This isn’t right, right? Unable to apply for promotion

[ElChapo]

There’s been some restructure at work and a new position created which would be a step up for me. It was advertised on the company intranet stating to apply by COB 19th September. I tried to apply last Monday 15th and it wasn’t showing up so I left it, looked again Tuesday. Still not there so I emailed recruitment and they then came back Wednesday morning to say the position has already been offered to someone. This has really pissed me off! Like they were just paying lip service and it wasn’t really open to anyone else. They’d already decided who was getting it and no one else had a chance. Is this right? Surely they have to at least let people apply if they’ve openly advertised it, even if just internally. I want to complain but don’t know if I’ve got something legitimate to complain about. Can anyone advise?

It’s really common and to be honest if I was you I’d be grateful you didn’t waste your time doing an application when you were never going to get the job anyway because as you say, it was always made for someone else.

I would think that if the post had been advertised with a closing date then it should go to closing, with interviews taking place after that date. I'd go back to recruitment to check there's not been an error and then take it ip with HR and your union (if you have one) to get clarification around the recruitment policy.

Was there anything in the advert that suggested closing may happen earlier (sometimes there's a disclaimer that closing may be earlier for various reasons? How long had it been open before it closed?

I think I would rather think I’d at least given it a go and lost out to someone else than not given the opportunity in the first place tbh

Yes I was thinking about contacting HR. That was my thinking probably naively in hindsight that it should go to the last date and then decision made after that

No nothing in the advert to suggest it would close earlier. Not sure how long it had been up for but I know they were late posting as I asked someone about it

But if it was always a job made for someone else, which they often are, you are never actually given the opportunity in the first place because you never actually had a chance. All that would change is you’d waste a few hours prepping your application and a few weeks waiting for the result- would you not rather just know from the off you’re not getting it and save yourself the time?

They can promote whoever they want. Frustrating as it may be, you don't really have any grounds to take this further.

I guess I should change my mindset really. It just feels off that I wasn’t given the opportunity for which I feel would be a good fit for me. You are right of course. It just smarts a bit 🙂

This can sometimes happen as a result of aligning people to their correct job description/job title. In this case, there would be no chance at all of you getting the job so they really are doing you a favour by not wasting your time. They intend for the applicant to make a lateral switch within the department - either they get the job and you don't, or they don't get the job (because you scored better at interview) but that means that they don't leave their current post meaning that the funding for the role suddenly doesn't exist.

I would - to check the recruitment policy if nothing else.

But to what end? So the OP has to go through the entire application and interview process, which all parties know is false, only for the original appointee still get the role?

Does your company have a redeployment policy?

To clarify the policy re appointing before the closing date, of course - and to remind anyone in the organisation who's thinking of doing this that there's a correct procedure. There might not be a policy of course, but I'd certainly check and I'd make sure there's not been a miscommunication.
Everyone knows that people are often earmarked for roles, but if a job is advertised then other candidates should at least be given the opportunity to interview - and it's not unheard of for exceptional candidates to appear who change the outcome.

I was also wondering this. If so it may have been pulled as it may be a suitable alternative role for someone who is either at risk of redundancy or for health reasons needs an alternative role to avoid a capability dismissal