Shortlisting issues?

[Ashley2021]

A job was advertised internally without a person specification. I asked for the person specification and I received one after having had the interview. I didn’t get the job but a junior staff from my team got it. Looking at the person specification all shortlisted candidates did not meet at least 1 essential criterion. What is more, this junior person that I am still managing got the job and I can think about at least 3 more essential criteria that they didn’t meet. How is it possible? Shortlisting was done by my line manager, not HR. Would HR do anything about it? Readvertise the job? Thank you

It’s “possible” because for whatever reason your line manager and/or whoever was involved in interviewing wanted this person for the role.

Have you asked your manager for feedback?

I know they did. This person told me he had been promised the job. I saw them prepping the person for the interview, raised it with my manager and been told that they have decided to develop their skills. However, it doesn’t make this process fair. They could have amended the person specification to suit the other candidate rather than shortlisting them even though they didn’t meet the essential criteria. It only reiterated what the other person had told me. It is unfair that candidates with high performance, experience, skills etc were taken for granted and basically for a ride.

I was told that they haven’t been appointed politically and the candidate was the best person on the day. They might have been as last year they got the interview questions to get the job. Who says they didn’t get the questions again? I trust the person who didn’t meet the essential criteria and they wouldn’t lie about being promised the job. I will get more feedback on Thursday as my manager is “super busy”.

The person who got the role obviously had other skills or potential that was more important to the hiring manager than whatever was written on a piece of paper. I think the more productive thing to do would be to ask for feedback about why you were unsuccessful. Pointing out that the successful candidate doesn’t meet the person spec isn’t going to do anything, I’m sure the manager knows that and doesn’t care.

You could issue a grievance. What would you like the outcome to be, for you and the successful candidate?

It's a tricky one. Maybe the person who got the job has some experience/ education that they want to develop further?

It is very common when recruiting internally for the appointing line manager to already know who they intend to give the role to. Often an internal recruitment process is to make sure they’re happy with that person, to find out whether any other potential candidates they weren’t aware of might be interested, and to tick a box of an internal procedure.

I would give careful consideration to what you’d like to happen. They are not going to take the job away from their preferred candidate and give it to you. That’s not going to happen.

Your best bet is to focus on what you need to improve on to be appointed the next time you go for an internal role.

The exception would be if you feel there is a discriminatory reason for this.

Well, essential criteria are the first step to shortlist candidates. What’s the point in having them if we’re going to ignore their existence and have a mockery of the interview process? People who don’t meet the essential criteria should be considered. When one applies for external positions, do they get shortlisted if they didn’t meet the minimum requirements for job? I doubt it.

A less experienced staff member has been chosen over a high performing manager whose results are at least 20% better than the about to be appointed person. How can someone that is on an supportive development plan be deemed to provide inspirational leadership and oversee the quality of processes when they cannot manage their own quality of processes? My issue is not as much with the fact that the job has been promised to this person but with the level of unfairness and the cheekiness of the entire process. Ok, you want someone that can learn. Fair enough. Adjust the person specification to at least look like the process is fair.

I meant pp that don’t meet the essential criteria shouldn’t be shortlisted.

You may well be right that they shouldn't have been promoted.

But I cannot in any way imagine it ending favourably for you if you point that out. Rightly or wrongly you will be seen as a pain in the arse, and pains in the arse do not get promoted.

What do you want to achieve OP?

You’re right the process is a bit of a mockery. But where the manager recruiting has already decided who they want, that was always going to be the case.

When one applies for external positions, do they get shortlisted if they didn’t meet the minimum requirements for job? I doubt it.

I think this happens all the time actually. The trouble is the person spec/job description is just a piece of paper and doesn’t always reflect what is needed in reality. Yes, in an ideal world the person spec would always be 100% accurate and up to date, but busy managers prioritise doing other things over this type of bureaucracy (rightly so in my opinion).
You’re very focused on the accuracy of the person spec and the process but I think you’re missing the fundamental question about why you weren’t successful. Ask for feedback and see what you can learn from it rather than wasting your time complaining about the process.

The op wasn't 'successful' because they had already decided who they wanted for the job before the interview! It happens a lot in the NHS, it's corrupt, unfortunately frequently the most qualified and appropriate candidate doesn't get the job but someone the interviewer wants to have the role for whatever reason. Sometimes it's to get rid of someone that is no good at the job they have, moved on so they are someone else's problem! Other times because they have friends in the 'right' places. Very frustrating for the candidate that really deserves the role and would be good at it!

Sorry OP I think we’re all trying to tell you, you’re on a hiding to nothing. It certainly sounds unfair but if the organisation tolerates such corrupt practices, there will be no good outcome to submitting a grievance.

Keep looking for another job.

You can’t ‘undo’ this in any way that looks good on you.
Many internal recruitment processes are a tick box exercise to make it look like everyone had equal opportunity to get the vacant role.
Everyone knows from the outset who will be successful. It’s rubbish and unfair.