Do I keep going or drop it?

[Keepthosenamesgoing]

I recently applied for a job. Got down to final 2 but it went to the internal candidate.
I was pretty hacked off as I'd spent a lot of time and effort as it was a long drawn out interview process. I've asked for feedback as all I got was a few verbal words when they called to tell me I hadn't got it. They've declined as they said they don't do this as standard.
So I can do a data subject access request and ask for all my data so I can get some feedback that way? Or I can get stroppy with them but I've had now 3 exchanges of emails and they aren't really budging (they have given me the external psychometric test results though)

only do a SAR if you're sure you never want to work for them in the future…sad to say but internal candidates are almost always guaranteed the job, and the job is only advertised externally in order to be legally compliant…it would have to be a truly exceptional candidate to get the job over the internal candidate

What do you hope to gain?

Drop it. And really don't get stroppy. Otherwise to the employer you will be "that candidate who thought they should have got the job and kept pestering for feedback we had already said that we didn't want to give." And probably on a do not hire list, to boot.

You did a lot of work, you thought you had a good shot, you didn't in the end get it. Sucks, but there you go.

Drop it but put it down to interview experience

There is no legal requirement to advertise jobs externally though

It's usually done to benchmark internal candidates against what can be found in the market and unless an external candidate is significantly better it's likely to go internally.

OP you need to drop it now, getting stroppy or raising an SAR will just prove to them that they made the right decision and isn't going to do anything constructive. What exactly are you looking for here?

If you feel that strongly, it's time to vote with your feet and get a promotion elsewhere.

So you already know why you didn't get it, it's because they wanted the internal candidate. Move on.

Sorry, I read it wrong, I though you were the internal candidate. Agree with PP, the internal almost always gets the job. I've been where you are countless times. I always ask whether their is an internal candidate these days.

Drop it. Badgering interviewers for more detailed feedback than they want to share is guaranteed way to make sure they never consider you for a role ever again. Even 3 email exchanges is too much.

Interviewers don't want to give feedback because they don't want to get into debates about whether what they said or thought was fair or otherwise, its too much hassle and therefore standard for most places not to give feedback.

They felt the internal candidate was more suited to the role than you and they don't have to give you any feedback, any test results (that was nice of them to share test results) or justify themselves at all to any candidate internal o external regardless of how much effort you put in.

If you DSAR that will confirm that they've made the right decision not to hire you.

Interview feedback is often not very helpful. Unless it's actually offered by an organisation that likes to be helpful, then it's often just something made up to fit their narrative "you did well with all questions but didn't have enough experience of X"
Not worth pursuing as you're unlikely to get anything useful

This job was never going to be yours.

Thanks all. I guess I'm just hacked off and you're right, I will gain nothing by the SAR.
I'll just drop it. But grrr ... I think it's shit not to give any feedback.