Opinion on job rejection

Firstly I am new here so hello!

Background: Have a BSc and MSc in science/engineering graduate.
I would like to get into the area of Regulatory affairs but i have no industrial experience.
I applied for a temporary RA assistant position.
I was called for an interview after 2 days and I was told that i would hear 2 days later. I explained that i really want to get into this area and I am willing to work in any position. as I need experience.
After 1.5 weeks I received an email saying sorry but you are over qualified for the position.
Why did they even call me for an interview? Is this common practice?
Also they said that they would notify me within 2-3 days, and it took 1.5 weeks. is this normal also??

Any advice on future CV applications/ interview points would be gladly accepted?

Hi,
Welcome to the forum!

I can't comment on your particular career/circumstances, but my philosophy is that if I'm "rejected" for a particular job, it means that there is a better job 'around the corner' !

Best of Luck!

Silvera.

Smokeygirl,

Were you called by the company itself, or a recruitment company? Lots of times, interviewers have quotas to get through each month, particularly in recruitment companies.

It is unfortunate, but you can be called for an interview just so that someone can make up the numbers for their monthly bonus.

smokeygirl

Having been around the block a few times myself all I can say is that what you experienced is not uncommon and as the candidate it can be quite frustrating. As Silvera mentioned, it could just mean there is a better job around the corner.

C

Thanks for the welcome Silvera.
I suppose I was just disappointed. You are probably right- adding to the numbers!!
It was actually the company who contacted me when I sent in my CV, they told me that the interviews had closed but would extend the date to give me an interview as they seems interested in my background.
Thanks for all your responses.

Why don't you phone the company/person who interviewed you and ask nicely for a de-brief on why you were not selected for the position. If it was a professional company/person, they shouldn't have a problem with this.

If they do de-brief you, find out the core skills for the job and which ones you're lacking. You'll be better prepared for the next interview.

Failing that, there's also the FOI/Data protection act - I believe companies are obliged to keep records on interviews etc and disclose them to you, if you ask. If you really want this job, you should probably be a bit ruthless/focussed.

Was your MSc a taught- or research-Masters?

Oh, and the reason why it took 1.5 weeks for them to get back to you was because they were waiting for the successful applicant to sign the contract. On a positive note, it may mean that you were number 2 or 3 on the list of successful candidates.

Remember, if you're called to interview, the company effectively acknowledge you can do the job, it's just about 'fitting in'/'personalities' after that.

If the job was low skilled relative to where you want to end up they may have felt that with your skills you would have left for a better job within a short time frame. Considering the training involved in getting a new person up to speed I would be slow to take someone on if I felt this was the case.

sluice44 said:

Remember, if you're called to interview, the company effectively acknowledge you can do the job, it's just about 'fitting in'/'personalities' after that.

Click to expand...

I'd actually have to disagree with this statement. I know I'm probably going to be accused of negativity here, but coming at this from experience of all sides (company recruiting, recruitment company, and candidate), there are reasons why this may be so.

1. HR need to "justify their existence" by bringing in numbers for interview. A recruitment consultancy ploy as well (their monthly bonus depends on such things as numbers interviewed by them, by client companies, numbers of CVs received and numbers of phone calls made).
2. Recruitment company don't screen well enough, and company just calls in whomever is suggested by recruitment company.
3. Company doesn't get many CVs and just calls in everyone who applies (as a candidate I've experienced this - actually walked out because interviewer was reading CV for the first time in front of me).
4. Company has already decided on an internal candidate but just want to confirm to themselves that they've made the right decision.
5. You sound "nice" over the phone. Know of one recruiter who invited a male candidate in for interview for a job because she thought he sounded nice on the phone. "Sexy phone voice" was her description.

As for getting feedback, this is highly recommended, particularly if the company, or the position, is something that you're keen on now or in the future.

However, most companies now are not willing to go beyond the "not enough experience", or "better qualified candidate got the job" comments. In my experience, trying to delve deeper into reasoning is pretty much met with silence.

And if you are keen on the company, slapping them with an FOI request isn't going to be as positive a message to them as just saying, "oh, that's unfortunate, but if you wouldn't mind keeping me in mind for any other suitable positions in the future because I am really keen on working for company blah".

sluice44 said:

Failing that, there's also the FOI/Data protection act - I believe companies are obliged to keep records on interviews etc and disclose them to you, if you ask.
Was your MSc a taught- or research-Masters?

Click to expand...

Does FOI apply to private companies? I though it only related to Government.

Also I thought the Data Protection Act only applies to data stored in computers? If they just handwrite their notes and don't type them up or enter in a database afterwards I'm not sure it would apply.

dam099 said:

Does FOI apply to private companies? I though it only related to Government.

Click to expand...

You're right - FOI does not apply to private companies.

dam099 said:

Also I thought the Data Protection Act only applies to data stored in computers? If they just handwrite their notes and don't type them up or enter in a database afterwards I'm not sure it would apply.

Click to expand...

I recall some specific exclusions in the Data Protection Act to usual rights to access data where HR-related data is involved (performance reviews etc). Check out www.dataprivacy.ie for more details.

dam099 said:

Also I thought the Data Protection Act only applies to data stored in computers? If they just handwrite their notes and don't type them up or enter in a database afterwards I'm not sure it would apply.

Click to expand...

The Data protection Act doesl apply to hard copy information as well as computer data, see [broken link removed]

C