To be completely thrown seeing a job re-advertised literally weeks after they rejected me?

[CompetentChaos]

For context, last month I was told I was the preferred candidate for this exact role, invited for an informal follow-up chat… then heard nothing for two weeks until I chased and only then was told it was a no. And now the role has been re-advertised. Not even a different version of it - same job, same salary, same fixed-term end date.

I’m genuinely baffled. How has it fallen through this quickly? Did the person they offered it to reject them, ghost them or did something go wrong immediately? It just feels so strange to see it pop back up again this soon.

AIBU to be surprised?

What's a ghost job?

I was involved in recruiting someone recently. We offered to one and told the others no. The person we offered to messed us about for a couple of weeks then decided to stay where she was so we re advertised. We considered going back to one of the candidates we had rejected but for a variety of reasons decided against it. That can’t be too unusual a situation?

It sounds like something in that informal chat meant they realIsed they would rather readvertise than hire you.

I have learnt as a manager it's always better to readvertise than just recruit someone because they were the "best I could get" after a particular round of interviews.

They are perfectly entitled not to recruit and go out to look again

Quite. It's a somewhat arrogant response actually, which suggests a possible lack of self awareness

A steep learning curve for you, surely. So they might have decided that no candidate met what they needed. They are hoping by readvertising they will get some more applicants. This is not hard to work out.

Exactly, and it takes a matter of moments to send an email asking HR to readvertise, so of course it goes back up quickly. Nothing odd about that

I find this odd. Why would it be a ghost job, whatever that is, and why would they have no idea what they are looking for. Sounds to me they know exactly what is required to do the job, simply on chatting to the op they realised she didn’t have the skill set, so have went out to look for someone who does, rather than employ her. That’s not remotely unusual nor is it a lucky escape.

she wasn’t suitable for the role. They are still looking. If you’d ever managed people or recruited, you’d know this is not uncommon and it is much better to find someone you feel capable rather than just take someone as they looked good on paper.

Hi Op. Frankly some the comments here are odd and unnecessary unkind. Weird.
Anyway, ignore them, sounds like you’re applying for other things so onwards and upwards.

That's happened to me with an internal role. When they rejected me they said something about a 'high calibre of applicants' - obviously not that high calibre since they've had to advertise it again 😄

I have seen many a time that a hiring manager or panel can change their mind after the first stage, I've had it myself where I was the best thing since sliced bread after round 1 (according to the recruiter) one time even being asked when I would be able to start etc by hiring manager only for it to fall apart at stage 2. A couple of times I was even told it was very close, just pipped at the post etc and then the first choice candidate pulled out but when they were approached (by the recruiter) I wasn't quite right and they are going back to the market.

I think sometimes they just don't know, or change their minds and sometimes they just say the 'best candidate' 'close call' thing to soften the blow after all no one is going to say we didn't find anyone and you were a bit shit so we're going back out there.

Having been a hiring manager myself and forced to take the best of a bad bunch but not quite right candidate for a temp role, it was an absolute ball ache having to explain everything to someone who I was expecting would have a certain level of knowledge and skills and took me away from my actual job quite a lot - that was temporary so I put up with it but if it had been a permanent hire I would have probably failed them in probation, which is a horrible thing to have to do, and even more horrible for the employee, so better to make sure it is right (as far as you can) from the off.

Surely thats just their template rejection letter though 1

It really isn’t that strange. Why would they reach out to you before readvertising when they’d already told you that, reading between the lines, you weren’t experienced enough for the role? It seems most likely they didn’t get any candidates that had the right experience so decided to put the advert out again in the hope of attracting different candidates. It happens all the time.

Maybe they decided that none of the candidates who put themselves forward were suitable, including you? The ‘steep learning curve’ comment suggests that even though you were the preferred candidate, they ultimately decided you don’t have enough experience.
That’s why they put it back out there; to attract a new set of candidates.

It was a Teams call rather than a written rejection, but, yes it probably is standard phrasing.

And then she has completely ignored everyone who has pointed this obviousness out and keeps repeating herself. 🙄

maybe budget got frozen then released if you want it apply again

Well they picked someone else and it didn't work out. It doesn't mean there's anything horrendous about the firm or their recruitment process necessarily.

If you desperately want the job then reapply. If what they said was true surely you're in for a very big chance?

Presumably you've done due diligence about them. The role is legit, good employee reviews, solvent company etc?