Job went to another internal candidate, how to move on.

[finfitrulesok]

I was the better candidate. The other person has been unreliable. I have more experience, more qualifications, and have a lot more proof of what I have invested and achieved. I am baffled that they chose the other person. I don't want to go back in and face it all. This is such a huge set back and I am gutted at all the time and energy I invested in making sure I was ready for this role. No career progression for me now. Unsure what to do.

Sounds dissapointing OP, I would start looking for another job tbh.

Thank you. I absolutely will. Problem is that it is teaching, so I am stuck here until Christmas.

Maybe the other candidate performed better during the interview process.

Onwards and upwards OP. If you don't think you can get over this polish up your CV and see what else is out there.

That’s so disappointing. Take time this weekend to let yourself feel disappointed, think about what you want to do next. Maybe look at the market for a role? The good news through this whole process is that your CV is up to date and you’ve got some recent interview practice. Good luck!

We had a similar situation recently where we chose the person who on paper was less qualified/experienced.

Ultimately we felt they were a better team fit, and preferred their personality. They absolutely have the potential to do an excellent job when fully trained.

The unsuccessful candidate, though very experienced and good at their job, is actually known to be quite a difficult character, has fallen out with colleagues several times, and people don’t enjoy working with them.

Its not always about being the “better” candidate.

It's up to them to decide who's the better candidate, depending on the specific things they want.

I was in exactly the same position (FE so not tied to the leaving dates you are)

I leave in 4 weeks. I've found every day stomach churning. Everyone assumed I'd get it - the person who did get it isn't up to the job and often asks me.for help and advice. It's been shit

Get some feedback, take it from there. You may not accept it or agree with it, but at least you know what others thought. I’d also work on giving ‘accepting the decision’ vibes, makes life easier.
I’m sure you’ll nail the next job.

Wow, how kind to the OP

That reminds me of the recent post where the candidate not chosen heard them talking about her some time later, the boss said ‘she’s hard working and if we promote her no one will answer all the emails’ or something similar. The chosen person wasn’t up to it and left, they asked her to stand in for no extra pay and she said no, then the business went tits up. Or something like that.

If the person isn’t up to it and asks you for help I’d suggest that you don’t know any of the answers and are unfortunately unable to help. Not your problem, especially as you’re leaving.

The other one ticked more boxes maybe, said the right things. Buzzwords.

The other person has been unreliable.

Oh well. Not your problem 🤷‍♀️😁

Can you ask for feedback?

It’s so disappointing, I know.

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. I'm not good at quoting people, but Mathsdebator I am sorry to hear you have been through the same.
It is excrutiating, as we are both on the same team. We have to work together either way. I am not a difficult person to work with. I am very professional, hardworking, conscientious and honest. The other person is a good worker, but has been unreliable and has much less experience and expertise. Clearly they are the preferred person, though.

I was in a similar position a number of years ago. I applied for a promotion and was doing the job temporarily. It went to someone much much younger from elsewhere. I sucked it up and was pleasant and helpful. Sadly the new person was and still is pretty awful. They lack professionalism and are extremely lazy. They came with a poor reputation from their school where they were in an acting position (as was I).
I can only advise you to be extremely professional and do your job. But, and it's a big but, do not take on their responsibility in any way. Our new faculty head was very good at shoving their remit onto the rest of us. They would use each of us in turn. I retired and was very glad to escape the chaos

Not really the point but if you hand your notice in now, can’t you leave at the end of October?

I hope you can start to feel better about it soon.

I am a teacher too. I've been the internal candidate and up against the internal candidates and it's never a given who gets the job. I've also pulled out of an internal interview as I was terrified I'd feel like you if I was unsuccessful and I liked the school too much to risk it. Maybe the other person's "vision" was the one they wanted, maybe it was really hard for them to decide. Don't help whoever got it, ask for feedback and start looking for other jobs and tell SLT you're looking. I'm sorry you are disappointed but what's meant for you won't pass you by.

I had this a couple of years ago, I don’t think the head realised a) how difficult to recruit for the position was, b) that I would go elsewhere. I think he was expecting me to support the appointed candidate’s training (SENCO) I got a job elsewhere, resigned, then the person they appointed also resigned, THEN he was all like, what can we do to keep you? I was like that’s honestly not how this works! Anyway that job wasn’t great and I did in hindsight jump a bit quickly, but I’m now in a good position and lots of schools are struggling to hire good people, so head up high, it might take a term, but get yourself somewhere that will appreciate you!

This is how life works - very unfairly. This kind of scenario is replicated up and down the country every day.

By all means move jobs, but don’t cut your nose off to spite your face.

I was in exactly the same position as you last September though the job was a year-long ‘acting’ role. Predictably, the said person appointed was off sick for a sustained period by Christmas.

I started looking for a new job and secured a more senior post than the ‘acting’ one I went for and I start in September.

I like to believe that everything happens for a reason…

I had this years ago, not in teaching. The job specification said among other things, they wanted people with ideas for expanding the service (local authority libraries)and an outgoing personality. However the person they appointed did not fulfil these requirements. I didn't complain, but asked for feedback and was given a totally different specification to the one I had been given on application!
I did eventually get a job within the same service, which was perfect for me (with my wonderful ideas and outgoing personalit😉)

I know it sounds harsh but there may be something in this response. I know a woman in my company who applies for every promotion and is unsuccessful as she has a bad reputation for being moody, unreliable, only goes out of her way if a boss is watching and keeps skipping to the boss if she doesn't like something. She has good points too but she is very self unaware. On paper she is good so would do well at an external interview but half the team would leave if she got an internal manager job. Is there anyone you could ask for a candid assessment of how you are perceived at work?
Of course, there may be some other reason you didnt get the job and I hope you get something soon

Agree, so @MrsFeljne Ultimately we felt they were a better team fit, and preferred their personality.
It's not about capability or being able to do the job... you wanted a potential friend or already friend to get the job? How did you know that theyd be a much better fit from 1 job interview. If you already knew them and liked them better, was the job always theirs and you wasted other peoples time?

Some good advice, thank you. I will be professional. What other choice do I have? I will have to stop doing all the extra things I do to support the department. It won't be the same place any more, as no one else puts in that kind of effort. I think I need a change of school, and feel reassured by those people who have shared they were able to move on to better things.

I work as a recruitment manager. The other candidate could have more experience behind them of which you are unaware. However, it is worth bearing in mind that some companies do prefer promoting people that are more malleable/flexible and who are willing, at times to do more than their contract dictates and additional hours for no extra remuneration. Is this other person a ‘yes person’?