your thoughts on the situation

[treebirdsky]

Hi,

My workplace has 2 managers (A&B), I have been working with 1 manager (B).
B handed notice in, manager A asked would I take the role, I say yes, for the next month manager B is handing over her role to me. At this point it is announced through gossip that the role is going to be split into 2 jobs. I ask A, and she confirms role is to be split. I forsee that this will leave me doing my current work and 1 half of the manager role. I write to manager A at this point explaining I will be happier to stay in current role. Role is advertised externally and I am encouraged to apply. I apply and they give the role original whole role to external candidate. Then ask me to work with new B, I decline - new B starts , any ideas for me to handle the (unforseen) fallout. The atmosphere isn't what it was, I feel annoyed etc....

“Then ask me to work with new B, I decline”

That was incredibly unwise and immature of you. Yes, it sucks to be passed over for a job but all you’re doing is making yourself look bad.

What you need to do is apologise and build bridges with B.

Sorry to be blunt btw. But I’ve never understood why people do this - it’s so short sighted, as obviously everyone can tell it’s sour grapes.

Ask for feedback on why you didn’t get the role, also.

You don't think it's best to move on?

Well, you can move on to a new role elsewhere if you want, but you should still act professionally and work with the new person in the meantime.

so why isn't it sour grapes, that they wanted me to do 1.5 roles for the price of 1 and I said no, so they made the job whole again and gave it to someone else, my loyalty and hard work stood for nothing, when they didn't get what they wanted

You can't decline to work with your new colleague just because you applied for their job and failed the interview process. That's petty and bizarre. Of course you must work with them.
The job wasn't guaranteed to you. You didn't get it. It's hardly the new hire's fault. It sounds rather immature of you frankly.

You interviewed for a job without asking to see the new job description, or salary?
then it was changed and advertised externally. I presume the original job spec of manager B?

there may be some grounds for a grievance but you’d need to be really clear on how this was advertised and communicated to you.

Well I don't have anything in writing, before the external advert, it was all just talk up to that point

It's highly unlikely they have hired the other person to spite you, they were probably a better fit, or better for the role. They clearly don't think you could do the whole role, but could have done the half that would have been split. The other person can do all of it.

Did they say it would be no more money for the additional work?

You can't refuse to work with someone new, how would that even work in practice? You either get over yourself, or move on.

OP I tend to agree with others. You weren't the best candidate for the role when it was advertised. It happens. You can definitely look for another role but it would be hugely unprofessional to refuse to work with the new hire in the meantime. If I were your boss it would 100% confirm I'd made the right decision and I'd be glad you were moving in.

I am back doing my original role, before I took on extra hours to help B, I handed in my notice of those hours, at the point the role was suggested to be split

Basically you can't refuse to work for B. Either move on or do your job working for b.

I think it is helpful to see this through other peoples eyes, you can tell yourself it's just business, but it doesn't feel like it when it's you

Have you asked for feedback why you were not successful. Sounds like they don't think you are ready for the full role responsibilities yet.

Professional thing to do is get feedback and ask for opportunities to gain experience,or skills you are missing, to put you in a better position for next vacancy.

You need to work with B, it is not their fault you did not interview successfully. If you feel your potential is not being recognised you need to decide whether to prove otherwise in this company or move to another.

The other candidate outperformed you. It’s not all about you!

I’ve been there, except the new hire was my line manager. I decided I would handle it with as much grace and professionalism as possible, because anything else would look bad and because I wanted to impress the people who knew I’d applied and been unsuccessful - this was a chance to show them that I could be really professional.

You have done the opposite. It’s not too late to fix it, but you need to stop thinking about how you’ve been wronged and start focusing on how other people are going to see you.

she's going to need to outperform me, but seriously, you guys have really helped me, I just needed the neutral perspective - I feel better : )

OP you sound quite inexperienced in terms of the recruitment process and what you should have been able to expect from your company.
the fact that nothing was in writing but you started a handover just sounds very weird.
why would you accept a manger role without asking for the job description or salary?

I am not sure if you have a really poor HR team and really poor understanding/comms on manager A’s part but something isn’t adding up here.

She already has 🤔

"I am not sure if you have a really poor HR team and really poor understanding/comms on manager A’s part but something isn’t adding up here."

It's this....

I think they treated you badly, but... from their point of view you are being arsey because you didn't get what you wanted.

The lesson here is that loyalty and hard work rarely count for much I'm afraid. People expect their employers to be decent, fair and caring. Employers expect to make a profit / deliver the service, end of. Some of them might come across as the former, but you can almost be certain that it's because they believe it delivers the latter better for them. It's a cash relationship - they pay you cash and you "make" more cash for them.

It isn't personal, so don't let it upset you. Just remember that when you get the shiny new job, if they try to persuade you to stay you kn ow what their promises are worth now.

yes I am inexperienced in the applying process, and have moved up a couple of times here already, so no external applications to keep me up to date for a long time, I just took it on trust, but on this occasion I was wrong to do so, i think they just asked me to apply as a back up, I think something happened, like an x factor, that made them change their minds, I won't probably ever know what that was,

Have you asked for interview feedback on what you could have improved and where you were weaker than the other candidate? Did you try at the interview, or did you not bother as you thought it was a dead cert?

Your performance in the temporary role was not good enough to be offered the job. An external candidate performed better at the interview. I am not sure why you declined to work with them. My assumption is you work in public sector. Apologise, learn from them, and try again next time or look for a role in another department.

It always really baffles me when people think that these kind of decisions are optional. Yeah you have to work with the new manager or you dont work there.