I performed well in the interview but HR is now shifting goalposts!

I feel short-changed. Is shifting goal posts common practice in HR? PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • Don’t be discouraged or hold a grudge against HR, or the individual who beat you. Attitude is everything.

  • Be optimistic and engage the recruiting manager to find out what areas you need to develop as you prepare to seize the next available opportunity.

  • Being invited for an interview is never a guarantee of getting the job, and being unsuccessful is not an indication of failure on your part.

The company I work for recently advertised a job for a mid-level management role. Having met the minimum threshold of four years’ experience, I applied for it. I was shortlisted for the interview and performed well, only to be informed later that I was not suitable for the position because they needed someone with a 10-year job experience! I felt short-changed. Is shifting goal posts common practice in HR?

 The requirements for any vacant role are usually specified on the advertisement. Ordinarily, middle level roles require candidates to have more than four years of experience. Perhaps what was stated in the advertisement was just the minimum requirements. Therefore, candidates with more experience than the minimum stand a higher chance of being considered. Besides the years of experience, there are other considerations that you might not have met.

Some organisations are highly dynamic, and drastic changes can occur between the period when a role is advertised, and when the candidates are recruited. There are instances when the role evolves and increases in depth due to the expectations required of the job holder. The organisation could also be going through structural changes, which may necessitate the expansion or combination of roles. If two or more roles are merged, a decision may be made that the person handling that position be highly experienced.

It is possible that during the interview, the panel realised that there are many candidates who are more experienced than you, and who possess the skills required. It is apparent that you were an internal candidate, so maybe the HR personnel considered you for the interview even though they required a more experienced person. This is common practice aimed at preparing you for new opportunities for growth or for internal promotions in future.

Be clear that the interview was not in vain. Such exercises provided an avenue for internal candidates to identify their gaps, and to work at improving on their weaknesses in anticipation for a bigger role. Pick lessons from this experience. The fact that you were shortlisted means that the company values you enough to consider you for a position other than the one you currently hold. You may have been a competitive candidate, but the person they settled on must have been better for the job.

Don’t be discouraged or hold a grudge against HR, or the individual who beat you. Attitude is everything. Be optimistic and engage the recruiting manager to find out what areas you need to develop as you prepare to seize the next available opportunity.

Being invited for an interview is never a guarantee of getting the job, and being unsuccessful is not an indication of failure on your part.

Jane Muiruri - Senior HR Manager, Nation Media Group