To expect a call from the boss - turned down

[AndImFeelingBlue]

Last few months boss has been prepping me for a big promotion. Lots of support. Lots of competition (internal and external). But also lots of 'no one could do this job better'.

I don't know why I listened so much as I knew he wasn't on the interview panel. But he's very senior and his opinion well regarded.

I started being an idiot and started thinking the job was mine.

We need the money. I am the earner in the house - I feel this pressure to provide for my kids and my DH (who does work but part time). I wanted to be the 'career one'.

Anyway - the recruitment consultant they'd hired in to oversee the process called me at 8am (OUCH) to say I hadn't got it. When I saw them calling at 8am I thought it would be good news - call before everyone gets in kind of thing. But it wasn't. It's gone to someone external with 15 yrs more experience.

No call from the boss. From the panel. From anyone. Just a hired consultant who said 'tough luck' and now I'm just getting on with my day, doing my job, and just had to go off a meeting early because I started to cry (I hid it).

Problem is they think I'm not ready, so me crying or being annoyed is only gonna make them think I'm immature.

I just have been working on this for weeks/months - I've read everything there is to read, prepared so hard, worked so many evenings, and has this boss in my ear saying how it's basically my job...

And now..nothing.

I had been saying to DH 'Ah the extra money is going to make us all be able to relax a little etc' and I just feel I've let everyone down.

Any words of wisdom. Do I just leave? Or try to? Or am I being spoilt? It was never my job. I just thought someone might call me to talk to me today.

I'd say I'd do the interim role but not be interviewed again for it as seems pointless when you answered the questions last week!
I'd also be looking elsewhere while doing the interim role to see if you can put all your hard work to permanent benefit for you.

I'd go for it and wait until you have it before telling them that you cannot do two jobs so will just be doing the new one for now and will happily hand the old one over to whoever is taking it on. Be firm about this as no-one can do two jobs for long without getting to burnout and they've no right to expect it. It may be that they will split your old job between several others which is fine. Just have good handover notes ready. This is a good opportunity for you to gain the experience and have it on your CV to either apply in the future (or if the new hire doesn't show) or apply elsewhere.
Good luck

I'd still ask to go through your interview with them to see which areas you did not perform so well on. It can help you to improve your answers for the next interview.

^This.

It's odd that they want to re-interview you for a position that's a) temporary; and b) you've already interviewed for.

That said, we've lost a few potential employees lately to counter offers. There are so few employees to fill some jobs at the moment that counter offers are king. The one successful recruit we have taken on was counter offered too and told they would give him £10k more than we were offering, without even knowing what that was. He chose us for the potential for progression, not money.

There is a good chance that there will be a counter offer and the position will become available again.

The non-filling of your current role temporarily is the biggest issue. Do you have a team that your responsibilities could be shared amongst?

No way would I interview all over again just for a four-month interim role! I'd be inclined to go back and say to HR that if I didn't demonstrate during the previous process that I could ably stand in as the interim person, I'm not sure there's much point going through it all again. Plus, you'll be doing two jobs, only for the new person to swan in and take over in Feb. Nah, bugger that, say no and keep looking elsewhere.

It is possible that your boss knows but is leaving time for you to get through your emotions on the outcome.

On the interim role, I'd firstly ask for feedback on your interview. I'd also politely ask if they were able to use your responses for the interim post. It may be possible that your responses didn't allow them to score you highly enough, but either way it's good to know.

If they definitively say you have to interview for the interim position I'd ask for a few days to think about what you want to do.

Is your company known for being needlessly bureaucratic? I think asking you to interview again is a bit of a piss take to be honest but if they're always like this and the culture is to just roll your eyes and get on with it I might do it if I were you. But if you're offered the interim role, also start looking elsewhere while you're doing it - I think I would feel very huffy and resentful to get bumped back down after 4 months of doing a senior role well and it would inevitably come across in my work.

Please stop asking if you're 'spoilt' - that's language for a small child expecting too many sweeties, not a grown adult talking about her career. Can you imagine a man using that sort of language about a potential promotion he'd done a lot of work towards?

Please stop asking if you're 'spoilt' - that's language for a small child expecting too many sweeties, not a grown adult talking about her career. Can you imagine a man using that sort of language about a potential promotion he'd done a lot of work towards?

Agree with this- it's not the right word or the right way to think about yourself. It's not spoilt not to want to be misled about your prospects of promotion nor to think twice before taking on an interim role in addition to your existing role. It might be useful to break down what you actually mean a bit.

Of course you don’t take the booby prize! No way would I do this - they don’t want you for the proper role but they’re happy to have you act up and then presumably do a handover to the new person. Honestly, get some self respect! They’ve treated you appallingly. Go off sick with stress or at least quietly quit and look for something else. Ask yourself why you’re happy to have the dregs. You are worth so much more!

I wouldn't see it that way. I'd see it as a chance to move up to the role elsewhere with solid experience. OP would deserve better pay, and should start applying for similar roles elsewhere at a higher salary once she's done this one for 6 weeks. I know loads of people who moved away from one workplace to get promoted and then moved back at a much more senior role than if they had stayed. It shows ambition.