AIBU to have called this employer out

[Justanothernumber1]

Job ad made a big song and dance about welcoming applications from a wide range of different experiences, they want to hire creatively, don't be put off if you don't tick all the right boxes, looking for the right person not the right experience, etc.

So I applied. Let's say it was a visual merchandiser role and I have 20 years experience in prop design.

They just emailed me (6 weeks later....thanks but I had actually moved on already) thanking me for my application, I have an interesting profile "but not quite" enough retail experience. I replied saying that's fine but maybe they should change their job ad as it wasted my time. Now I do regret it!

Tbf I think that's fair enough.

Job ads need to be open and honest about what they want.

They probably said that on the off chance they didn't get any applicants with the experience they actually wanted as a fail safe.

If it's an SME then they might think twice before they post their next advert. Larger companies probably won't care.

Massively UR.

I would breathe a sigh of relief that we hadn't proceeded with your application.

Phrasing the ad that way seeks to widen the applications they receive, but they still reserve the right to shortlist / appoint based on who they deem most suitable.

They've also given you feedback, which is unusual at the application stage.

YANBU, they wasted your time they didn’t want to hire creatively they wanted more relevant experience, absolutely fine but then don’t bullshit on the advert!

To be honest OP, if I received that response from a potential candidate, I would think 'bullet dodged'.

You have no idea who you were up against for the role. Maybe they did pick a left field candidate, it just happens it wasn't you on this occasion.

I would think thank fuck we never hired. But 6 weeks is obviously pathetic waiting times so I think you've dodged a bullet too.

So just say "there were other applicants who were a better fit" which I can totally accept. But don't pretend you're doing some amazingly creative thing where you widen out your pool but in reality won't consider someone from outside your sector.
It's disrespectful to applicants who spend time tailoring their applications and might get their hopes up.

It's not disrespectful to not get the job, you are being insanely sensitive.

It’s more likely that for the right person they would consider out their sector. But you’re not that person so they gave you an excuse.

I think you've let yourself down. This isn't the big win you think it is.

How has she let herself down?

You're taking this way too personally and need to rethink your attitude.

All you're doing by lashing out at them is making it less likely they'll offer candidates specific feedback in the future. You say it would be better if they had said "there were other applicants who were a better fit", but that phrase means absolutely nothing! It's just another way of saying "sorry, you didn't get the job, we gave it to someone else".

I think it’s fine to send polite feedback on the hiring process to the recruitment team (and 6 weeks is very poor on their part) but wording and tone is key so you don’t burn any bridges for future applications. So it depends what you said really.

They might have meant wide range of backgrounds but significant retail experience is key unless you have something particularly unique that makes you standout, and wanted to widen their net by not being too prescriptive. Or maybe they got loads or strong, varied applications and it was that small detail that cinched deciding who to shortlist.

They've advertised in such a way as to get a wide range of applicants but naturally they are going to choose the ones that best meet their needs overall. Inevitably, even if they are hiring 'creatively', they are going to have to find some way of deciding who to shortlist. Nothing they said in their advert suggests that they would disregard previous experience entirely. That would be weird.

It was thoughtful of them to try and provide you with info about the rejection, and I expect they did it in a rather formulaic way, just a minor courtesy. I imagine that your response will seem very bizarre to them.

in reality won't consider someone from outside your sector

You don't know this though.

All you know is that your experience didn't meet their needs. Someone else outside their sector might have had sufficient transferable experience.

Regardless, you replied in a really petulant manner.

But you have no clue whether they did consider from outside their sector or not. You're saying that they can't have as you were not shortlisted.

But don't pretend you're doing some amazingly creative thing where you widen out your pool but in reality won't consider someone from outside your sector.
Unless you know the detailed employment background of the person they've hired then you cannot make this statement.

You're just coming across as bitter, and emails such as the one you sent are a great way to burn bridges.

YANBU - so many job Ads are time wasting shite - and then they have the cheek to moan they get too many applications.

It's neither a big win nor a big loss.

Are you this entitled in other aspects of life? You must be exhausting to be around. Six weeks is pretty poor but someone else was a better fit for the job. That happens, grow up.

I take it you work in hr then

If you are never going to speak to them or approach them again it doesn't matter what you said. They won't take it on board as it just sounds like you wanted the job and don't like rejection. I've had candidates quite rudely refuse second interviews I've invited them to, so I think there can be rudeness/ annoying interaction on both sides. (I don't work in HR btw). Of course they chose whoever they chose and that's their business.
Just forget about it. I wouldn't do that again though. If anything it just wastes more time really which you don't have when searching for a job.