Getting the job when someone else didn't

[jellyapple]

This a strange problem.

I recently got a new job and I start in a few months.

Also competing for the same job was an internal candidate who trained in this place of work and then was on a years fixed term contract.

Obviously I got the job, and he didn't.

I have been into my new workplace today to sort out some HR stuff and my new manager said that the internal candidate is devastated and the staff are angry at the manager for not keeping him on.

All of this is understandable and the hand over will be done very sensitively

But I am still a bit worried that staff will resent me or compare me or not speak to me.

It seems like a friendly place and in a very tough job market I just did my best and was obviously very lucky.

Feel it has put a bit of a downer on my lovely new job.

Any words of wisdom of what to say/not to say or do in this situation.

I guess my advice would be not to get drawn in. It's not your fault, and you shouldn't have to put up with any backlash around this.

This happened to me - one member of staff continued to resent me the whole year I worked there, but everybody else was absolutely fine. You are not to blame and if you do a decent job no reasonable person would give you a hard time.

I am thinking fresh start type thing then - not talking about the interview at all, just talking about what I am doing from here on now and listening to colleagues closely and taking their advice.

It is hard because I do not know this workplace (although it is doing the same job I do now) and so I will need lots of support initially in terms of policy and procedure type stuff and I am worried they will tut and think he wouldn't have needed this help.

I am probably over thinking it - it is a lovely lovely place and everyone seemed so lovely on interview day, but maybe that is because they expected him to get the job!

My job is a permanent job as well so I am hoping that will go in my favour because I am there for the long term iykwim!

Ack.

Your strategy sounds fine. If they like you, life is likely to be easier - listening to them and taking advice will go down well - in fact, the kinds of thing anyone should do when starting a new job. Also, as Hairy said, just don't get drawn into it all.