I applied for my old job back

[Dell873]

I left the job 10 months ago for a job more relevant to my degree.

I miss my old work colleagues, and one messaged me saying my old job was back up and asked if I wanted to come back, so I applied.

They just rang me and said there's loads of positives but they're worried I'll leave in 18 months when I'm bored again.

The manager is said she'll next speak to the director about it on Friday when she next sees him, asked if I applied elsewhere and that they're interviewing others and will let me know.

I don't know what to think. Is it good or bad?

What happens when your colleagues eventually leave? Will you leave too because you miss them? Do you miss anything about the job itself?

In my new job they don't trust or listen to me, whereas at my old place they did.

No. You can't go back to a role you left. You can return to a previous employer in a new role but not go back to a previous role.

If I were your employer I'd let you know you wouldn't be considered - you had valid reasons for leaving, and these will be the same if you return.

If you are not enjoying your current role, find a new job.

I wouldn’t rehire you if I were in their position. Did you just apply through their standard process? I wouldn’t have applied at all, but if I were going to, I would have picked up the phone first.

Why wouldn't you?

I wouldn't hire you again. Their concern is valid.

You upped and left because you got bored. And now you're bored again so want to go back. Why would they waste time?

In my new job they don't trust or listen to me, whereas at my old place they did.

Even if you did go back they wouldn't necessarily trust you now.

What have you done to make yourself heard at the job you left for?

I disagree with the others, I think it’s fine to leave a job as long as it’s on good terms, doesn’t leave them in the lurch and to explore other options! Sometimes you need to try other things even if it’s just to work out that it isn’t for you. You have applied, they obviously have some interest in you otherwise they wouldn’t have called. You were free to leave, free to reapply and they are free to decide whether the hire you again or not! Good luck.

It's a ball ache when someone leaves op!
Your colleagues have to reassess the role, possibly write a new JD, get that agreed, advertise the role (this can cost £1000's!), then they have to spend hours shortening and interviewing.

Nope. I wouldn't take you back.

Shortlisting!

This. Recruiting is a pain in the arse - time consuming and expensive. You've cost them a lot of time and money already and I would be very concerned you'd do it again next time you were bored.

I did spend 8 years at the old place, so it's not as if I was only there for a short while

What reason did you give when you left? If you said that you were bored then I can understand why they wouldn't want to take you back. If it was more that you wanted to try something different (which subsequently hasn't worked out) then it's a a bit different.

Because you left for a reason and it is likely that this reason will crop up again. I don’t know that I would admire somebody that wanted to go backwards either to be honest.

They obviously know you was unhappy there in the first place so now your even more unhappy with your new job they will see this as you trying to use them as a stepping stone. You can't promise them longevity and commitment

I think this depends on your employer. I work for a large employer within a particular sector and many people have left and then come back. In my sector this is normal. Noone holds grudges about having to recruit.

I spent 4 weeks last year waiting to hear if my old employer from nearly a decade ago would take me back - it was a no. Guess they felt I should have moved on in position. It was weird after the interview they made me do a written exercise (customer replies) when as they said themselves you’ve done this before!.

22nd November 2013 v’s 22nd November 2022 HR asked interesting interview questions let’s say so be I’d be glad they are asking them in advance.

Suppose one good outcome was my old employer then signed up for the services of my current company.

One of the strange things about my current work is that it's quite common for people to leave and then come back.
Sometimes it's very soon because the new job didn't match their expectations.
Others left because their particular role became untenable (providing out of hours cover with too few people) and came back when a different role came up

Some of the replies here are a bit on the aggressive side. It isn’t a personal slight on anyone to leave a job! I know a few people who have done this: after a few weeks it’s as if they never left!

My friend left her job and then went back after a few months. She got her old job back and is still happily working there a few years on.

Several people have left and then returned to the place I work at.

It's like a romantic relationship. You want to go back because it's comforting and comfortable but ultimately the reasons you left will still be there. If you were happy, you would not have left in the first place.

I know a few people who have left and returned to jobs, it's fine, but obvously no guarantee the employer will have you back.

You'll just have to wait and see what their decision is and it would be perfectly valid for them to say no, as you have left once and it is still the same role.