Inhouse Applicant Overlooked

Nat

I need some help resolving this. We post available positions in-house and interview all applicants who meet the minmum requirements. We posted a job, interviewed and selected someone for the position. The problem is that, for some reason, (I don't do the interviewing so I don't see all of the applicants) our staffing coordinator overlooked one in-house applicant and they were not interveiwed. The person who was not interviewed is very upset. Do I de-select the person selected and interview this person or do we interview this person and then if we want them de-select the other person. The one overlooked has been here 3+ years and the one selected about 6 months. Not that it matters, but I really don't think the outcome will be any different. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks.

Don D

To reopen the process and include the individual will for sure add credibility to your overall internal announcement process. Not doing so will damage the credibility of the program, no matter what you post or verbalize about it from now on. This is just one side of the equation. The other side, that others can address is how to or whether to 'de-select' and proceed as if there had been no selection. Then there's the matter of the staffing coordinator's full and reliable explanation of how something this structured failed to work correctly.

Balloonman

Don the technical explaination how this happens is "stuff happen" edited for readers. x:-) Don is right though, interview the person and see what is thought, if they are the best person then you have other things to figure out. If they are not, then no problem. The big issue you have to to have a legitimate interview, and honestly be open to choosing this person if they are the best candidate. If you do an interview for window dressing only my gut tells me they will know it, and you will do more harm then good.
Mistakes happen, be up front, apologize for it, set the interview then move on.
My $0.02 worth. Have at least 20 cents in my pocket today!
DJ The Balloonman

Whirlwind

A few times in the past 20 years, my office has had the experience of missing an internal app -- usually because it was lost in our interoffice mail, misrouted, or something of that nature. Our practice is to inform the person who has already been selected that a legitimate, timely application was overlooked and must be considered. Fortunately, we use an Applicant Rating Plan for every internal and external posting. This requires us to score applicants on all aspects of their qualifications, including their interview responses. Obviously, it is not entirely without subjectivity, but it helps our selection process be as free from bias as possible, and it helps assure applicants that they're getting fair consideration. In this case, it lessens the likelihood that the overlooked applicant would feel she was getting a perfunctory "courtesy" interview instead of real consideration. If the outcome of the hiring decision changes once the additional applicant has been interviewed, so be it. It sure doesn't make the first guy happy, but it's fair and pretty invulnerable to complaint.

HS

>Not that it matters, but I really don't think the outcome will be any >different. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks.


Well, theres a big problem here. I've seen this happen way too many times. If that is the mindset from the getgo, interviewing the person will be an insult to them and your process. Sorry to say, but if the minds have made the decision for the one, they won't be thinking objectively or clearly when it comes to the other.

The only clear way that I see of saving face, make an announcement that you are going to repost the opening (for whatever reason) and that interviews will be conducted again for those interested. Have a new person interview the candidates to see if they meet the minimum requirements, and if they do, have the hiring manager meet with the remaining.

mbeam

Wasn't sure if this will be an issue or not but has a formal offer already been made to the original applicant selected? If viewing this from a non-internal applicant side, if we had made a decision and offered it to an external candidate only to find another seemingly well-qualified candidate, it would open up a can of worms.