Potential job: red flags?

[PrincessOfPreschool]

I applied for a job just before Easter, start date 4th June. Handed my notice into work (planning to leave anyway). It was a very tight turnaround on interviews to start date (too tight for me to wait for job offer). Was suprised and disappointed I didn't get an interview. Received the standard: "Unfortunately you have not been shortlisted by the Interview Panel as there were other candidates who matched the Personal Specification more closely."

Oh well, onwards and upwards. Work begged me to stay so I postponed my resignation.

Then on 4th June the original job emailed: "During our last round of interviews for the above position in May, we were unable to successfully appoint."

I've been asked for an interview on Tuesday. I was initially really excited but I'm now left wondering.

What happened? Can I ask about it in the interview or is that nosey?

I agreed to be interviewed next Tue am. I have not yet received a time which seems a bit disorganised of them. I know I said I could do Tue morning but I think it's a bit rude to just let the candidate know the specific timing the day before. What do you think?

My excitement has now waned a bit.

What do you guys think? Is there anything worrying here? What would be some good questions to ask at interview to expose anything?

Too little information to decide whether it is a red flag or just a series of unfortunate events. I know lots of people this has happened to and it’s not necessarily a bad sign.

I wouldn’t ask too much about the previous recruitment round, it just sounds nosy.

OK thanks. I know there's not much info but how do I know if it's a red flag or just unfortunate. I don't want to walk into a bad situation.

Seems obvious what has happened to me, they weren’t able to find a suitable candidate from the original ones chosen.

Happens quite often where I work, people can blag the application, it frequently becomes obvious at interview that people have lied/bent the truth, can’t back their words up, and so we go back to applications.

Well, that would make sense, but the interviews were early May and they are now calling me for interview a month later.

Could be they offered the job to someone who accepted it but then pulled out near to the start date or maybe the appointed person just never turned up. Strange things can happen but I wouldn't ask as they will almost certainly just give a vague generic answer. Either way I agree it's poor to not confirm an interview time until the day before. They clearly don't value your time which could be a possible red flag.

Thanks so much. It's unanimous on 'don't ask' then! So I won't.

Interview time is trickier. Not sure if that's coming from HR or the actual department.

Think I'm going to have to go on my gut and ask questions about general running of things to see if I get any indication of potential issues.