Externally advertised, yet internal candidate chosen...
Externally advertised, yet internal candidate chosen...
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Discussion

GingerChops

Original Poster:

41 posts

211 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
As the title. Why does this happen? Over the years of interviews I've had this happen 3 times. I had an interview recently, it went really well, yet to be informed that have chosen an internal candidate.

So why do they bother advertising?

(appoliges, I'm simply a little miffed about it!)

Kermit power

29,622 posts

240 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Just because a candidate was chosen internally, it doesn't necessarily mean they already had them lined up for the job before they started the process.

Of course it depends on the size of the employer, but if you're looking at a company of size, the chances are the hiring manager won't know who is available internally any more than they would externally. My employer currently has a freeze on external hiring, but looking in the internal job site, there are some positions which do come up and then dissapear within minutes, but there are also some which hang around for months because no suitable internal candidates have presented themselves.

Most recruitment consultants only get paid on results, I believe, so it does the company no harm to advertise externally as well as internally, although if they do it too often, they're going to end up pissing off recruitment consultants, I suppose.

Jasandjules

72,335 posts

256 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
IIRC there is a legal requirement to advertise a job externally. No requirement of course to recruit externally, so it's a bit of a waste of time and money in my view, but there we go.

Kermit power

29,622 posts

240 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
IIRC there is a legal requirement to advertise a job externally. No requirement of course to recruit externally, so it's a bit of a waste of time and money in my view, but there we go.
No there isn't! As far as I'm aware, the only time there is a legal requirement to advertise a role externally is if you want to employ someone who isn't an EU citizen, at which point you have to prove that you've taken all reasonable steps to find an EU citizen qualified to do the job and been unable to do so.

Certainly none of our current vacancies are advertised externally, as we're not recruiting externally outside a few very specialist areas, so what would be the point?

redweapon

112 posts

307 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
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Internal promotions always get paid less, but they still have to be seen to have looked else where. Thats why you should not go for promotions internally, but change company's if you want to earn more cash.

Soovy

35,829 posts

298 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
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You have to advertise externally, it's the law. Stupid, but there we are.

The internal candidate was cheaper and knows the ropes. You were a stalking horse.

Sorry but that's the truth.

Bullett

11,161 posts

211 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
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Happened to me recently.

I was apparently exactly what they were looking for but the internal guy got the job. I suspect this is because he was cheaper.

AJS-

15,366 posts

263 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
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I've worked in companies where people didn't know a role was open until they saw it advertised externally.

Kermit power

29,622 posts

240 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Soovy said:
You have to advertise externally, it's the law. Stupid, but there we are.
Other than when a company wants to hire someone from outside the EU because they can't find an EU citizen with sufficient experience and need to show they've tried, can you please show me specifically what law states that this is the case?

Don't say "google it", because I've just tried googling it, and whilst I can find lots of pages saying that jobs don't legally have to be advertised externally, I can't find a single one that says they must be.

Kermit power

29,622 posts

240 months

Wednesday 16th September 2009
quotequote all
Still googling on this....

I've still not found anything that suggests that all job vacancies must be advertised externally by law, however I have found the quote below on the UK Border Agency website

UK Border Agency said:
rom next year, all jobs must be advertised to British workers in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks - extended from two weeks - before companies can seek to employ individuals from outside Europe.
As far as I can see, there is no legal requirement whatsoever to advertise a role externally if your internal candidate is an EU citizen. Company practice might dictate that all vacancies be advertised externally, but that's not the same thing as the law doing so.

Yanto

547 posts

235 months

Thursday 17th September 2009
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Kermit power said:
Just because a candidate was chosen internally, it doesn't necessarily mean they already had them lined up for the job before they started the process.

Of course it depends on the size of the employer, but if you're looking at a company of size, the chances are the hiring manager won't know who is available internally any more than they would externally. My employer currently has a freeze on external hiring, but looking in the internal job site, there are some positions which do come up and then dissapear within minutes, but there are also some which hang around for months because no suitable internal candidates have presented themselves.

Most recruitment consultants only get paid on results, I believe, so it does the company no harm to advertise externally as well as internally, although if they do it too often, they're going to end up pissing off recruitment consultants, I suppose.
This.

Alternatively, Hiring Manager gets budget = kid in sweetshop and wants to talk to external agents and be taken to Spearmint, The Emirates, Nobu etc etc . 2 weeks later, he realises to land a prime candidate externally, he has to pay agent fee (and in some cases a guarantee to attract someone this time of year) which is paid from his annual comp pool. Suddenly realises less money to go around existing team at year end and cools on the external hire idea. Johnny internal becomes an attractive candidate as he/she ticks 95% of the boxes that Johnny external does - without the additional grief, learning curve and cost. Bobs your mothers brother....

bunyarra

325 posts

239 months

Saturday 19th September 2009
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Actually, employment tribunals will look very unfavourably on you if a job has not been advertised INTERNALLY prior offered outside the company. If an employee claims unfair treatment by not being considered for promotion etc. then your defence is lessened if they had no chance to apply and be interviewed.

scirocco265

421 posts

203 months

Saturday 26th September 2009
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I'm on the other side of this and find it just as frustrating. One department in my Company in particular always does this, insists on advertising externally everywhere, different job-boards, different printed press and then they always recruit internally, £5k down the pan everytime....