Didn’t get job

[tiredsotired6]

I’ve been working as a temp for one company for over a year. They’ve been very happy with my work, giving me a lot of good feedback. A few people (including the manager) have said they would really like me to be on permanent staff as I do a great job.

Anyway, a few months ago a perm role came up, which was essentially my role to the letter. Having had the good feedback I decided to apply as felt I had a very good chance.

As I’m sure you’ve already guessed, I didn’t get the job. I’m now feeling like my confidence has been shot and my manager was just leading me on.

The new person has now started and seems fine but no better than me at the job. Worse still, I’ve been asked to help them out if they have any questions about how to do the job that I’ve been doing for over a year.

The result is that a job I used to look forward to every day has now left me feeling deflated and upset. I now dread work and generally just feel my confidence has been shattered.

AIBU and WWYD?

This happened to me early on in my career. I was constantly complimented on my work, I was happy with the job, but I didn't get considered for the permanent role. Feedback? The top manager said he didn't want to take me on permanently because I had a degree and he thought I'd leave for something better any minute now. I'd been in the role 10 months at this point.
It was 2009. The recession. The jobs just weren't out there (and anyway I was happy with this one), so I'm not sure where he thought I'd go.
I had to spend my last 6 weeks training up someone who was completely unable to grasp the basic concepts of the job and didn't seem willing to learn it, and who no one in the building could stand.
It feels really shitty when this sort of thing happens and I hope there's something better out there for you soon.

"Her interview scores were too low" - suggests a flaw in the recruitment system.

You just cannot know why they didnt select you so id.try not to ruminate too much.

You will always be an "uninformed minority" as there will be information and deciding factors you just arent privy to.

Very disappointing for you. When I used to temp many year’s ago now if they liked you they just gave you the job permanently, no interview needed. Things seems so much more difficult now.

Screw them. You’ve done a really good job, had good feedback, and a role that they could have walked you into went to an unknown. Don’t bother yourself with anymore of their pointless drivel or in pursuit of patronising bullxxxt disguised as constructive feedback. They had their chance to keep you and for whatever reason didn’t take it. Unless it suits you to stay, start looking for somewhere that will appreciate you.

I know it’s hard not to take this personally, anyone normal would - be angry, grieve the loss of opportunity but move on. Don’t waste your time somewhere you’re clearly not valued.

As well as feedback on the interview, did you ask if another full time role would be available and if so when?
(Rhetorically) Are there material salary differences/ pension etc with the full time role? And when is your temp contract up for renewal - what happens next?
Given you are competent enough to train the new joiner, might you trust you’d be the preferred candidate for the next perm role (and can they offer that without another interview process?)

Depending on the answers, I think this is likely a wake up call for you to brush up the cv and expect to move on..

Gosh I was a bit wasn’t I? Sorry. My head just feels all over the place. After temping for so long I just wanted some more stability for my family. Feel I’ve let them down.

Given you are competent enough to train the new joiner, might you trust you’d be the preferred candidate for the next perm role

I don’t think I can trust in that, no, given my experience this time round. Plus roles rarely come up unfortunately.

I've rejected internal candidates at interview. I never treat them as a box ticking exercise so whoever is the closest match to the criteria I've set out gets the job. I only go by what I'm told at the interview so past or current performance is irrelevant. It may not seem fair but when I'm recruiting for a permanent contract I get a much better pool of candidates than a temp one so they go out for open recruitment and they are judged as fairly as I can. It takes a lot of time and effort to apply for a job so no one is ever a shoe in. I like to do an unseen test too as it's too easy to blag your way through questions. I'm sorry it's painful but it's not personal. I would try to be sensitive though and not ask you to train them up.

eta: where a lot of internal candidates go wrong is assuming the job is theirs already and assuming I will take account of prior knowledge in their interview. They don't sell themselves and their experience so I can't score it. I try to ask follow ups so they can fill in the gaps but they often don't take the hint. If it's any consolation I've done the same. I made a real effort to support the new recruit and it was fine. I had a new, better job elsewhere within 6 months. It all worked out well

@tiredsotired6 YANBU to feel upset, it’s very disappointing.

However, YABU about the interview process, and you don’t show a good understanding of the process.

@YetanotherNC25 has given excellent guidance here.

I have had experiences where a temporary staff member has been encouraged to apply for a role, but has not been the best candidate on the day. It’s not about ‘box ticking’, it’s about a candidate demonstrating in the interview why they are the best fit for the role. It cannot be assumed from past experience in the role - you have to show it.

But it seems really unfair that they didn’t speak to you afterwards and offer structured feedback and a pathway forward. I would have a clear honest conversation with your manager, ask to see scores (they are required to give you this detail, not just an individual piece of feedback - and the way you presented this, as something to be resolved, doesn’t sound correct either), and decide then how you feel, and if you want to look for a new role.

In the meantime, try to focus on the fact that you did enjoy the role before and can again, even if you ultimately decide to leave.

I was in a similar position a few months back. The interview process was against strict criteria so it didn’t feel as personal. But I did ask for feedback and also guidance on how to do better next time.
I did spend sometime training my replacement but also knew that it would take her a long time to learn everything and get to my level (even though I left her notes).
But I was also able recently to use the whole episode to show “resilience and acting of feedback” in an application for another role.

It does seem odd. There is something which makes new person better than you. It appears they're not going to tell you what it is (it could be more than one thing)

If the companys interview process isn't structured , then it's unlikely to be the way you interviewed.

But something new person said or did at interview made them employ her over you

It's really upsetting for you.

I would start applying for new jobs. And stop doing unpaid overtime

It’s a horrible feeling.

Most places these days that go to interview for selection will score the interviews (and applications sometimes) and offer primarily based on those scores. Which ends up meaning that your year in the role doesn’t necessarily count for as much as you think it should. It sometimes gets you the interview, but the outcome relies on the interview. Recruitment scoring criteria tend to look at the long term suitability, not the first 6 months - so it’s common for someone who’s been there a while to be asked to help a new start. Even when the person who’s been there is more junior.

You feel like you’ve been led on. And you might have been. Or, the hiring process didn’t work out for you. They’re two quite different things.

I was once on the receiving end of a conversation that went along the lines of ‘you didn’t get the role, because you didn’t meet the safety critical aspects of the interview’. At the time I was doing the job as cover for someone else. Literally, sat in the seat on the site. The phone call wrapped up with ‘can you please do another 3 months of cover, and you’re doing really well’. I got an appraisal score higher than the incumbent. It was made clear we were scored against each other.

I’d missed the point on two of the interview questions, ane that was what counted. Not the previous time doing the job. Bonkers.

How horrid of them.

Look at this as a fantastic opportunity to get out and find something better! Harness that anger and use it to benefit yourself! Have you job searched recently, or thought about further study, or a move somewhere else?

Stop feeling deflated OP. Get back in
the saddle positively. If they don’t want you someone else will .

You haven’t let your family down at all. You’ve been let down by your employer. Definitely update your CV and find somewhere that values you.

My place does this sometimes.

It's simply because we need both temp and permanent staff.

Our recruitment process is very rigid so it is actually easier to get permanent staff in comparison to reliable temp staff.

There is also a budget thing that means if we employ the temp staff we will loose this position for a short while until the position is approved and person replaced.

Just out of interest are you on contract that gets renewed ever so often?

This tells me you don't recruit or don't recruit fairly, some people are just really awful at interviews. They don't give examples, waffle, don't answer the question you've asked them even when prompted. I've had some excellent potential candidates for promotion who just go to pieces in interview, and some of them don't even realise how badly they perform, you give feedback, interview coaching etc even tell them the examples they could've used and then the next interview is the same. How can I appoint them when other candidates score so much better? If you're going to do that don't bother to have an interview process at all.

I’d missed the point on two of the interview questions, ane that was what counted. Not the previous time doing the job. Bonkers.

Agree it’s completely bonkers!

It does seem odd. There is something which makes new person better than you. It appears they're not going to tell you what it is (it could be more than one thing)

Yes. I just can’t fathom what, as like I say I’ve had really positive feedback.

Happened to my DS. He quit on the spot. Said he couldn't face having to effectively train someone for a job they didn't think him good enough to get.

I've had some excellent potential candidates for promotion who just go to pieces in interview

But surely if they’re very good candidates and you know that, why does a half-hour interview matter? (Assuming you don’t have a rigid hiring system like the civil service for example).

Is it not true that some people are very good at interviews and selling themselves, but may not be as good at the actual job. And vice versa.

How did the interview go? I’m a hiring manager and I have to recruit off an interview matrix where I have to give the role to the candidate who scores the highest. I hate it as this has often meant that I’ve not recruited who I feel would be the best person for the role or the best fit for the team. Did you ask for feedback on why you weren’t successful?

This happened to me . I had been temporarily promoted for 2 years but didn’t get the permanent post . The department decided they wanted “new blood” . I also had to help train the new person . I was very disappointed. After months of training she decided she didn’t like the job and wanted an office nearer her home . She got a transfer and guess who got the job !

Maybe it’s just down to personality. OP maybe very efficient etc but they want a good team dynamic , a good fit personality wise . It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with OP just that this employer wants something different.

We're their qualifications highers. Or conversely was the job offered with less pay and conditions. It seems mad to me as you have proved yourself. Is your manager have the last word on recruitment? Maybe someone else thought differently. I would look elsewhere or return to temping for a while.you can never tell with interviews .maybe they just came over better or had something new to offer.just put it down to experience and move on.next time treat new job interviews as if you were completely new.read up on company. Ask questions even if you feel you know the answer .just play them at their own game.often it comes down to more than one person's decision. Don't take it personally!