Work - manager getting involved.

[Keepthinkingtoday]

I work in recruitment and have done for the last 4 years. I recently started a new job, around 5 months ago and I’ve enjoyed it so far. I have a good “relationship” with my manager and I believe he’s happy with my work. I always try to do my best this is why I’m upset by what’s happened this morning.
I have formed good relationships with hiring managers and as far as I’m aware none of them have any complaints. When I started, there were 30 jobs, and now we’re down to 9 (not gloating, just trying to show that I do my best).

Anyway, there is one manager in particular that I have found difficult to deal with, mainly due to his expectations. He wants someone with particular experience which normally wouldn’t be an issue but most of the candidates have either lived miles away or job hopped. He’s not willing to consider someone with the right work ethic, attitude, personality, longevity in jobs etc. He would prefer someone who has experience even if they have only stayed in jobs for 2 months at a time (fair enough, that's his decision) but this is a minimum wage job and the right candidate with a good attitude could be trained up within 2-3 weeks. It’s just pure laziness on his part that he would rather someone come in, have a days training and then be left to their own devices.

Anyway, I made my manager aware of the difficulty with this site yesterday but that I’d keep sourcing. I logged on this morning to find an email from my manager (he’s visiting this site today) asking me to send “Jason’s” C.V over to said manager. No explanation as to who/where this person was from. Confused, I looked at the applications that had come in over night and there was a candidate with that name. I might have it the wrong way, but it’s just really annoyed me and made feel like I’m not doing my job properly. I’d understand if I had rejected this persons application and then my manager questioned me, but I wasn’t even online when this person applied. I would have sent his cv over btw as he is suitable.

I just would have appreciated the opportunity to do my job first, as he doesn’t normally interfere with my work. I’ve never given him a reason to not trust me so I just feel frustrated and unappreciated tbh. I know he is on site today so I’m sure this manager has said something to him and that’s why this has happened.

AIBU?

@cameldigits it's not the managers recommendation as he doesn't even know he's applied, hence why my manager asked me to send his c.v over.

It's not about having thick skin, it's about feeling undermined and unappreciated when I've worked so hard to try and fill the role.

@MotherOfGodWeeFella we are in house recruiters.

Sounds to me like your manager is trying to help you and to get the awkward hiring manager off your plate. It’s not a criticism of you. Some awkward customers need someone more senior to call the shots.

@Keepthinkingtoday

1. Is Jasons CV 100% matched the site managers hire requirements?

2. Will his CV 100% meet your departments hire requirements?

@AnSolas I don't think you understand what my issue is. I've already said Jason is suitable and I would have shortlisted him myself, given the opportunity.... but I wasn't given the opportunity to do my job. That is what I'm frustrated about.

I think you're reading way too much into this and adding up 2 and 2 and getting 5.

I'd take this (and I've been in this position as your manager) that you asked for help, your manager looked at the system to see what candidates you'd put through before. He'd know you do a good job and what you send on would have been suitable, but he just wanted to confirm that and get a sense of if the manager could have genuine concerns. Whilst he was in the ATS (maybe checking before he travelled to site hence why it was so early) he saw a new candidate that 100% matched the criteria. He then messaged you to highlight the candidate for you to forward on. I'd then say the next steps would be he'd 'accidentally' bump into the site manager today and ask how recruitment was going. Site manager would say 'I can't find anyone' and your manager would be able to say 'oh, that's surprising, Keepthinking told me about a great candidate they sent on to you this morning, why aren't they suitable?'. It then gives your manager a chance to get to the bottom of the issues and manage the site managers expectations.

I see this as your manager being a good manager. They're not going to say all that on email, but I'd have thought it was obvious and not that they're undermining you.

You said he was "suitable" which is different from being a sure hire on the site managers side.

You have no idea why your manager was looking on the system (and in a well run organisation you should not be able to track when your manager accesses the CV system).

You are having a right wobble over the fact that your manager is managing. He asked you to send over the CV where he could have sent it over himself.

As you knew your manager was on a site visit did you provide your manager with a list and summary CV of all the rejectes?
Did you list why the site manager rejected each CV you sent over?

Or were you letting him walking on to the site with no background on why there is still an open position?