How can this be fair?

[tify]

Left my role due to stress and bullying from the main manager.

I applied for a job which I had experience with in the past. I didn't get past the application stage.

Then heard a former colleague who has never worked in the area before has got a job starting in a fortnight's time. It's the same role I applied for but for a different dept.

How come she got past the assessments, interviews etc over me?

No one can tell you why that happened, move on to the next application, no point in stressing over things you'll never know

That's life 🤷‍♀️ maybe something in her application stood out, maybe they're after some fresh ideas from a different background, maybe they wanted someone who hadn't already formed bad habits in a previous similar role, maybe she interviewed incredibly well. Technical experience isn't everything in the hiring world - skills can be taught, but there are other things that can't.

I've definitely picked someone who had a better attitude and I felt would fit in better with my team over someone who was more technically experienced. It's just the way it goes, no point dwelling on it or harbouring bad feelings towards your poor friend who is probably excited about her new job!