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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect there to be a job at the end of the interview process?

34 replies

InterviewNoJob · 17/01/2022 19:46

Name change as this is a strange enough scenario to out me.

After an application form, online assessment, interview preparation, in face interview (after negative lateral flow tests) and after I had answered all the interview questions from the professional interview panel.

The answer to my first question regarding the start date for the temporary role, was a response that there wasn't a job available!

They were expecting to backfill a team member who was expecting to do a temporary job themselves and their job had not yet materialist yet. The interview panel are unsure if any job would become vacant soon.

One of the interviewers explained that the successful candidate would be placed on a reserve list. In the event that this job or another job became vacant, they would be contacted.

I was completely surprised! I have never attended an interview that didn't have a job at the end of it! I am wonder why the interviews were not cancelled?

In my case it no longer matter, as I have already had a phone call this afternoon from one of the interviewers confirming that I haven't got the job (that doesn't exist) and I will not be held on the reserve list either. Clearly I did very badly at the interview, hopefully I will improve in time for my next one. When I get one, lol.

So I am just be curious, has anyone else found out at or after an interview that there was no job available?

OP posts:

WhenwillIlearntoadult · 17/01/2022 23:06

Moved towns years ago and went to an employment agency to look for work. Was told to come on at a particular time to discuss what was available. Got there and was interviewed. I had no idea I was going to be interviewed, or what it was I might possibly be being interviewed for! I was told I hadn’t given enough examples for a competency based interview. When I mentioned I had no idea I was having an interview, I was told, ‘You’re always on interview when you come into an agency.’ Weird.
I had another successful interview (years later and not with an agency!) but by the time the process was finished, the funding for the role had been removed, which was a shame.

WakingFromDreams · 17/01/2022 23:14

Yep. I applied for a job. Went for the interview. Got the job. Received a telephone call from the manager to say I had got the job - then received a letter from HR with a start date!
I handed in my notice for the permanent job I'd been at for years.
Went to the new job only to be told THERE WAS NO JOB!
6 other people arrived as they were also told they'd got the job. But there wasn't one.

It was so awful. It took me 3 months to find another job and it was one completely different to what I was qualified for but I needed something to pay the bills until I found something else.
It's absolutely shocking that places do this.

SallyLovesCheese · 18/01/2022 07:33

@EmmaH2022

OP sorry this happened to you

Thanks for posting. I had no idea this was a thing! It's dreadful - people could be taking time off work, losing pay if they're not in jobs with PTO, incurring costs...the mind boggles.

Sally is waiting list like a talent pool?

I don't think so. It was a waiting list for the course. So if someone drops out, the first person on the list gets called and told they get a place.

SallyLovesCheese · 18/01/2022 07:34

@WakingFromDreams

Yep. I applied for a job. Went for the interview. Got the job. Received a telephone call from the manager to say I had got the job - then received a letter from HR with a start date! I handed in my notice for the permanent job I'd been at for years. Went to the new job only to be told THERE WAS NO JOB! 6 other people arrived as they were also told they'd got the job. But there wasn't one.

Did you do anything about it? I suppose not much you can do, but I'd have explored small claims for loss of earnings or something. Sounds dreadful.

onedayoranother · 18/01/2022 10:18

That is pathetic. Fair enough if they want to boost their 'talent pool' but they should be up front about this.
I was interviewed at a firm through a connection - there wasn't a specific job available but I knew that. Fortunately a couple months later they did get in touch and offered me a job. I stayed at the company for five years and it coincided with the start of desk top publishing so I gained so much experience and training.
Informational interviews can be useful as long as both sides acknowledge and are up front about what they are doing.

ComtesseDeSpair · 18/01/2022 10:34

@Brownpigeon - Certainly in our CS department, there is always a job available when we recruit. Where the role is non-specialist or project-based and we’re anticipating similar roles to arise over the next few months, candidates who came who came second, third of fourth at interview will be placed on the reserve list to be contacted again and save us going through the full recruitment process again if possible. So don’t get disheartened, there’s in every likelihood a job behind the interview.

Brownpigeon · 18/01/2022 10:50

[quote ComtesseDeSpair]@Brownpigeon - Certainly in our CS department, there is always a job available when we recruit. Where the role is non-specialist or project-based and we’re anticipating similar roles to arise over the next few months, candidates who came who came second, third of fourth at interview will be placed on the reserve list to be contacted again and save us going through the full recruitment process again if possible. So don’t get disheartened, there’s in every likelihood a job behind the interview.[/quote]
Thanks. It's a job that's completely grabbed my attention so I'm really keen! The deadline for applications was last Friday. I passed the online test so just waiting to see if my written application was adequate!

SpiderinaWingMirror · 18/01/2022 11:26

Internal one. Yes. Absolute dick of a manager did the entire assessment round after finding out that the job was no longer happening. I assume he had nothing better to do than lie to his key staffs faces. I have to say, I never did a stroke more work than needed after that!

WakingFromDreams · 20/01/2022 21:12

@SallyLovesCheese
At the time, I was in such shock. I couldn't believe it. I told them I'd left a permanent job and that they would have to give me some kind of work until I found something else.

They then gave me admin work for 1 day per week for about 6 weeks or so.
I wish I'd made a proper complaint.
You'd never believe though .. I eventually got another job and when I did, I started receiving phone calls and emails from this place asking me why I wasn't in work!!
'You're supposed to be in for 7, why aren't you here?' I said 'are you actually joking?!'

It was an utter disgrace!
I really do wish I'd made a formal complaint. It was within the NHS too.

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