Interviewing my old manager ?

[halloweenn]

Backstory:
One of the managers in my office (but not my direct line manager) was very hot and cold with me. I respected her, but she would be very difficult at times. I have literally seen her swear and be discriminatory to do that - lots of complaints. She sort of did her best to exclude me from development opportunities, kicked me out of group chats, would always be in my manager’s ear about petty things about me. Other times she was nice.

The promotion:
I applied for and was successful in a promotion 2 steps above my previous role. I started this job in summer. Eg 2 grade jump in NHS or civil service. So I am now more senior than my old management. Also this manager in question was on temporary promotion, and is now back in her substantive job which was the job I left!

The situation:
This manager applied for a job and I am supposed to be chairing the interview panel. I feel this is unfair because I don’t feel comfortable. I think my presence will throw her off as it’s a proper full circle moment. AIBU? As my manager said it’s unavoidable to interview someone you used to work with and said I can just be professional.

You're taking too much responsibility here - if she feels uncomfortable that's on her, you've done nothing wrong. Your manager is right - stop worrying about her reaction to you, and assess her application / interview on its own merit.

If she does feel uncomfortable maybe she'll learn the lesson that you should be nice to everyone at whatever step on the career ladder!

It may well throw her off but it will be because she knows she behaved unprofessionally as a manager and not because you were her subordinate.
If she cannot deal with your presence in the interview then I would say she is not ready for the promotion.
If you cannot deal with this then perhaps you weren't ready for the promotion?

Just be professional and get on with it. She’s the one who will be feeling awkward. Frankly op, enjoy the karma (but don’t show it)!

This

If she’s going for a promotion she should be professional enough for the interview.

I was about to say similar… enjoy the karma!

My daughter’s school bully came to the place I work for an interview. I unprofessionally ( maybe?), didn’t let on I knew her but I made damn sure the bitch did not get the job!

Surely though you will be able to feedback your knowledge that she behaved in a discriminatory way and there were complaints made about her. I think you have to stand down and let others interview her because surely from your prior knowledge alone you would be unable to hire her.

from my perspective I can’t see how I can be unbiased: if she says she was always respectful I know that’s a lie for example. Equally when she was nice, she was really nice so what’s stopping me from scoring her really highly? I wouldn’t but the risk is surely there enough for it to be a conflict of interest

You have the power here! She’s not your boss now. She used to be the bully and now karma is about to bite her on the arse. Ask the questions, listen to her answers, and then bundle her off.

And this happens in jobs all the time - most sectors/towns/businesses know the score. You need to be quite assertive with your panel. Focus on your chairing role and make sure you have it nailed.

Honestly, stop over thinking. Just score her on the interview she does. If she doesn't score well, problem solved. If she does score well, chst to the other interviewer about your shared past and whether you think you can manage her well.

How was she with her previous manager?

That’s the thing - cause I am so new to the new role, I haven’t chaired an interview panel before. I haven’t even been on an interview panel before. She’ll be like my 7th day stint of it though so I’ll have some experience by then

I'm perhaps going to be a lone voice here, but I don't think it's appropriate for you to be on the panel in this case. You are interviewing presumably several people, and you know one of them well (whether that is good well or bad well doesn't matter). You cannot be impartial on the panel so it's not a fair recruitment process.

Oh god, I'd enjoy the hell out of this!

Isn’t civil service supposed to be fair and open recruitment though? She will say this is unfair

See I’m thinking what if she doesn’t get the job and puts in a complaint against me! Or if she gets the job and someone says it’s cause of me

And that is why interview panels consist of more than one person. You should make sure that all of the scores are recorded fairly and any discrepancies are discussed. But unless you dramatically differ in score from the other person on the panel and overrule them, there shouldn’t be any legitimate complaint. Just keep all of the notes from everyone in the interview.

I think the old adage applies here: "Be careful who you stamp on on the way up; you will meet them again on the way down".

Unfair to interview when you know the candidate. But I’d make my feelings known, I wouldn’t want to recruit her

I wouldn't sit on the interview panel personally. Presuming she doesn't get the job, it could open the organisation to a complaint from her. I wouldn't want to put myself or the organisation in that position.

Well you will already have the scoring from her application re her qualifications. If there is a task included you will have information from that. Now she has to demonstrate that she fulfills the rest of the competencies required, which should be listed and your role is to ensure the interview/s are conducted fairly with regard to the questions.

You've stepped up, so step up. This is your role now and getting an internal promotion comes with this territory.

I haven’t seen her written application.

To be frank me being pulled in to this recruitment has been a shambles, it’s not for my team but for the wider department. It’s taking me away from my day to day duties. It’s supposed to be optional but when I refused I’ve been told to get on with it. It’s super fragmented too, I’ve just been told
I’m doing it with no further details or notice

This sounds like one of those public sector things that I just will never be able to understand or relate to.

In my line of work in the private sector, it would not be normal to interview someone who had previously worked with. As soon as the connection was spotted, it would typically be asked whether or not you thought they would be a good fit, and if you didn't veto them, someone else would do the interview.

It's not about knocking someone off, it's about making sure they are appropriately screened. I mean, if you interview one of your mates (and often you like ex-colleagues rather than hate them) you might be easier on them when it comes to the harder questions and technical competencies.

I'm sorry, I have no useful advice, OP. But I can confirm that you're right to feel weird about it. I would too in your shoes.

@twostraws you’re supposed to declare any conflict of interest here too!