Have got an interview for an internal position and they are NOT applying the standard procedures...

[MrsSchadenfreude]

...should I complain? Would you? They are supposed to give me one week/5 working days notice. I got an email this afternoon, saying interview would be on Monday, no time given yet. So they fell at the first hurdle.

Our guidance says that those interviewing should be of a higher grade than the interviewee, or if this is not possible, then of the same grade, but with relevant experience (ie an HR wonk). One of the interviewers is two grades lower than me - they have told me that she is deputy head of local office (which would equate to my grade) but I know she's not - she's an admin officer - and I know this because I was involved in her recruitment!

I do want this job, so should I just keep schtum, or point out their shortcomings and have myself ruled out as a troublemaker before the interview takes place?

I should carry on for now but if you don't get the job, and you want to take it further, do it then. Is there an appeal process if you don't get it? I think that doing anything now might rock the boat. Do you think you'll get it - are there loads of candidates?

There are not many candidates, and my mole in the office said it is a toss up between me and a blokey, with blokey being the hot favourite (they are all blokeys there, it is something that women don't seem to get involved with, except me!). Being female might work in my favour, as they have been told are keen to up their diversity. I just think the admin officer is on the panel a) as token woman and b) more junior so that they can walk all over her.

Well, you could take your chance as is, and if blokey gets it, you have the option of appealing then with some reason by the sound of it, if that's what you want to do. Raising issues re the process now might mark you up as a troublemaker although I suppose you could gently "question" the process now, in case anyone says "well you didn't complain at the time".

I thought I might say "Oh is she the deputy head of the office now? I thought XX was - did she replace him?"

and see what they say to that.

sounds a pretty neutral comment.

Good luck

Is the interview on Monday actually a problem?

Similarly, is this interviewer being used a problem? Do you have any reason to think she won't give you a fair hearing or something? it sounds as though she's unlikely to have much of a say in the decision so the key is whether the other interviewer is someone fair and appropriate.

I do think that if there are strict internal guidelines they should be followed if at all possible, but I also think making a fuss about techicalities if you have no actual reason to think they will put you at a disadvantage might not be your best option.

If you feel afterwards that one of these procedural issues meant you didn't get a fair chance, then you could appeal the decision at that point.

Flowery, she is a problem in that she is timid and likely to be incapable of standing up to the bully boy who is leading the interview, and as an independent panel member, is very, very unlikely to have her views taken into account.

I did complain, by the way, and they have tomorrow to come up with a different person, and as they are supposed to give 24 hrs notice of the independent person, in case there are any objections, then they are running close to the edge.

Have decided that I don't particularly want to work for Captain Cnut, so not fussed if I get this job or not.

They have pulled the interview and postponed it...apparently none of those who were on the original panel were trained interviewers... I asked who the trained interviewer was (there has to be at least one) and was told that none of them were trained!

What a faaarking shower!

sounds very unproffessional of then..