnahmnah you're probably right! Maybe nobody interviewed was good enough