What does this rejection mean?

[GardenElf]

Hello, I received this response from a job I applied for (edited to anonymise) hoping someone might be able to explain

"We have completed shortlisting but we were not able to send out interview invites after we were asked to prioritise and consider a redeployed candidate. We have held an informal interview and we will not be interviewing the rest of the applicants."

Obviously I'm not getting an interview, but I wondered what's happened here? Someone at risk of redundancy being prioritised maybe, but did they need to advertise to external applicants in that case? Thanks in advance

It sounds like at the time of advertising they were not aware there maybe redeployed candidates interested in the role. Hence pointless to proceed and redeployee gets preference. Apply for something else?

Sounds like it. I guess the position was vacant and advertised before the redundancy situation was finalised.

I think they advertised their post and then they were forced encouraged to take someone with the necessary skills who was on the redeployment list.
It's likely that person's job was being made redundant

Thanks everyone. Yes will keep looking, bit gutted about it but that's how it goes sometimes!

It's not civil service is it? A sudden commitment to major job cuts (helpfully briefed to the press before it was communicated to the workforce) has fucked with our recruitment recently, resulting in a lot of recruitment campaigns having to be abandoned at all stages.

I've worked across the public, private and third sectors, and actually never yet personally known a recruitment campaign to invite external applicants whilst not truly giving them a chance.

Probably the person on the redeploy list only expressed an interest after the job was advertised.
it might not work out so if you’re interested keep watching for it to be re-advertised, or ask them to contact you if a similar vacancy comes up (more tactful than saying if the person doesn’t work out).

It's local government not CS, but have heard this from friends in CS, what a mess.
Will definitely keep a watch out hoping in case it doesn't work out and gets readvertised.