To ask why do companies advertise jobs externally when they’ve already a candidate internally lined up?

[ThemysteriousH]

I finally leaped outside of my comfort zone and went for a job in a different dept within where I work at a lower band (nhs) but good hours.
Wasn't successful, I asked what could I have done differently? They said “nothing, you’re perfect for the job and would fit in, but we’ve an internal applicant on a temp contract who got the job”.

Just feel a bit deflated and like it was a waste of my time :(

Because nhs has to advertise. Sometime you get better candidates outside even if there is an internal candidate

Because legally they have to advertise the role

Ah I didn’t realise that. I’ve had a few colleagues have promotions without interviews etc.

I had this with the Local Authority recently and I went through

Pre application references
Interview 1
Interview 2 with test
Presentation

Apparently the successful internal candidate had already started the job when they asked for my "pre application references"

14 page application form for nothing and I'm always embarrassed to ask for references when they don't result in a role. It looks badly on me and wasted their time.

Oh bless you that sounds absolutely rigorous :( it is deflating.

It was @ThemysteriousH - she had updated her LinkedIn profile publicly so I knew exactly when she started her new job.

Just wish I saw it before I wasted all that time. Each interview was an hour. The presentation was an hour and the application form in Star method took all evening.

Terrible reviews on Glassdoor and there's a 45% gender pay gap! I checked.

So it looks like fair recruitment. Paper trail if anyone complains.
It is rife in primary schools for SLT positions. Or they tell their friends/people they have worked with/for before to apply and what questions will be asked at interview.

It depends what type of contract you are on. I recently went through this and legally, the permanent post had to be advertised externally. I too had to apply, do a presentation, 2 rounds of interviews etc- just to get a job I've already been doing for 2yrs. Just legal tick boxing!

Obviously, an external candidate may well do better, so the worry about not getting the job was stressful. OP- at least you got interview experience and maybe if another role comes up, they will let you know/remember you.

This happens all the time in the NHS.

The NHS and LA always advertise jobs that have already been given to internal candidates. They just have to go through the motions of advertising and interviews.

Its a waste of everyone's time under the guise of fair recruitment. My friend went for a job as a school admin and the feedback was literally (in writing which is stupid) 'you were the best candidate in interview but the successful candidate has volunteered for several months in the school which we value more highly'- which is against fair recruitment policies. Sounds like a lucky escape though, working flat out for minimum wage vs the job she now has which is term time working pattern for double the money- as can probably guess...not in the public sector.

I can't comment on every sector but I'm in the public sector (education) in Ireland, and when we advertise, it's never just for the sake of it. An internal candidate has to prove themselves just like everyone else, and may not be automatically be chosen.

It's also fair for the internal candidate if they get the job - they've demonstrated that they got it on merit.

It's frustrating but the adage 'it's not what you know, but who you know' is always true.

I got a job not long ago in that way. I approached management saying that I was interested in a particular role. Next time a vacancy arose, I was taken aside and offered it on the spot. I had worked there for quite a number of years so they knew what they were getting.

Was that an internal role? For a new, permanent position?

It's really poor practice if so.

Absolutely expressing interest is fine. But giving someone a job without going through a proper process is not good, regardless of how well suited you are.

Two things occur to me.

I read a recent thread where the opening poster ( non civil servant ) is sure they met the criteria for a civil service job, but didn't even get an interview and couldn't understand why they didn't even get an interview.
, secondly a totally unrelated conversation with a relative today. Relative said that most local authority jobs go to internal candidates, because they understand the requirements of the interviewing panel, which is not quite the same thing as understanding the requirements of the job.

so I think, by and large, that's the reason. An internal candidate has more chance of giving an organisational preferred answer ( e.g. Using certain buzz words that are current in a particular organisation) than an external candidate.

Depends on the industry and role…some places you can spend six months trying to find one ‘good enough’ external candidate so if you’ve got someone internal who might otherwise leave then why on earth wouldn’t you?

There's only a limited pool of internal candidates in LAs and CS though, sure for promotions likely to get a fair amount of internal applicants and it is handy if you know the organisation and the role really well, but similarly they have to follow a transparent recruitment process and the detail of this is all available online. Private sector recruitment is far less transparent but they don't have to advertise jobs externally so perhaps it evens out really.

In much of the public sector a position must be advertised if it's longer than a few months. Often the job is already being done by someone or it's an extension of a job someone is doing but that person must enter the competition and pass an interview. I've been in that position and it's horrible to see your job advertised and worry that someone else will get it. Interviews are scored by competency so if someone much better comes along they should score higher.

I've also seen cases where no one is 'lined up for a job' (ie, strongly encouraged to apply) and because of the open competition process and competency based scoring the job had to go to the person who met the criteria even if no one liked them or thought them very suitable.

@DelurkingAJ

I agree, it's sector & industry-dependent.

But even then, some form of interview process should be held, to evaluate a candidate's suitability. And even then the opportunity should be available at least to other internal candidates to apply. It's very unfair - and poor for morale - to make a direct appointment like that.

Thank you for your responses it’s interesting to see different viewpoints

@EarringsandLipstick in my place at the moment it’s more that anyone with the relevant qualifications could be found a role instantly…we’re surviving on contractors and external resource and wishing for a duplicating machine for employees with the right skill set!

That does sound challenging & I can see why that would affect the hiring process for sure!

Internal recruitment is cheaper but sometimes companies like to compare someone internal to what they could get elsewhere to check they can’t do better. Stay strong and believe in yourself though!

Well that doesn't mean they already had her lined up does it. It means she was the most suitable applicant based on her application and the interview. NHS interviews (and most public sector jobs) are pretty fair.

I've worked for the NHS for 15 years and never seen this. What I have seen is bank staff ideally placed for consideration when a permanent job comes up. 3 times in last few years external candidates have 'beat' internal Bank staff even though the bank staff were great and we'd have gladly employed them. In fairness I've only worked for 3 Trusts