To feel really deflated after this “preferred candidate” job process?

[TeaAndTimelines]

So I recently interviewed for a university role that I was genuinely excited about. After the first interview, I was told I was the preferred candidate and invited back a few days later for what they called an “informal chat to clarify a few points.”

That meeting seemed positive - they said they just wanted to check consistency, we discussed my experience in more depth and it ended with them saying they’d get back to me early the following week. Over two weeks later (and after two polite follow-ups from me) I got a formal rejection email saying they’d decided to go with someone with more leadership experience.

I get that these things happen but I feel really disheartened, mostly because they’d implied I was their top choice. AIBU to feel frustrated and a bit misled by the whole thing? Has anyone else had something similar happen in higher-ed or public-sector recruitment?

Hello @TeaAndTimelines was this is Scotland per chance? Sounds very similar to a recent experience I had. I chased them when I saw the job readvertised on LinkedIn!

Not Scotland but sounds like the same sort of process! They do love a long timeline, don’t they?

That's really disappointing and frustrating, I'm sorry.
I assume that someone has applied/recruited internally during the two weeks of no contact (being the reason for the long period of no reponse) and that you were the preferred candidate at the chat prior to that.
Fingers crossed that you find something better soon.

I would say you’re better off out of it if that is how they work.